I disagree.
First off, a qualifier: I have only ever managed to make it through the first 150 or so pages of the first book in the series, so my impressions of Jon Snow are almost completely based off his portrayal in the series.
Snow, to me, is analogous to Tyrion. Both characters are perhaps the most fundamentally decent, morally-upstanding characters we’ve seen so far. They both inhabit a world that metes out brutal punishment for those of good morals and altruistic spirit. There are other characters of high moral fiber in the series so far, but all of the others have had strong, guiding hands to help them navigate the dangerous world. Tyrion and Snow are both outcasts. Everything they learn, they’ve had to learn for themselves by making mistakes and then surviving them and hoping to do better. Tyrion is blessed by being clever and cunning and quick with a joke. Snow isn’t particularly clever at all, but he is great in a fight, good-looking, and possesses a charisma of leadership.
For me, I see Jon as this incredibly heroic guy. He knows he’s screwing shit up, but still knows that he’s got to do the right thing. A more cunning fellow would know how to befriend Samwell without bringing on the scorn of the officers in the Watch. A smarter guy would’ve figured out a way to deal with Ygritte besides getting separated from the other Rangers and becoming hopelessly lost. A wiser man would’ve known that Ygritte would try to seduce him out of his solemn vows, and would’ve known those vows are likely violated by most men of the watch at whorehouses anyway. A more cunning man wouldn’t have let her walk him right into an ambush.
But so there he is…and he still seems damned heroic. He knows the moment he decides not to kill Ygritte that he’s fucking up and making his life incredibly difficult, but he won’t take the easy way out. He can join the crowd berating Samwell…but he just can’t do it even if that’s the path of least resistance.
He’s learning how to use his own gifts of his charisma, trusting nature, decency, and leadership to sort out the tough things his morality forces him into. The “bumbling” he finds himself in now should serve him well if he can survive it.
Adapting the story is one thing, changing the character is another.
I’ve had enough of Legolas sliding down the steps of Helm’s Deep on a shield firing two arrows at once. If Martin truly wrote Jon Snow larger than life, I think the show runners figured out a better way to characterize him.
