Outlander Book Club: Book 1, Chapter 3 breakdown

The Outlander chapter

We’ll start with just a focus on the chapter. During Chapter 3, Claire tries to figure out what has happened. She initially just thinks that she’s found herself on a film set, and it’s an understandable assumption. I don’t think anyone would initially jump to the conclusion of time travel.

So, she focuses on getting out of the way of the “cast and crew” for this “movie” and find a way back to the road. That’s when she starts to realize something is terribly wrong. For one thing, there’s a man that is almost identical to Frank but is definitely not Frank. He introduces himself as Jonathan Randall.

This would be enough to confuse anyone. She’d heard of Jonathan Randall. He’s Frank’s ancestor. Would anyone else know of him? Is it some sort of prank? Where is Frank in all this?

It then moves onto Murtagh saving Claire from Black Jack Randall, which is when she meets the rest of the Highlanders. She’s looking for her opportunity to escape, but her nurse’s instincts cut in. She can’t watch Jamie’s arm broken as Rupert tries to put the shoulder back in.

As she ends up on a journey to a place she doesn’t know, she ends up looking out for Jamie and his injuries. She also realizes that she’s likely time traveled. The thing that gives it away is the lack of light from Inverness. Inverness will be there, but she should be able to see it. Since she can’t, she realizes that it’s because there’s no electrical lighting. She has to be in the past. It’s the only thing that makes sense.

And so, her journey in the 18th century begins.