Adapting the story for the Outlander series
This chapter is one that certainly sees a lot of adaptation for the show. In a way, it makes a lot of sense.
Throughout the last few chapters, we had a hint of Claire’s experiences traveling around the Highlands. She mentions how sometimes she’s invited to speak with the women. The show had to offer that in some way, and it makes sense that we see her learning more about the women’s work in the villages.
Of course, this leads to Angus angry that he’d lost Claire. She had a chance to escape in a way, and part of Angus wondered whether he had. He was upset with Claire that he’d lost her, leading to an argument that Lieutenant Jeremy Foster overhears.
It’s because of Foster that Claire and Dougal end up meeting with Brigadier General Lord Thomas. However, this is a character that doesn’t exist in the book. I think the show wanted to offer a couple of things through his storyline.
The first is that not everyone is suspicious of Claire. As an Englishwoman, Foster feels like he should protect her. While there are certainly bad men in the British Army, there are some good ones.
The second is that it gives us someone to remember and feel for when it comes to the Battle of Prestonpans. He’s the one Dougal chooses to kill, treating all Redcoats the same—traitors to the “rightful” British king. A character like this is often important to get a sense of both sides of a war and sometimes feel like our favorite characters do some terrible things.
The third is we see how the British Army could show up to a village and just take what they want. Foster needs to re-shoe his horse. It doesn’t matter if the village doesn’t have tools and material to spare; he uses it without thinking about them.
But what about the use of Thomas and the conversation Claire has with him? This is a way to show Claire’s feelings about the Highlanders change. In the book, we have the chance to hear Claire’s inner thoughts. In a show, it’s always better to find a way to show something instead of telling it, which is what this scene is about.
Claire has empathy for the Scottish plight. She understands that the Highlanders just want to keep their way of life. They are fed up with British rule, especially unfair British rule. Her views of World War II would certainly to set up that feeling of empathy. From that point of view, this change is necessary.
It still ends the same way as the chapter. Claire and Black Jack Randall are alone, and she’s going to be beaten for answers. The outcome is the same, it’s just the execution that’s different for the sake of different methods of storytelling.
What did you spot during your reading of Outlander Book 1, Chapter 12? Share in the comments below.
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