Outlander Book Club: Book 1, Chapter 15 breakdown

Foreshadowing within the Outlander chapter

Like the previous chapter, a lot of this chapter is just in the moment. There’s little foreshadowing. In fact, Claire spends time looking back on her time with Frank and comparing him to Jamie.

However, there is an element of foreshadowing in Jamie’s talk of his family. While it could seem like mentioning family is just in passing and a way for him to share a little more about his life, it’s clear that some of these family members will come up again.

Jamie mentions how Jocasta has three daughters and she still lives in Scotland. We know now that she moved to the Colonies and lost her daughters. There just feels like something within this that foreshadows it’s not all going to work out for Jocasta.

I do think there’s an element of foreshadowing in Claire’s love for Jamie. She’s only just started her life with him, but she trusts him more than she did Frank when it comes to the bedroom. Maybe part of that is confidence, but there is definitely an element of trust when it comes to wants in the bedroom.

It’s clear that the two will have a passionate sex life. This is something Mrs. Graham talked about during the tea and palm readings. Jamie would never stray from Claire’s bedroom looking for something more.

Finally, there’s the foreshadowing of the danger the two will always be in. We know Jamie doesn’t feel safe enough not to sleep without a knife. We get this feeling of some of the trouble that is to come in their lives.

However, Jamie talks about no lies but that they can have secrets. This offers some foreshadowing that there will be things that happen that Claire or Jamie can’t share with each other right away. However, when it comes to talking to each other, they will speak the truth.

But for the most part, their time together in this chapter is all in the moment. There’s no need for Claire to think of anything else.