Outlander Book Club: Book 1, Chapter 32 breakdown

Adapting the story for the Outlander series

This chapter was used in the show but very differently. Instead of a midwife around, Claire was the one to deliver Jenny’s baby. And Claire wasn’t skilled at turning the baby, which meant she was born breech.

We saw Claire completely out of her depth. She’d never dealt with childbirth, and here she was with the life of her sister-in-law and niece in her hands. Everything was against her, but she focused and managed to bring the baby into the world.

This is one of those instances of Super Claire that I do find the show guilty of giving us a little too much. We know she’s capable, but seeing Claire and the midwife working together in the chapter was beautiful, especially the way the midwife wasn’t offended by Claire’s suggestions. I’d have loved to see that—women supporting women.

However, there’s another reason for this adaptation. We get to see Claire and Jenny bond even further. Jenny’s life is in Claire’s hands. This is a moment for Jenny to put all her trust in Claire, despite not really knowing her. This intimate and vulnerable moment is made all the more important with this growth of the bond, and I do wonder if that’s what the show was really looking at gaining from this change.

We also get to see Claire be more honest with Jamie about their chances of having a family. Claire admits that she fears she’s barren, that’s she’s always feared it.

The topic doesn’t come up in the show as much as in the book. I actually get fed up of constantly reading about Claire’s thoughts on her ability to have a child in the book. It’s just too much! So I do feel the show handled it a little better in this case with just the odd mention to building up to Claire being honest with Jamie about it—and Jamie’s understandable disappointment.

We also don’t get Claire and Jamie discussing the need to leave as much. I’m sure it must come up somewhere, but I don’t remember it.

What did you take from reading Outlander Book 1, Chapter 32? Share in the comments below.

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