Outlander Book Club: The Fiery Cross Chapter 56 breakdown

Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter

There isn’t that much in the way of foreshadowing. It’s more about plot development. One thing is clear, and that’s that the war is coming.

We’re not getting to the Revolutionary War just yet. There are a few things to cover first. We need the Battle of Alamance first, and that’s to come within this part of The Fiery Cross. There’s a sense of that in the letter, along with a sense that nobody is really all that safe.

Adapting The Fiery Cross chapter

We didn’t get the letters or the breakdown of events through written form in the show. It just wouldn’t work for a TV show at all. While there are some TV shows that include letters and opt for voiceovers to read them, a show like Outlander needs to show us the events instead.

We get to see that in a couple of ways. The first is through the use of Knox.

Knox and Jamie go to see some of the Regulators after Hillsborough. Jamie manages to free some of them secretly, but Knox kills one. It’s clear that the Regulators are growing in force, and Knox’s actions lead to more animosity. We need to see that animosity grow rather than just be told about it. This is the best way to understand everything that’s happened, especially when it comes to Murtagh fighting against the Crown.

Then there’s Tryon’s letter, which wasn’t used. Instead, Tryon told Jamie that they were going to muster the militia. We got to see it happen on screen, which again, is important for a TV show. You’re going to want to use Tim Downie when you have him!

What did you spot while reading The Fiery Cross Chapter 56? Let us know in the comments below.

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