We get to find out why MacDonald is at the Ridge in Outlander Book 6, Chapter 5
Just two chapters ago, Donald MacDonald turned up to talk to Jamie. It’s time to find out what he is there for in Outlander Book 6, Chapter 5.
MacDonald clearly doesn’t like the Native Americans, but that isn’t why he had to see Jamie. The focus is actually on places being burned down. Even ships have been burned. And there is clearly one common denominator in all these attacks. The people are linked to those emigrating from mainland Europe instead of Britain.
It’s clear from this chapter that there is much more to the story of cabins being burned down. This doesn’t really foreshadow anything. Instead, it offers some plot development.
However, there is another reason MacDonald is in the area. He needs to get Jamie to give land to some new people emigrating to the country. There are lots of other great places to settle, but it seems nobody has much land available, so Jamie is the one to turn to.
This isn’t a chapter that has been used on the series just yet. Could it be partly used during Outlander Season 6 and beyond? I’ll take a look at that in the adaptation section.
As mentioned, there’s a bit of plot development happening here. I also think there’s a little bit of foreshadowing in the form of reactions when talking about bringing new people to the Ridge. I’ll get to all that in the foreshadowing section.
Let’s dive into A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 5.
Just the Outlander chapter
We’re back at the Big House and finding out what MacDonald is in the area for. It all starts with a discussion about houses and ships that have been burned down.
There are people around who are burning places down. It all seems to be linked to people traveling from mainland Europe, although there may be some instances of them traveling from Britain. It’s not exactly clear what this group of men want right now. Are they trying to stop emigrants settling or is there something bigger going on?
This is where the plot development is. More on that in the foreshadowing section.
After that, we get to why MacDonald is really in the area. He needs Jamie to offer up some land to some of the emigrants coming over. It turns out that there isn’t that much land available around the plantations. However, Jamie has 10,000 acres and is only using around 20 acres of it at the moment. That’s a lot of land still to cover.
Claire thinks about the problems with land in the backcountry. It doesn’t lend itself to slave work because of the type of products that can’t be farmed on the land. That means Jamie needs to find people who understand farming, and it looks like the new Governor of North Carolina wants Jamie to spend time teaching some people.
Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter
There is a little bit of foreshadowing in the chapter. There’s also a lot of plot development.
The plot is all about the burning of the houses. This is going to be a much bigger thing, and it’s easy to think that this could be the connection to the Big House burning down. What it does is remind us that the fire is still to come.
The foreshadowing is in the growing of the Ridge. Jamie isn’t all that certain about wanting to just let anyone on the Ridge. After all, he’s never really opened it up to everyone and it’s more of being open to those he was at Ardsmuir with and then others on a case-by-case basis. While they are all happy to pitch in and help where necessary, it’s clear that this could be trouble for Jamie.
This foreshadowing isn’t specific of one thing, I don’t think. It’s just more an element of foreshadowing that life on the Ridge isn’t going to be that easy. For the time being, Jamie has to do what the Governor wants.
Adapting A Breath of Snow and Ashes chapter
This chapter hasn’t been used on Outlander Season 5. We did have the storyline involving the burning of the cabins, but it wasn’t a major storyline. I don’t think that part of the chapter is ever going to be used on the series now that Hodgepile and his group have been dealt with. That’s if I’m remembering the book right and that the ones involved in the burning were Hodgepile’s men.
The bit that could be used is expanding the Ridge. We know that’s got to happen, but the main part of Outlander Season 6 is going to be focused on the Christies. There might just be a mention on how to build the tenants at the Ridge and use up the land, but that it doesn’t become a major part of the story.
There are a lot of big stories in A Breath of Snow and Ashes to cover. There’s no way that the series can do it all, and this is such a small part that it could just get away with a quick mention and leave everything else out about the burning of cottages.
What did you spot while reading A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 5? Let us know in the comments below.
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