Outlander Book Club: A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 7 breakdown
Just the Outlander chapter
The chapter starts with Claire talking about how the term “Indian Agent” sounds like Jamie is someone from an old Wild West program. It’s a good thing in the sense that the hero of the shows never dies, but Jamie brings up one question: will it mean he has to sing?
I love that Jamie takes in what Claire’s life was like in the future. While he can’t imagine exactly what she is describing, he tries. He really does take on board everything that she says, and I do think that’s important in their relationship. They have a bond that can’t be broken.
After this, the talk moves onto the upcoming war. Jamie will be involved in trade with the Native Americans. This is important for the upcoming war. He explains that trading with the local tribes is a way to help keep the tribes on the Crown’s side should things happen. He will be viewed as a loyalist.
The Frasers need to be viewed as loyalists right now. Eventually, they will need to switch sides because they know the way that the war is going to go.
However, Jamie does have a question. He knows now what is going to happen to the tribes when the Patriots win the war. Brianna has explained a lot of it, and he trusts that it will happen. What could be if the Crown wins? Is it possible that the Native Americans would have fared better?
Nobody can really answer that, though. And is it really possible to change history?
At the end of the chapter, Jamie wants to know one more thing. If something happens to him, will Claire do what the Dutch woman did to her family? Jamie theorizes that the man was killed and the woman poisoned her family intentionally to kill them because they couldn’t live without the man of the house. Claire isn’t 100% that happened, but she understands why Jamie believes that.
Jamie makes it clear that Claire shouldn’t do that. She also shouldn’t kill herself because something happens to Jamie. The children will need her, and he will wait for her in the afterlife.