Jamie considers what it will really mean to change sides on Outlander Book 6, Chapter 41
As Jamie organizes guns for the local Native tribes, he thinks about what switching sides in the Revolutionary War will mean in Outlander Book 6, Chapter 41.
I love that we have this chapter. It’s rare that we hear Jamie’s thoughts about the upcoming war. It’s always from the views of someone from the future. Claire, Brianna, and Roger all know that the Revolutionary War must happen. What becomes of the Colonies if the Patriots lose the war?
However, that doesn’t mean Jamie has to be happy or confident in the plan. It’s clear that he has to switch sides, but this chapter reminds us that there’s much more than himself and his immediate family to consider.
It foreshadows a lot of what’s to come. That’s what makes this so important, and I’ll get to the foreshadowing in that section.
Will it be used in the TV series? We can’t just see Jamie’s internal thoughts. He’ll need to find a way to express them to someone, and that’s probably going to be Claire. We will need it to show up in the series, though, unless the writers really want to forget about Jamie’s character development.
Let’s dive into A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 41.
Just the Outlander chapter
The chapter starts with Jamie going to see Robin McGilvary for some weapons. He needs some for the Native tribes, and he does manage to strike a deal.
It turns out that Brianna had come to Robin with a drawing. She wants new guns made, and Robin isn’t impressed that a woman is thinking about guns instead of gowns. We know why it is, but this isn’t a time period for women to do this.
Jamie knows that it isn’t proper for a woman, but he’s not exactly going to stop his daughter from doing this. After all, he knows that she isn’t from this time period.
Jamie’s thoughts don’t stay on that for long, though. He thinks about the coming war. Brianna has recently explained what will happen to the tribes in the coming years and how they’re ousted from their land with broken promises. Bree and Roger have wondered whether Jamie should warn Bird.
But Jamie has to switch sides. How will that look to the tribes? Right now, he is fighting for the Crown and getting the people ready to fight against the revolutionaries. What about when Jamie turns his coat? How can people trust him when he’s been planning this the whole time?
And he also has to think about Lord John Grey. He’ll have a friend on the opposite side; a friend who may not understand why he’s joined the side of the Patriots.
The end of the chapter is a letter to Lord John Grey. Jamie wants John to sell the gemstone for him. At least, we can presume it’s a gemstone.
Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter
The foreshadowing here is all to do with the coming war and Jamie switching sides. Lord John Grey isn’t going to be happy. There are going to be a lot of questions. How could Jamie do this and put his family at risk again? He knows what could happen if the Patriots lose.
Of course, Jamie knows what is to come thanks to Claire, Brianna, and Roger. He can’t tell Lord John Grey that, though. Maybe he will have to at some point. It’s clear that this chapter foreshadows all of this to come, and it is an important part to the story for the development of relationships.
Adapting A Breath of Snow and Ashes chapter
The chapter hasn’t been used yet in the series, but I get a sense that it will be. At least, some of it will be. We know that Jamie becomes an Indian Agent in Outlander Season 6. That must mean that the talk of arming the tribes comes up.
I would love to see Jamie discuss his thoughts about switching sides. Whether it’s with Claire or even Brianna, I want to see something because we need to see Jamie realize the problems with switching. He knows he needs to, but at the same time, he needs to keep the trust of the people around him. How can he do that when he decides to go against the Crown?
What did you spot while reading A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 41? Let us know in the comments below.
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