Roger meets with the Headmaster in Outlander Book 7, Chapter 29
It’s time to discuss the reason for Jemmy’s beating in a previous chapter. Roger isn’t happy with any of it in Outlander Book 7, Chapter 29.
I do love this chapter as it’s understandable why Roger and Bree want Jemmy and Mandy to speak Gaelic. This is the language of Jemmy’s grandfather, although it would be difficult to explain that. Especially when it comes to where Jemmy’s grandfather is.
We get to see Roger stand up for his son. There’s a chance to speak about himself and it could have potentially led to a job, but Roger didn’t take the bait. Instead, he focused on the situation, and we get to learn more about the loss of the Gaelic language.
This chapter doesn’t seem to foreshadow that much for me. It’s more about focusing on echoes of the past, connecting to the title of the novel. I’ll get to that in the foreshadowing section.
I would love to see this chapter used in the adaptation. I think it could be, and I’ll get to why that is the case in the adaptation section of the post.
Let’s dive into An Echo in the Bone Chapter 29.
Just the Outlander chapter
The chapter starts with Roger going to see the Headmaster. Roger is not happy about the punishment, but it’s not actually the punishment that he has a problem with. It’s the reason for the punishment. We have to remember the time period we’re in. When Roger was in school, he would have been punished with beatings if he did something wrong. That would be normal for him. He doesn’t have to agree with it still, but it would still be normal for the time period.
It all comes down to the reason for the punishment. It’s because Jemmy spoke Gaelic, a language that isn’t taught anymore. They’re not supposed to speak it in school.
Those who don’t know their Scottish history won’t realize that the Gaelic language started to go dead. It’s actually thanks to Outlander that there has been a big push in reviving the language. There has also been a push in the Highlands for a long time to keep the language going, and you’ll see signs throughout Scotland in both English and Gaelic.
In the 1980s, the UK pushed to get rid of Gaelic. It was viewed as a lower-class language, and parents stopped teaching it. The Headmaster in this chapter, Menzies, explains that it was similar to the way Italian parents stopped teaching Italian to their British- and American-raised children to help them assimilate quicker.
However, it turns out that Jemmy is viewed as a hero by his friends. They love that he spoke Gaelic, and that just echoes Jamie’s life. We keep seeing this young Jamie in Jemmy.
Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter
I don’t really get a sense of foreshadowing in this chapter. I guess the main element is that Jemmy needs to keep learning Gaelic. He will eventually go back to the past. However, in this moment, Roger and Bree didn’t know this. They thought they would remain in the 20th century for good.
This chapter is more about bringing a sense of the 1980s. We need to understand what was going on in the Highlands at the time to get a sense of what Jemmy will be learning in school and the nature of life for the MacKenzies.
Adapting An Echo in the Bone chapter
I would love to see the show use this chapter. We’ve always seen elements of history included in the TV series, and I want to see that continue in Outlander Season 7. This is an important part of history.
Fans will remember that it was difficult to find someone to teach Gaelic for the series. Diana Gabaldon did get a few things incorrect in her earlier books because of this. Including this chapter in the TV series will help to explain a few things. Plus, I want to see Roger standing up for his son.
What did you spot while reading An Echo in the Bone Chapter 29? Let us know in the comments below.
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