William is concerned about the Indians keeping their word in Outlander Book 7, Chapter 49
William shows a side of him that isn’t all that likable in Outlander Book 7, Chapter 49. He doesn’t have much respect for a certain man in command.
William understandably distrusts the Indians. I say it’s understandable because William hasn’t seen all that much of the Native Americans. He may remember some of them from around Jamie’s land when he was there, and maybe he had a small experience with them in Virginia, but he doesn’t really know them.
However, it’s not just the Indians he doesn’t trust. He also doesn’t trust General Burgoyne. In fact, he doesn’t have much respect for the man, and it’s for a rather ridiculous reason.
This chapter does foreshadow things to come, with the storyline based on real history. I’ll get to that in the foreshadowing section.
Whether we’ll see it play out in Outlander Season 7 or not is another thing. I suspect we will, and I’ll get to my thoughts on that in the adaptation section.
Let’s dive into An Echo in the Bone Chapter 49.
Just the Outlander chapter
William can be rather obnoxious, and this is one of those times that it comes through. One thing Diana Gabaldon does right is make characters 3D. She gives them flaws, making them as realistic as possible. Yes, even Jamie Fraser has his flaws.
William’s flaw is thinking he knows best. In some cases, what he believes will happen does happen. That’s not always the case, though, and his youth makes it harder for him to act diplomatically when it comes to disagreeing with situations.
Case in point: his dislike for General Burgoyne. William doesn’t like the man because he’s a playwright. He doesn’t think a playwright is serious about military campaigns. He may want to see what soldiers do now!
William also isn’t sure Burgoyne should trust the Natives. He makes it clear that Burgoyne has no control over the local Indians, and for some reason, trusts these Indians to fight on their side. What if they’re lying? They can do that, right? William will have heard all sorts of things about the Native Americans, so it’s not that surprising he doesn’t trust them. Maybe he should have more respect for them.
I do find it funny that William is a little like Jamie was in Drums of Autumn. Wasn’t it Jamie who didn’t really trust the local tribes Ian was hanging out with and learning about?
William makes his dislike for the whole situation known to a fellow soldier Balcarres. William doesn’t like the independence the Indians have, but is this more that he’s a little jealous of their independence? He has some negative things to say because they don’t read the Bible, making it clear that it really does come down to faith.
Balcarres is an interesting officer to talk to. Many of the man’s regiment are Indians, and William notes that Balcarres often dresses like them. However, Balcarres seems not to pay too much attention to the words. William is drunk after all.
William makes a quip about Balcarres being a Scot. Oh, if only William knew. I just love the way William digs a hole for himself without even realizing it. What I really want to know, though, is where William learned a lot of his beliefs. They don’t sound like anything Lord John Grey would have taught him. It doesn’t make a lot of sense.
In the end, the chapter doesn’t really add much to the story. It’s more of making William’s personality and beliefs clear.
Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter
The foreshadowing in this chapter is certainly in the battle to come. Does William have it right about the Indians? I think it certainly foreshadows the failed battle to come, but we already knew that was coming. We know from Bree and Roger that there’s a failed battle and Burgoyne is part of it.
Another bit of foreshadowing is William’s struggle with his identity when he learns that Jamie is his father. He has a lot of negative things to say about the Scots and the Indians. It won’t be long until he learns that he is half Scottish, and his cousin was part of the Mohawk tribe. It’s no wonder he struggles with everything when he learns the truth. There’s a lot about himself that he needs to break down and reassess.
Adapting An Echo in the Bone chapter
I’m not sure we’ll see this chapter play out in full, but I do hope we do. It would add some humor to Outlander Season 7, and we’re going to need humor. Plus, it gives us the less likable side of William, and we’ll need to see characters fully fleshed out in the TV series.
The only reason I’m uncertain about it is that it doesn’t really push much of the story ahead. It’s more filler than anything else, but sometimes filler offers something other than plot development.
What did you spot while reading An Echo in the Bone Chapter 49? Let us know in the comments below.
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