Jamie thinks about philosophical debates in Outlander Book 7, Chapter 60
Jamie spends some time thinking about philosophical debates he’s had recently in Outlander Book 7, Chapter 60. We also get another figure from real history in the chapter.
The chapter is split in two parts. The first involves Jamie’s thoughts of debates he’s had with a Polish man. The second part is rescuing Denny. It turns out that Denny has thrown caution to the wind in an attempt to get more information from the British.
The second part of the house, we also get to see more of William. After the ambush and being saved, William is back with his own troops. This is his chance to show that he may be more like Jamie than he realizes—and maybe a little more than the Grey family would like to admit.
I do think the chapter foreshadows the meeting between William and Jamie. I’ll get to my thoughts on that in the foreshadowing section.
Now this chapter, I certainly expect to see used in the TV series. I’ll get to my thoughts on that in the adaptation section.
Let’s dive into An Echo in the Bone Chapter 60.
Just the Outlander chapter
The first part of the chapter starts with Jamie thinking about having to save Denny. However, while he’s bathing, he hears a man swearing in French. It’s not a Frenchman, though. It turns out that it’s Kosciuzko, a Polish man who people call Kos because they can’t pronounce his name. Well, Jamie can.
The two form a friendship in debating polticis. This is another case of Jamie meeting someone from real history. At least, I think we can assume that. You may recognize the name thanks to the Kosciuzko Bridge.
The conversations lead to Jamie thinking a bit about philosophy and life. Jamie thinks about how uninformed the Continental Army is. If it wasn’t for Claire, he wouldn’t have chosen to fight on this side.
We can’t stay with those thoughts. There is some action in the chapter, and those actions involve Jamie and Ian going to save Denny.
It turns out that Denny has been captured by the British. The two men get to the British camp, and Ian worries that Denny has already been executed. Jamie and Ian both see that it is William, and Jamie wants to know how Ian would recognize William so quickly. There is a sense of pride in Jamie upon seeing William, and he also thinks briefly of Geneva, William’s mother.
Ian is the one to infiltrate the tent to get to Denny. His Mohawk markings help with that. Jamie is then supposed to create a distraction to make sure Denny and Ian get to safety. However, Ian and Denny come up across William. Ian would have killed him, but Denny’s chains prevented that happening.
Denny asks for William to allow them to go. In a moment of mercy, William agrees and makes sure the two get to safety. It’s not clear why William has gone against the British at this point. Jamie still manages to create a distraction to make sure nobody questions the fleeing Mohawk and traitor.
Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter
There is a little bit of foreshadowing in this chapter. Jamie sees William and immediately recognizes him. He even wonders how Ian recognizes William. It all comes down to appearance. I do think this is clearly foreshadowing that William will see Jamie and immediately recognize who Jamie is—and not just Mr. Fraser of Fraser’s Ridge or Mac his groomsman.
Then there’s a little bit of foreshadowing of Ian’s involvement with Rachel. Denny has thrown caution to the wind. He’s forgotten his duty to Rachel, but Ian is clearly picking up that duty to her.
Adapting An Echo in the Bone chapter
I expect to see this chapter in the TV series. We know we’ll get the Hunters and William, and it would make sense to have this chapter that shows William allowing Denny and William to go free. It would also make sense to have Jamie seeing William from a distance. These are all great storylines to create buildup.
What I want to see is William question who he is. I want to see him do the right thing to save Denny and Ian even though it goes against what the British want. I want to see that part of Jamie in him in the series. It would make a great bit of tension in one of the episodes.
What did you spot while reading An Echo in the Bone Chapter 60? Let us know in the comments below.
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