Ian wants to find a way to help Silvia in Outlander Book 9, Chapter 85
After learning about Gabriel, Ian wants to help Silvia in Outlander Book 9, Chapter 85. He sort of does, but it’s Silvia who figures out what to do.
All Silvia is worried about is losing her daughters. She and Gabriel have no family, which makes sense since she had nobody but her girls when he was gone. Now all she has is her girls, and she doesn’t want to lose them. Why should Gabriel get to have them when he effectively abandoned the family?
Young Ian and Jenny have some ideas. Silvia seems to be on board with the ideas when she learns more about the Mohawk way of life. It all works in her favor.
This chapter doesn’t foreshadow all that much. I think it’s more about explaining the custom. Maybe there is an element of foreshadowing in Young Ian’s storyline when he finally sees Emily again.
I don’t expect to see the chapter used in the TV series, though. I’ll get to my thoughts on this in the adaptation section.
Let’s dive into Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone Chapter 85.
Just the Outlander chapter
Young Ian finds Jenny Murray shooting in the woods. She has beaten the Sachem at shooting, which makes her happy. However, she sees the look on Ian’s face and knows that there’s a problem. Ian explains everything that Rachel told him about Silvia and Gabriel.
Jenny says that she can talk to the Sachem. Maybe it will be possible to get Joseph Brant to allow Silvia and her daughters to join the Mohawk tribe.
With that, Ian goes to find Silvia, who is understandably devastated by everything that has happened. She is angry at her husband but also scared that she will lose her daughters. She and Gabriel only had each other before their daughters were born.
Young Ian explains the way of the Mohawk. The women keep the children, even in divorce. This is a relief to Silvia, and she decides to find her daughters. She wants to dress them in their best clothes and take them to see their father. They need to know that he is alive.
Young Ian is concerned about Silvia. However, she eventually convinces him that she isn’t acting on pure emotion. She is sound of mind while creating her plan of action for the morning.
I feel for Silvia a lot in this chapter. It’s hard not to. While Gabriel was initially captured and sold into slavery, he didn’t need to move on with his heart. He was so callous to Silvia for the ways she opted to survive and keep a roof over their daughters’ heads. However, she still thinks of her daughters and knows that they need to see their father. It’s so hard separating the emotions, and I do think that this proves she is of sound mind.
Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter
The only foreshadowing that I could potentially see is in some of the things that happen when Ian and Emily see each other again. There is the naming of Oggy and a few other discussions about children. I guess there’s the foreshadowing that women have most of the rights, but they can hand over some of those rights if they choose. It’s always a woman’s choice, though.
Adapting the Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone chapter
This chapter is unlikely to be used. Maybe there will be a mention of it as someone tells a story, but I doubt that we’ll get all of Silvia’s storyline. I would like to see it as we get to learn more about the Mohawk and see how judgmental the Quakers can be, but I just don’t think there will be enough time.
If any of this storyline is used, it’s the part of Young Ian and his family going in search for Emily. Everything else is more filler to give the Murrays something to do on the journey.
What did you spot while reading Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone Chapter 85? Let us know in comments on Facebook or Twitter.
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