Flight of the Heron read-along: Part V chapters 3-4

[regshoe]

But till my last moments my words are the same: there'll never be peace until Jamie comes hame...

The penultimate week of the read-along, and in these chapters we are still very Jacobite.

Next week we will, sadly, read Part V Chapter 5 and the Epilogue.

Comments

[hyarrowen]

I think she had a lot of fun layering in those meanings. I mean, let's face it, they didn't have the internet, barely even had broadcast radio at that point, and had to make their own entertainment... I hadn't even thought about the ROT'd bit as a symbol. Really not a coincidence, I'm thinking.

Sorry about the David Cameron image! It's really quite a thought, isn't it. :(

[tgarnsl]

The ROT'd bit I noticed because it seemed to draw a parallel of sorts between Xrvgu'f unmry rlrf naq gur unmry gerr. Which naturally led me to wonder about the symbolism behind that choice — Broster is a damned clever writer, and I don't think these things are accidental. Which of course raises the question over the ivy...

It really is quite a thought, mostly because I cannot imagine Ewen, whether modern or 18th century, being in favour of Brexit. (IndyRef on the other hand...)

[hyarrowen]

Ewen would be against Brexit as regards close links with France, Spain and Poland but not with Germany! Until 1789, that is. Then he might rethink a bit.

The significance of hazel eyes is pretty intriguing, I have to admit!

[tgarnsl]

Ha, I mean, the entire notion of canon era Ewen considering the EU is fairly ludicrous given that you’d have to explain to him what a unified Italy even looks like!

…and now I’m contemplating trying to explain Eurovision to someone from the 18th century.

To return to your main point re symbolism: thank you again for pointing that out. I am curious to go back through the rest of the book and see as to what sort of things Broster notes with regards to the natural world and examine the symbolism. It’s something that makes her writing very rich, I feel.

[hyarrowen]

Wearing my Australian hat, I'm still baffled as to why we're in Eurovision. I am not alone in this.

[regshoe]

Now I'm picturing 18th century Ewen, finally having got his head round what and why Eurovision is after tgarnsl explains it to him, giving up in exasperation upon trying to comprehend the logic of Australia taking part.

(I always appreciate Australia's presence, logical or no :D )

[tgarnsl]

I'm also confused by that, although it is in keeping with the general who-knows-what's-going-on that is Eurovision.

[luzula]

I think Ewen would be very confused about the EU and Brexit! What do you mean, most of the European countries have been at peace and sort of had a common government for the past fifty years? ...where's the French king? ...why are there so few people in the Highlands and no one is farming it?? ...OMG, women are wearing pants! ...oh hey, Scottish independence, I'm definitely for that! \o/ And I can still go to the Episcopal Church, but arrrgh, they now accept the descendants of the Elector of Hanover! /o\

[hyarrowen]

Makes one wonder what it'll look like in another 250 years, if we all survive that long.

[regshoe]

One of the interesting things about learning about Jacobite history has been seeing how some contemporary political issues—like IndyRef!—are very much the results of that history having happened the way it did, or part of the same historical story, while other things about the world today are so very different from anything anyone in the 18th century would have recognised.

(Would women wearing trousers be easier to accept for someone who was used to men wearing kilts, or not? Certainly anti-Jacobite propaganda made a lot of the 'petticoats' thing, idk whether that generalises...)