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

[tgarnsl]

"The cad's rank" just about sums it up, especially in regards to the British Army of the 18th century. I watched the 1964 film about Culloden the other day and was amused by the absolutely scathing description of 18th century British Army officers as belonging to "a fraternity where the least pretension to learning, to piety, or to common morals would endanger the owner to be cashiered." All this to say — while we know that Keith is not unexceptional for his good turns towards his enemy, whether historically or within the novel, he is nonetheless one of a select few.

With regards to Captain Ferrers, I find Keith's appreciation of the captain's good looks amusing mostly because it makes reading Keith as straight incredibly difficult. To wit, I don't know if he describes Alison in such glowing terms as he does Captain Ferrers, or Ewen.

[luzula]

Re: the description of British Army officers, I think that definitely agrees with Keith's thoughts here: That model young man—he could not be more than five- or six-and-twenty—reading the Church service every Sunday to his household! He thought of the young men of his acquaintance in the army or in the fashionable world of London, the careless, loose-living subalterns, the young beaux of White’s. Ye gods, what ribald laughter would have gone up at the tale!... Yes, but not one of those potential mockers could have beaten Ardroy in stature or looks or at swordplay.

And yes, good point about Ferrers ("elegant" and "exquisite"). To me it's pretty much impossible to read Keith as straight, but I do see him as being attracted to women as well. Here are his thoughts about Alison: Who was this pretty Miss Grant with the blue fillet in her dark hair—a kinswoman? If she was the future mistress of the house, young Cameron had good taste. So, to be just, had the lady. Heh. Then there's Lydia, whom he apparently cared about enough to be hurt at her betrayal.

[tgarnsl]

Oh, that's an excellent quote to show in parallel. I like how even for all his cynicism, Keith can't help but admire Ewen!

And yes, agreed with regards to reading Keith. I rather belligerently read almost every character I come across as bisexual until proven otherwise, which is why it was pleasant surprise to see Keith taking note of the attractive qualities of both men and women. While of course there's the argument to be made that it's partly to do with the omniscient narrator, I find that explanation less entertaining than Keith simply having an eye for attractive persons in his immediate area.

[sanguinity]

So, to be just, had the lady, just SCREAMS Keith-pov, though, at least to me. Having read the second novel, there's an argument to be made that at least some of the he's so TALL drooling that Keith does in Part 1 is actually just the omniscient narrator pointing out yet again that Ewen is tall and comely -- but that whole little passage deducing who Alison Grant is, then making appreciative noises about both halves of the couple, I have a hard time reading as anybody but Keith.

[regshoe]

Agree that some of Ewen's lovingly described handsomeness is probably the omniscient narrator (/Broster's opinions influencing her writing of Keith)—but yeah, I also think there are several moments of it that are definitely Keith. 'Achilles' and the whole 'trying to deal with emotions by being sarcastic at them' thing towards the end of Part I, as well as Keith altering his opinion of kilts, as well as that passage.

[regshoe]

I agree with luzula about the implausibility of reading Keith as straight—but I especially like your point about Ferrers insofar as it means Keith's non-straighness isn't only apparent in his slashy relationship with Ewen, but is a consistent part of his character. No, he does describe Alison as good-looking, but he definitely isn't as glowing or appreciative about her physical appearance as he is about Ewen's!