Outlander Series discussion
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Do you think there is a point to the time travel?
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I wonder about the time travel also. In Dragonfly in Amber. Geillie hadn't went through yet, and Roger was standing there watching her go through the stones, but yet he is her 6X's great grandson...what would have happened if he had stopped her or even been able to talk with her?
There is a conversation between Claire and the Naturalist guy (I forgot his name) in Voyager where they basically conclude we aren't ever going to know everything about the world; I think that's the general point of a paranormal book anyway, no?
I think DG actually wrote an article about time travel that appeared in a scientific journal. It mentions it on her website.
Diana's intention was never to write a book on "Time Travel". She explains in one of her podcasts (and other places online) that her inspiration for her first "practice" novel (which she started writing to "teach" herself the craft) was an old Dr. Who episode set in 18th century Scotland. So she had a bunch of clansmen around a fire and felt like she had to introduce a female character...well that character turned out to be Claire and no matter how she tried, Diana could not get this character to sound like a proper lady from the 1700s. SO, she made her a 20th century woman—she'd figure out how she got there later. After all, nobody was going to ever read this anyway!!! LOL One of my absolute favorite DG stories—I tell it to everyone I turn on to these books.
I have a question about the time travel theory. In Diana's companion book she states- "a character can exist only once,whatever the time period in which the character finds himself... if a character tries to exist in a time in which he already exist(s/ed), the result should be disaster". So here is my question, Geillis Duncan is presumably dead at the end of Outlander, yet later we find out she did not die and is alive and well until Claire kills her. Yet Claire, Roger, and Bree see her going through the stones in Dragonfly. Isn't she technically existing more than once? I know these books are not meant to be about "Time Travel Theory" and if I don't find out the answer I 'm sure I'll rest easliy tonight, but I was just curious as to anyone else's opinion.
I think that you cannot be in more than one time period at a time. When Roger initially tries to go through the stones, he sees his father, and presumably himself, at a younger age. He is "pulled back" by what's her name, his housekeeper, and the stone he was carrying saved his life.
Carol wrote: "I think that you cannot be in more than one time period at a time. When Roger initially tries to go through the stones, he sees his father, and presumably himself, at a younger age. He is "pulled..."Carol, Fiona was her name. Which makes me think of Jemmy, Brianna is alone but I thought under the same principle of your comment that having a loved one’s calling (sort of speak) was a key factor in time traveling. Roger thought of his father but his father is dead. He was unable to TT. He attempted it a second time thinking of Brianna and was able to time travel. Same for Claire. Roger went to TT and he must have been thinking of Jemmy, would he have made it with Jemmy in the 19th century? William B. may have if he was thinking of his wife the second time but he didn't make it the first time because he wasn't thinking of his wife as Brianna pulled that out of him at the kitchen table. I am thinking maybe Roger was unable to travel and will be on Brianna's side in DG's new book. ???
Roger is able to time travel, he just cannot go to a time where he already exists, even if he is a different age. (He was alive when his father was fighting in WWII) His feelings for his father drew him in, but his mother's jewlery protected him from being burnt up (the catastrophe). I don't think that feelings are the only factor governing time travel. (the gems help, for example)If you think about history as a long timeline, and a person's life as a shorter timeline, a traveler's lifeline can be segmented on the history line, but the lifeline doesn't overlap itself. (that's what I understood DG to be saying in TOC) So Geillis's lifeline begins in the 20th century, she goes back, her lifeline breaks at the 1960's point on the history timeline and continues to it's conclusion on the mid-1700's point (on the history timeline).
When Brianna asked William Buck if he didn't want to get back to his wife, his answer was sort of "off", indicating (to me) that maybe his time travel wasn't accidental or maybe he had some other knowledge or motives.
There is more to the time travel than meets the eye - I think what throws most off is that she doesn't overly exploit or dwell on the time travel - but there is a greater meaning to all of this I am convinced and the "auld ones" theme that runs through the books.... Not only can Claire, Bree, Rog & Co. time travel because of genetics...but there is something supernatural os special about jamie as well... after Bree and Rog goes back he sees their family in situations the reader knows is really happening, and Jamie seeing Claire through the window (supposedly before he meets her...but I'm wondering if it is him longing for her during her 20 year absence and time "folds" on itself for lack of a better term - as if they are in a continuous loop....whatever it is, Diana's ideas are more beautiful than any other story of this type - because of their classic simplicity - as a friend said to me who read the books on my recommendation - when Jamie & Claire get together it's such a everyday type scene, but all the more precious and beautiful in it's simplicity. Jamie says he will find her, if it takes 200 years in Outlander and I believe he will find Claire in Heaven inevitably, and all the children (not to say he won't see the children again before that - I think he will with the twist at Echo in the Bone. He knows what Mandy looks like too.
The Jamie & Claire getting together scene I refer to above it in Voyager when they reunite...it's just everyday type stuff but it literally grips your heart!
Sheri