The Fiery Cross

Jamie is a Scottish Highlander who is currently residing in North Carolina; he turns 50 midway through the novel. Jamie comes from an aristocratic Scottish family and has natural leadership abilities. He is brave, intelligent, and fiercely loyal. Although Jamie does not have the formal role of Chief of his clan in the American colonies, he fulfills many similar functions by resolving disputes and offering protection in return for fealty from the men who join his community.

Jamie is thoughtful and spiritual; he is deeply aware of the responsibilities that come with being a leader and he does not take violence or bloodshed lightly. His character arc embodies the theme of The Burdens of Leadership. At the same time, Jamie has strong views on integrity and loyalty that sometimes become a source of conflict with his wife and daughter. Claire and Brianna are not convinced that it is necessary for Jamie to seek out Stephen Bonnet to avenge Brianna’s rape, but Jamie’s code of ethics demands this vengeance. When he argues with Brianna about her refusal to have Roger protect her, Jamie exclaims, “What in God’s name d’ye think a man is for?” (1015), revealing that his masculine identity is rooted in the ability to physically defend the people he cares about.

Jamie does not experience much development or growth over the course of the novel, although he does become more aware of the fragility and beauty of life. As Jamie grows older and the looming Revolutionary War draws closer, Jamie treasures every moment he has with Claire, his daughter, and his grandson. Jamie does not take anything for granted; he is haunted by past suffering and, in particular, by the absence of a relationship with his son, William Ransom. While Jamie does not know what the future holds, he is willing to face anything as long as he has Claire by his side.

Brianna is the daughter of Claire and Jamie Fraser. However, she was raised by Claire’s husband, Frank Randall, and spent most of her life believing he was her biological father. Brianna grew up in the 20th-century United States and only traveled to the 18th century as an adult. She eventually chose to live there to be with her parents, although it remains an open question whether she and Roger might eventually return to the 20th century.

Brianna is intelligent, confident, and brave. She brings her self-confidence and disregard for traditional gender roles into the 18th century; for example, she is a skilled shooter, although it would not be typical during that time for a woman to engage in this activity. Brianna also trained as an engineer and has a pragmatic and analytical mindset, shown when she is able to fashion a makeshift syringe out of snake fangs so that Claire can inject Jamie with penicillin.

Brianna experiences significant character development over the course of the novel. While her parents are older and more secure in their relationship and choices, Brianna spends much of the novel finding her footing as a wife and mother. The latter is an unanticipated role: Brianna did not plan to become pregnant and carries a history of trauma, since her pregnancy may be the result of having been raped by Stephen Bonnet. Brianna struggles with the constraints of having a young infant, especially without any modern conveniences, and sometimes expresses frustration about the domestic focus of her life. She lashes out at Roger, complaining about being “up to my eyeballs in laundry and baby shit and screeching women and horrible children while you’re out doing ‘important things’” (530). However, Brianna also loves her son deeply. Toward the end of the novel, she stops using contraceptives and embraces the possibility of conceiving a second child, signaling that she has found peace in her role as a mother.

Brianna also experiences growth and development related to her history with Stephen Bonnet. She is terrified about Bonnet trying to harm her or abduct Jemmy (who he believes to be his biological son), but she also fears that Jamie or Roger will be harmed if they try to avenge her. Brianna’s traumatic history also manifests via difficulty relaxing and being present when she and Roger have sex. Brianna does encounter Bonnet in the novel, but she is able to stand her ground and seriously wound him. While his survival is unclear, and the threat is not completely resolved, this incident allows Brianna to feel more empowered, since she has successfully defended herself and her son.

Roger is Brianna’s husband; he was born a 20th-century Scottish man and followed Brianna into the 18th century because he was in love with her. Roger is a trained historian, and he finds many aspects of living in another time period to be fascinating. However, he also struggles with adjusting to his new life, particularly the standards of 18th-century masculinity. Roger is not accustomed to engaging in warfare or physical conflict, whereas this is a normal part of life as an 18th-century man. Roger gradually learns new skills, such as shooting, sword fighting and tracking over long distances, all of which give him a newfound confidence, contributing to the theme of Masculinity as a Social Construct. At the same time, Roger also reflects on how he will derive meaning and purpose in his new life.

Roger experiences significant growth over the course of the novel. Initially, he is insecure about the possibility that Jemmy may not be his biological son. Although Roger loves the baby, he cannot help seeking indicators that might confirm he is the father. For example, when Claire detects that Roger lacks binocular vision, Roger wonders if Jemmy might share this trait and if this would confirm his paternity. However, as Roger becomes more secure in his masculinity and his ability to protect his family, he accepts that it does not matter whether he is biologically related to Jemmy. When Claire eventually mentions that she might be able to use blood types to provide some likelihood about Jemmy’s paternity, Roger says he doesn’t want to know, embodying the idea of Love as the Foundation of a Chosen Family.

Roger likewise displays a new form of confidence when he tells Jamie that the family will be staying in the 18th century: He feels more secure in acting as the head of the household and is not afraid of what might lie ahead. Roger’s character growth is significantly shaped by his experience of nearly dying at Alamance and having to gradually recover his voice. This is especially traumatic because Roger had a beautiful speaking and singing voice prior to being hanged—it was a core part of his identity. Roger symbolically loses the gifts and talents of his previous life in order to learn new skills and fully integrate into 18th-century life. He does regain his ability to speak, but he is permanently changed by this experience.