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| Just a man...and his Kindle (and his Dairy Queen) on a Sunday afternoon. |
Although he's enjoying the book BIG time, this little situation (snicker) has done nothing to soften Tom's feelings about Claire! Listen to what he said:
"Claire has the inability to see anybody else's opinion or understand their side of the argument because she knows, in her head, and in her heart, that she's right about everything. She's so self-centered and arrogant. She just can't imagine her being wrong. She just can't imagine somebody else having an opinion that would explain the situation, because in her head, she's right...all the time. Claire is never at fault. She has started problems...she's gotten men killed...she got that ship burned down...and never, ever once did she ever sit down and assess blame to herself. It's always someone else's fault."
YOWSA!
It's just so awesome to discuss different aspects of the series with new readers. I fear Tom may never soften toward Claire...but there will be plenty of entertaining discussion along the way!
Claire hardly thinks she is always perfect. She has good reason to doubt Jamie and "fly off the handle" and leave him. I wouldn't say this in any way could be considered as "head strong."
ReplyDeleteGood point, Anon. But what he's saying is that she thinks she's always "right"; not "perfect".
DeleteI was always in Jamie's corner about the Leghair marriage...as is Tom. I just wish he'd have told Claire before they got to Lallybroch. But then what would we discuss? :)
OH and PS - Tom totally thought Claire should leave, too. You guys are in agreement on that.
I agree completely with Tom. Both Claire and Jamie have faults - that's what makes them so real to all of us, I think.
ReplyDeleteRIGHT!!! Awesome point! :)
DeleteTom it was LEGHAIR!!! Come on....cut her some slack on just this one....please and thank you. Other than that I can see your point. However, on this one I have to give Claire a mulligan. ANYONE BUT LEGHAIR!! I wanted to vomit and throw my Nook across the room. I thought Claire showed some restraint. I would have totally shot him myself.
ReplyDeleteLOL I know. I know! I said the same thing. I believed that Jamie was not at fault in this case...about anything other than NOT telling Claire before they got to Lallybroch. But Tom gets annoyed for Claire for being so sure she's right at all times that she sometimes gets others into trouble by not "staying put" or "listening to reason"...the list goes on. I'm VERRA interested to see how he feels going forward!
DeleteGood point TRuff! It is Leghair, but I also think women feel a lot more strongly towards her than a man would. But good point too Tom, does Claire EVER say she is sorry? I can't remember a time and let's be honest 7 crazy books later she must have apologized for something right?
ReplyDeleteI smell a challenge! Let's take note any time someone sees Claire apologize! ;) I love it!
DeleteOK - Gathering Tom vs Clay......GO!!!!!!
ReplyDelete-Julie (CT)
ROFLMAO!!!! Oh Tom would love Clay. They'd get alone big time. Just maybe not about Claire. ;)
DeleteJust a completely random thought that I wanted to share with you ladies in hopes that someone will do it...and I think you may be creative enough, or have enough connections to do it...How great would it be to make a song called "Jemmy Thing" set to the Dave Matthews "Jimi Thing" about Jemmy being stuck in the tunnel? I was just listening to "Jimi Thing" and thought that it would be hilarious!
ReplyDeleteI will run that by Tracey! She loves to set stuff to music. ;)
DeleteI tend to agree with him a bit. She does getter better with age though.
ReplyDeleteRIGHT Anon. I really look forward to him reading the rest of the series. Cross your fingers that he actually will!!! I fear he may find some of the secondary (and tertiary!) characters over the top...but we shall see! He may prove me wrong!
DeleteI love Clair,adore both she and Jamie, could read these books for the rest of my life (and probably will). That said, in my opinion Clair is arrogant and Clair has tremendous difficulty putting herself in someone elses position and thoughtfully considering a different point of view. But honestly this is one of the reasons her character is so believable to me. She's a physician and a surgeon specifically and became a physician during a time in history when women just did not do that. The strenth and confidence it would have taken to get through med school and training in the 1950's or 60's would have been huge. It would take someone who is convinced of her own 'rightness'. Now consider what kind of woman could do the things that Clair does, the time travel, searching for Jamie, staging the Wentworth rescue. Talk about self confidence! If the price you pay for that is a touch of arrogance, that's ok by me. I'll read about her all day long though I don't think I'd want to live with her. LOL
ReplyDeleteI have a sister who is a doctor and a surgeon. She went to med school in the 90's when there were lots of women and it was still difficult. She, like Clair, is arrogant and has difficulty considering another point of view. I think to some extent it comes with the territory. I realize this is a generalization but to me it shows DG's skill in conceiving these characters. She makes them so darn believable, at least for me.
AGREED! And hubster works with doctors. Maybe you're on to something about his psyche! :)
DeleteAmen! Enough said. Honestly, he hit it on the nail. It's all true.
ReplyDeleteAnd that's why we all love Claire, right? ;)
DeleteYeah... okay, I can see his point, I still like her though. I just woke up so no more coherent thoughts than that right now, I'll try to come up with some before tonight!
ReplyDeleteLOL Clay. I'll make sure Tom's on the couch for chat. He'll probably be reading!
DeleteLOL He is full of wit and wisdom. ;)
ReplyDeleteIt's funny that his opinion is almost exactly the same as my husbands! My husband loves the books but finds Claire really annoying. He gets so frustrated that she won't just follow Jamie's instructions and stay put when he tells her and is always getting herself into trouble.
ReplyDeleteI'm fairly sure that in general woman appreciate her independence whereas men feel that she should do as she's told!
Louise! I couldn't have said it better! In fact, I didn't! You hit the nail on the head. I read your comment to Tom and he's like "Yup! Right! Exactly!" LOL
Delete(And Tom wants me to mention that he's not chauvinistic, and grew up in a house with 4 strong women. LOL!!!)
I'm new here, Hi ladies! I found Outlander when I was in highschool and have been reading ever since. I dont' know how many times I've read the series, but recently purchased them for my kindle and have been re-reading (again). I did a google search and ended up here, I guess I'm having Jamie withdrawals. lol I'm toward the end of Voyager right now. It's been a while since I read Voyager, it was my least favorite of the series initially. But I just read the fever scene last night and I am rethinking my former opinion on Voyager. I think I'm going to attempt to get my hubs to read some with me, just the appropriate sections, ykwim? LOL!
ReplyDeleteWelcome! "Bite the berth"! My hub hasn't gotten there yet...but when he does he might actually say "Ohhhh...I remember when you read this!" LOL! Shhhh! I did NOT just say that! ;)
DeleteMy husband finds ME really annoying because I think I'm always right and I never say I'm sorry (when he thinks I should, anyway). Which must be why I love Claire!
ReplyDeleteLOL Jen. I think all women are guilty of that now and then...but some more than others, ken? ;)
DeleteI love all this discussion about my all time favourite book characters. Claire is one sassy sassenach but who else would be a match for Jamie M. A. M. Fraser. Jenny raised the bar for all women me thinks.
ReplyDeleteLOL One Sassy Sassenach may have to appear on a tshirt in the MOP shop verra soon! ;)
DeleteWell I'd buy it for sure. Not sure anyone in Australia would have a clue what it was about though!
ReplyDelete