Since I am currently rereading Dragonfly In Amber, I decided to add a new subcategory to my Outlander category. It is called “Outlander Reread Project.” Basically, the posts will not be chapter summaries but details that most likely would be relevant later on.
A Possible interpretation of the Prologue
Claire reveals that she has been dreaming and that she has awaken three times. What she is experiencing is false awakenings as demonstrated by the vivid description of the second dream. She is dreaming about Jamie, and the sexual contact that is established in the dream is almost real. This dream is actually caused by the deep sadness that she experienced in the first one. It seems that her mind is trying to cope with her loss and sorrow by creating a vivid hallucination in the hypnopompic state in order for her to be temporarily happy, a happiness that is not long-lasting.
It is interesting to note how the author introduces these strong vivid images in book 2. They will become more prominent in later books. Cases include Claire’s flashbacks but also several communications with Frank’s “ghost” when she is feeling tired, probably occurring in the hypnagogic / hypnopompic state.
The prologue also describes how fleeting her sexual joy is. The same idea can be extrapolated to the relationship that Jamie and Claire had in their youth. Frankel provides different explanations for references in which “dragonfly in amber” or “insect in amber” are used throughout the series (7-9). Of interest is the following interpretation of the dragonfly:
. . . dragonflies are a symbol of evanescence, fragile beauty that will shortly be lost. As such, they parallel the clan way of life and Jamie and Claire’s love, all under terrible threat. . . (Frankel 7)
It seems that the fleeting and changing nature of dreams are used in the prologue to hint what will happen later in the book.
Sources
Frankel, Valerie Estelle. The Symbolism and Sources of Outlander. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. 2015. Print.