Kidnapped Contrasting Regions Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #10

All night, then, we walked through the north side of the Carse under the high line of the Ochil mountains; and by Alloa and Clackmannan and Culross, all of which we avoided: and about ten in the morning, mighty hungry and tired, came to the little clachan of Limekilns. This is a place that sits near in by the water-side, and looks across the Hope to the town of the Queensferry. Smoke went up from both of these, and from other villages and farms upon all hands. The fields were being reaped; two ships lay anchored, and boats were coming and going on the Hope. It was altogether a right pleasant sight to me; and I could not take my fill of gazing at these comfortable, green, cultivated hills and the busy people both of the field and sea. (26.32)

This passage strikes us because of two things: first, once again, check out how obsessive Stevenson is about naming his geographical areas. Why is he so concerned with realism in a clearly fictional adventure novel? Second, we can see the glaring contrast between the Highlands ("the high line of the [. . .] mountains") and the bounty of the southern fields, with their "comfortable, green, cultivated hills." Davie is not exactly an objective narrator here.

Quote #11

As [Rankeillor] thus moralised on my adventures, he looked upon me with so much humour and benignity that I could scarce contain my satisfaction. I had been so long wandering with lawless people, and making my bed upon the hills and under the bare sky, that to sit once more in a clean, covered house, and to talk amicably with a gentleman in broadcloth, seemed mighty elevations. (27.48)

So after all of this time spent relying on the kindness of men like Cluny Macpherson and Alan Breck, here's Davie's summary of the Highlanders: "lawless people." He is so glad to return to conversation "with a gentleman in broadcloth." Davie's adventures in the Highlands may have been interesting, but the countryside remains remote, exotic, and foreign to both him and the reader, even after all of this time.