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Chapter 1
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Kidnapped, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Political Conflict and National Identity
Trust and Betrayal
Justice vs. Injustice
Coming of Age
Summary
Analysis
David continues his journey and arrives within sight of Edinburgh, feeling nervousness at the bustling city and distant sea. Following directions from locals, he makes his way west toward the parish of Cramond, admiring a marching regiment along the way. When he begins asking for directions to the House of Shaws, people react strangely—some are confused, others are alarmed or even hostile. This unsettles David, who expected a welcoming home tied to his family’s name. David starts to fear that the place may not be the grand estate he imagined.
David’s arrival near Edinburgh begins to unravel the fantasy he imagined about his family legacy. The reactions of strangers—ranging from confusion to hostility—signal that the family name carries a dark reputation, disrupting David’s belief in his inherited nobility. His nervousness is that of someone raised on moral ideals who is now confronting a harsh world that he did not know existed.
Themes
As the day goes on, David grows more anxious but continues forward out of pride and determination. A grim-faced woman named Jennet Clouston shows him the way to the house and curses it violently, calling down ruin on the Balfours for past wrongs. David sees the House of Shaws at last and is dismayed—it appears half-built, decaying, and lifeless. Full of doubt, David presses on. There are no signs of life until he finally sees a small plume of smoke and hears faint sounds inside.
David’s meeting with Jennet Clouston deepens the sense of foreboding, casting a shadow over the Balfour name. Her curse is a warning, suggesting that past cruelty stains the family and poisons its future. Furthermore, the visual of the decaying House of Shaws reinforces the crumbling reality behind David’s hopes. Rather than arriving at a seat of power, David reaches a ruin, which is far from the inheritance he was hoping for.
Themes
As night falls, David knocks at the heavy wooden door but receives no reply. After several attempts, he grows angry and begins shouting. At last, a man appears at a high window, aiming a gun and demanding to know who he is. David refuses to leave and insists on delivering his letter in person. When he finally names himself as David Balfour, the man seems shaken and asks whether his father is dead. David confirms this is the case. In response, the man agrees to let David inside.
Here, David’s refusal to retreat, even under threat, marks a turning point in his development, as he begins to assert his identity instead of just chasing it. Despite the danger he faces, he stands strong and is ultimately rewarded for his efforts. Still, his journey is not off to the start he had hoped for and already has become more dangerous than he could have imagined.
Themes
