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Jack Fleming
Wilson is one of the detectives currently investigating the murder of Thaddeus Matthews, along with his partner O’Casey. Upon his and O’Casey’s first visit to Tom’s flat, he bonds with Tom by confiding that he lost his mother at a young age, causing Tom to empathize with him. Wilson once again shows compassion for Tom later in the novel, where he flags him down in town and discusses how he once considered being a priest before realizing he would hate it. He confesses to Tom that he does not want to see Tom go down for murdering Matthews, whom Wilson sees as a monster. Thus, although Wilson is formally working against Tom as the detective on Matthews’s case, his fondness for Tom shows the conflict between his professional duties and his personal morals.
Wilson Quotes in Old God’s Time
The Old God’s Time quotes below are all either spoken by Wilson or refer to Wilson. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 16
Quotes
Even the man highest up thought he should take early retirement, but something deep in him needed to go on to the end. Then the little party and the sombre words and the happy words. Then his niche in Queenstown Castle. His wicker chair, the characterful sea, and the stolid island. And then, those quiet nine months not only of new silence, but also—what could he call it? A sort of blossoming sense of relief, maybe, that the wretched Fates had done with him. Had noticed his great happiness long ago, and emblem by emblem taken it away from him. Then the day that Wilson and O’Casey came to him like Mormons, with the old rhododendron aflame at their backs. The screeching of the door and the whole thing cranked up again, like a Model T Ford.
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Wilson Quotes in Old God’s Time
The Old God’s Time quotes below are all either spoken by Wilson or refer to Wilson. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 16
Quotes
Even the man highest up thought he should take early retirement, but something deep in him needed to go on to the end. Then the little party and the sombre words and the happy words. Then his niche in Queenstown Castle. His wicker chair, the characterful sea, and the stolid island. And then, those quiet nine months not only of new silence, but also—what could he call it? A sort of blossoming sense of relief, maybe, that the wretched Fates had done with him. Had noticed his great happiness long ago, and emblem by emblem taken it away from him. Then the day that Wilson and O’Casey came to him like Mormons, with the old rhododendron aflame at their backs. The screeching of the door and the whole thing cranked up again, like a Model T Ford.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
