Bill Davis Character Analysis in There There

The boyfriend of Edwin Black’s mother, Karen. Bill, a Native man, works at the Oakland Coliseum. Though Edwin doesn’t like Bill very much, Bill is nonetheless devoted to Karen and to Edwin as well. In the midst of the chaos and violence that unfolds at the powwow, Bill throws himself into the line of fire in order to search for Edwin and help save him—and loses his life in the process. Kind, simple, nostalgic for old ways of life and skeptical of modern-day technology, Bill is an all-around good guy who takes pride in his work and his community.

Bill Davis Character Timeline in There There

The timeline below shows where the character Bill Davis appears in There There. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Cultural Identity vs. Personal Identity Theme Icon

...using the bathroom at certain times because his mother, Karen, has moved her Lakota boyfriend, Bill, into the house. As Edwin begins googling constipation and gets lost in a series of... (full context)

Interconnectedness, Coincidence, and Chance Theme Icon

Bill Davis works as a janitor at the Oakland Coliseum, going about his job with both... (full context)

Bill answers the phone call—Karen tells him that Edwin needs to be picked up from his... (full context)

As Bill looks out into the outfield, he sees a “tiny plane”—a drone has landed on the... (full context)

Bill is in the employee office when he hears shots being fired, and immediately thinks of... (full context)