Peter House/Peter Haas Character Analysis in Washington Black

Peter is James Wilde’s loyal assistant in the Arctic. Peter is deaf, and he signs with Wilde and Titch and helps interpret between Wilde and the Esquimau people there. When searching for Titch, Wash and Tanna track down Peter at his home in Amsterdam, and Wash realizes that he misremembered Peter’s last name as “House,” but it is actually “Haas.”

Peter House/Peter Haas Character Timeline in Washington Black

The timeline below shows where the character Peter House/Peter Haas appears in Washington Black. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...the trader and approaches the man. To Wash’s surprise, they greet each other warmly—it is Peter House, his father’s assistant. Wash watches in wonder as Titch and Peter make elegant gestures... (full context)

Titch, Peter, and Wash journey through the piercing cold and snow. Wash marvels at the snow’s changing... (full context)

...lot of the world is unfathomable (though he knows this is an unscientific thought). As Peter and the Esquimau unpack their bags, Titch and Wash enter the third igloo. And there,... (full context)

Racism, Humanity, and Cruelty Theme Icon

...was wasting resources at Faith. But before Titch can respond Mr. Wilde starts talking about Peter, who is his true assistant, his translator, and his best companion for years. He says... (full context)

...morning, Mr. Wilde is fed up, and he goes out in search of Titch himself. Peter follows to make sure that Mr. Wilde doesn’t get lost as well. Several more days... (full context)

...as the days pass his condition worsens. One day, Wash watches over Mr. Wilde when Peter makes a trip to the outpost, and he sketches the old man. As he draws,... (full context)

...realizes then that he doesn’t want to stay in that place—the cold doesn’t suit him. Peter lets Wash take whatever he wants from the Wildes’ possessions, as well as food, provisions,... (full context)

...says yes. Wash realizes that she wants to know about his life there and about Peter House—that she had questions that unsettled her. Tanna again presses about Titch, and Mrs. Wilde... (full context)

...to see that the letter was posted from a home in Amsterdam—an address belonging to Peter Haas. Wash realizes that in his youth, he must have gotten Peter House’s last name... (full context)

...alone. Meanwhile, after a day’s work at Ocean House, Wash writes a long letter to Peter Haas. When he doesn’t receive a response after several weeks, he writes again, followed by... (full context)

...view the completed tanks for Ocean House, he tells her of his failure to reach Haas. Instead of disapproval, Tanna admits that her father has a colleague in Amsterdam named Mr.... (full context)

The day that Tanna and Wash travel to Peter Haas’s address, it rains. Up until that point, their journey has been very successful. A... (full context)

After arriving at Haas’s house, Tanna and Wash meet the very young master of the house, who is not... (full context)

The elder Peter Haas takes Wash into his arms and then begins to sign while his son interprets.... (full context)

Peter goes on, saying that Titch was able to recount events of what happened at the... (full context)

Wash asks where Titch went, and Peter explains that he is in Morocco, outside Marrakesh. Peter says that he is happy to... (full context)

When Wash asks what’s in the box, Peter explains: his first expedition, in Tahiti, was meant to study Venus as it moved across... (full context)

As Wash lies back, Tanna says that Peter’s story had the opposite effect than the one intended on her—she kept thinking that the... (full context)

Peter Haas arranged for a guide to meet Tanna and Wash in Marrakesh, but the guide... (full context)

...he thinks was an evil, cruel man. He is only surprised to hear Titch contradict Peter and Solander’s accounts, as they said he was very upset about his brother’s death. (full context)

...in the crowd, and Titch comments that it was perhaps his spirit. They briefly discuss Peter Haas and Robert Solander, and Titch explains their comments about how he looked: when he... (full context)