Can Such Things Be? · Character
Hiram Beeson
A man whose death precedes his story, whose buried body and unsettled business draw the living back to a grave they cannot leave alone.
supporting
Also known as Mr. Hiram Beeson, Mr. Beeson
First appearance: the ways of ghosts
As a supporting figure in Can Such Things Be?, Hiram Beeson is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
The sole inhabitant of Deadman's Gulch, a gaunt and ragged man of twenty-eight who looks much older.
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Hiram Beeson dies on the sixteenth of July, 1863, known to every man, woman, and grown child in his village, and is buried two days later with a funeral the local paper cannot ignore. Around his death gather the…
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The fuller portrait of Hiram Beeson sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See Hiram Beeson in the ways of ghostsCharacter Web
5 connectionsA slice of how Hiram Beeson sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Rivalry
- Other
Character groups
- Returned from Dead
- Drunkard's Supernatural
- Mysterious Tragedies
- Protagonist
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Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This passage marks the dramatic climax because it presents the emotional and psychological peak of the narrato…
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Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Ben Greene
rivalry · negative
Ben Greene and Hiram Beeson are enemies, with Beeson accusing Greene of a terrible crime… How this plays out →
- Ben Greene
rivalry · negative
Ben Greene and Hiram Beeson are enemies, with Beeson accusing Greene of a terrible crime… How this plays out →
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Hiram Beeson in the ways of ghostsIn the story
Hiram Beeson appears across 1 companion beat. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Hiram Beeson unlock in the free preview.
See Hiram Beeson in the ways of ghosts