# John May — Can Such Things Be? character guide

> John May in Can Such Things Be? by Ambrose Bierce.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** John, May senior, May

**First appearance:** 0015-the-haunted-valley

## Snapshot

A sullen young man who threatens his father, takes to his bed with brain fever, and raves of murder while the search parties comb the wood.

## Who they are

John May lives with his family in a strained truce after his father struck him and he answered with a terrible threat that was never withdrawn. One Sunday in June his father goes out with a spade to dig at a spring a mile away and does not return; John comes home at five with his clothing wet in spots, complains of illness, and takes to his bed. In his delirium he raves of murder but names neither victim nor murderer, and the neighbors, remembering the threat, are ready to hang him before the story from Nolan changes everything.

## In the story

### [The Thing at Nolan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/can_such_things_be_se/chapters/the-thing-at-nolan)

The morose son who threatens his father after being struck, later indicted for murder but acquitted.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/can_such_things_be_se/characters/john_may
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/can_such_things_be_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/can_such_things_be_se/characters