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Can Such Things Be? · Character

William Hayner Gordon

A reflective sea traveler drawn into a stranger's eyes, Gordon finds his soul entangled with kin he never knew he had.

supporting

Also known as Gordon

First appearance: a resumed identity

As a supporting figure in Can Such Things Be?, William Hayner Gordon is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

The protagonist who discovers a mysterious corpse in his bedroom and later learns of its connection to Charles Farquharson.
In the storyThe Mystery of Charles FarquharsonOpen this moment free

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Aboard the Morrow, Gordon befriends Miss Janette Harford, a young woman bound for Devonshire, and discovers their families share an uncanny connection. When he looks into her eyes, he sees a crowd of familiar strangers…

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The fuller portrait of William Hayner Gordon sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See William Hayner Gordon in a resumed identity

Narrative arc

Story tension across the book.

SetupAftermathClimax
  • 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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In the story

William Hayner Gordon 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 William Hayner Gordon unlock in the free preview.

See William Hayner Gordon in a resumed identity