Short Fiction · Character
Clayton
A skeptical clubman at the Mermaid who claims he caught a ghost the night before, and tells the tale with an air of matter-of-fact conviction.
supporting
First appearance: the jilting of jane
As a supporting figure in Short Fiction, Clayton is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
A lieutenant in the cavalry, representing the old guard.
Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.
Clayton is a member of the Mermaid Club, a man whose incurable artifice as a storyteller makes his companions suspect he's lying even when he insists he isn't. He stayed overnight at the club alone, and now claims to…
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The fuller portrait of Clayton sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See Clayton in the jilting of janeCharacter Web
9 connectionsA slice of how Clayton sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Friendship
- Other
Character groups
- Love and strange wishes
- Fantastical experiments and doors
- Protagonist
+4 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional and psychological peak occurs when the protagonist realizes the green door and its enchanted gar…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Sanderson
friendship · positive
Clayton and Sanderson are friends or allies, possibly explorers or scientists working… How this plays out →
- Wish
friendship · positive
- Wish
friendship · positive
- Sanderson
friendship · positive
Clayton and Sanderson are friends or allies, possibly explorers or scientists working… How this plays out →
- Sanderson
friendship · positive
Clayton and Sanderson are friends or allies, possibly explorers or scientists working… How this plays out →
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Clayton in the jilting of janeIn the story
Clayton appears across 3 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Clayton unlock in the free preview.
See Clayton in the jilting of jane