# Wilbur Whateley — Short Fiction character guide

> Wilbur Whateley in Short Fiction by H. P. Lovecraft.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Old Whateley, Wilbur, young Wilbur, Willy

**First appearance:** 0051-the-dunwich-horror

## Snapshot

A precocious, monstrous child of Dunwich whose unnatural growth and forbidden studies terrify even the hardened folk of the hills.

## Who they are

Raised by old Wizard Whateley on Sentinel Hill, Wilbur grows fast and strange, steeped in wicked lore and the summoning of forces that do not belong in our part of space. He is a devil and a precocious monster, half of something outside Nature, and his diary and altar-stone rituals aim to let in beings that would wipe out the human race. His presence turns Dunwich from a decaying village into ground zero for cosmic intrusion.

## In the story

### [The Birth and Early Years of Wilbur Whateley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_26_se/chapters/ii)

Born at 5 a.m. on February 2, 1913; exhibits rapid growth, early walking at seven months, and speech at eleven months; goatish appearance and precocious intelligence.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_26_se/chapters/iii)

Grows rapidly, becomes fluent and intelligent, reads ancient books, develops a goatish face and evil look, carries a pistol due to dogs' aversion.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_26_se/chapters/iv)

Grows from a boy of ten to a towering, bearded figure over seven feet tall; becomes a scholar of forbidden lore; treats his mother with contempt; prepares the farmhouse for a mysterious entity.

### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_26_se/chapters/v)

Visits Miskatonic University to consult the Necronomicon, seeking a formula containing the name Yog-Sothoth.

### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_26_se/chapters/vi)

The half-human entity killed by the watchdog while attempting to steal the Necronomicon; his body reveals a teratologically fabulous form.

### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_26_se/chapters/viii)

Author of the diary; his writings reveal his occult knowledge and the family's plan to bring elder beings to Earth.

### [The Climax on Sentinel Hill](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_26_se/chapters/x)

Referenced as the twin brother of the entity, described as having a share of the outsideness and being a monster.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_26_se/characters/wilbur_whateley
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_26_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_26_se/characters