Lincoln in the Bardo

Lincoln in the Bardo

by

George Saunders

A poor white man who exists in the Bardo with his wife, Betsy Barron. Eddie is vulgar and crass, even when he speaks to Willie, a mere child. Despite his crudeness, though, he exhibits a capacity for empathy that other Bardo-dwellers lack, since he considers black souls like Elson Farwell his friend. Indeed, he and Betsy have been buried in a mass grave and are the only white souls there. As such, they aren’t as bigoted as many of the other people in the Bardo.
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Eddie Barron Character Timeline in Lincoln in the Bardo

The timeline below shows where the character Eddie Barron appears in Lincoln in the Bardo. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 27
Transition and Impermanence Theme Icon
Vice and Virtue Theme Icon
Empathy and Equality Theme Icon
...reaching the heights of a pine tree and becoming as thin as a pencil. Meanwhile, Eddie and Betsy Baron approach and tell Willie in exceedingly vulgar language how they lived in... (full context)