Will Wilson Character Analysis in Mary Barton

Will Wilson is godson to Alice Wilson and childhood friend to Jem Wilson and Mary Barton. A cheerful, enthusiastic, and honorable young man, Will falls in love with Mary’s plain friend Margaret after hearing Margaret’s beautiful singing voice while he’s visiting Alice on shore leave from his job as a sailor. The night that Harry Carson is murdered, Will walks to Liverpool, from which he intends to sail to the Isle of Man to visit relatives before shipping out as a sailor again. Jem accompanies Will part of the way; as such, Will is Jem’s alibi for Harry’s murder. Because Will doesn’t know about the murder or Jem’s need for an alibi, Mary has to take a train to Liverpool and boat down the river as Will’s ship is sailing away to inform him he needs to appear in court. Due to Will’s testimony, Jem is acquitted. Several years later, Will gets engaged to Margaret.

Will Wilson Character Timeline in Mary Barton

The timeline below shows where the character Will Wilson appears in Mary Barton. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...lacked money, as she financially helped her “scapegrace” brother Tom and—after Tom’s death—raised his son Will. Will has since become a sailor and is now in South America. Changing the subject,... (full context)

...that Alice has gone to the post office looking for a letter from her foster-son Will and that Jem has used the money he earned from his engineering invention patent to... (full context)

Someone knocks on the door. Alice rushes to the visitor and hugs him—it’s Will Wilson! Alice weeps for joy. Between her tears and her dimming eyes, she can’t see... (full context)

Several days later, Will invites Mary to Job’s for a gathering. When Mary asks who else will attend, Will... (full context)

Will—trying to be friendly to Job—asks whether Job would like a tailless Manx cat for Margaret,... (full context)

If it weren’t for Mary’s troubles, she would be amused that Will has fallen in love with Margaret. Afraid to approach Margaret, Will nervously gives gifts to... (full context)

Two days later, a Thursday, Will visits Mary at the Bartons’ and says he must say goodbye: his ship sails on... (full context)

Will says that he might receive a promotion to second mate on his upcoming voyage, after... (full context)

John enters, looking grim and distressed. When Will announces that he’s come to say farewell, John gives him a gruff goodbye—so Will shakes... (full context)

...happened, and Mrs. Davenport tended Alice while Mrs. Wilson fetched a doctor. Job laments that Will left just before this happened. Job and Margaret leave the Bartons’ house. Mary, left alone,... (full context)

...the murder and heard Jem come home. Margaret says she remembers something about Jem escorting Will partway to Liverpool. Mary immediately resolves to go ask Mrs. Wilson about it. (full context)

...on Mary. Mary asks where Jem was Thursday night. Mrs. Wilson explains that he accompanied Will partway to Liverpool. Mary says that they must contact Will, who can swear that Jem... (full context)

...insane rather than choose whether to give up John to save Jem. She knows that Will is supposed to return to Liverpool from the Isle of Man the day before the... (full context)

Mary announces that Jem is innocent, and Will’s testimony will prove it after she finds him in Liverpool on Monday. Moreover, she announces... (full context)

Mary asks whether Will’s alibi can save Jem. Margaret suggests that perhaps Mary relies too much on the claim... (full context)

...has referred him to a defense lawyer who’s going to go visit Jem. Mary and Will are supposed to go find the lawyer at 2 p.m. on Monday in Liverpool. Mary,... (full context)

...Wilson breakfast and explains about Jem’s lawyer, Mr. Bridgnorth, and about her plan to find Will to provide Jem’s alibi. Mrs. Wilson bemoans that she, Jem’s mother, isn’t doing more to... (full context)

Job suggests, in that case, that he should go find Will while Mary and Mrs. Wilson travel together afterwards. Mary hates this idea because she doesn’t... (full context)

...the trial. Once in Liverpool, Mary gets directions from a policeman to the house of Will’s landlady Mrs. Jones. When Mary knocks on Mrs. Jones’s door and asks for Will, Mrs.... (full context)

...Mrs. Jones speculates that Mary is going insane, Mary pulls herself together and asks about Will’s ship. Mrs. Jones explains that Will didn’t know the ship’s departure time had changed till... (full context)

...they reach the pier, Charley asks a sailor to climb a mast and see whether Will’s ship is still on the river. The sailor, who approves of Mary’s apparent modest poverty,... (full context)

...row hard, but the boat moves slowly, and Mary becomes terrified that they won’t reach Will’s ship in time. As the boat gets close, Will’s ship starts pulling up its anchor.... (full context)

At 2 p.m., Job is supposed to meet Mary and Will at Mr. Bridgnorth’s Liverpool office but doesn’t find them. Mr. Bridgnorth tells Job that he... (full context)

After a long wait during which Mary and Will don’t arrive, Mr. Bridgnorth tells Job he has to go to the courts—and in any... (full context)

Job goes to the house where Mrs. Wilson is staying and admits that Will has sailed but that Mary went after him to retrieve him. Mrs. Wilson drearily announces... (full context)

...where he and Mrs. Wilson are staying. When Mrs. Wilson asks him whether he found Will, he decides to lie to help Mrs. Wilson sleep; he tells her they found Will... (full context)

...a “bad one” and explains how she met the old boatman and how her friend Will, who needs to provide an alibi, is returning in a pilot-boat. She starts crying. The... (full context)

...have gathered. Job still hasn’t let Mrs. Wilson know he lied about finding Mary and Will; as he enters the court, a clerk hands him a letter from Jem. In the... (full context)

...in her arms and Mrs. Wilson sobbing nearby—suggesting that someone has told Mrs. Wilson about Will. Job returns to the courtroom, where Jem pleads not guilty. Spectators in the courtroom examine... (full context)

When Will bursts into the courtroom, Mary shrieks that she and Jem are saved and then has... (full context)

...die soon; he proposes that he watch over Mary while Jem accompanies Mrs. Wilson and Will back to Manchester to see Alice. When Jem wants to protest, Job tells Jem that... (full context)

...thoughts, tells him he has to trust in God. Jem returns with Mrs. Wilson and Will to Manchester, where Alice—still convinced she is back in her childhood—diffuses a peaceful religious atmosphere... (full context)

...time at the Wilsons’ for fear it would look like she was throwing herself at Will, but she reluctantly agrees. (full context)

Once Jem and Mrs. Wilson are alone at home—Will having retired to a bedroom—Jem announces that he plans to return to Liverpool to see... (full context)

...bearing good news: Margaret’s cataracts have been removed, she can see again, and she and Will are getting married. Will is planning to bring Margaret with him on his next voyage... (full context)