Mark Abshire Character Analysis in The Time Traveler’s Wife

Mark is Clare’s older brother. Growing up, he often teased and annoyed Clare. Later as adults, Clare, Mark, and Alicia all bond over their mutual concern for Lucille’s mental health and their frustration with Philip’s criticism. Mark’s most significant contribution to the plot is that he fires the bullet that ultimately kills Henry—as a teenager, Mark is out hunting one morning with his father when 43-year-old Henry time travels to that exact moment in the past. Mark, mistaking Henry for a deer, shoots him with his rifle. Henry disappears as soon as he is shot, so Mark and Philip only see him for a moment. When Mark meets the younger, present version of Henry during his Christmas visit with Clare years later, he recognizes Henry from the hunting incident but keeps his shock to himself.

Mark Abshire Character Timeline in The Time Traveler’s Wife

The timeline below shows where the character Mark Abshire appears in The Time Traveler’s Wife. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...posh too. Henry asks if she has siblings, and she tells him about her brother Mark, who is pre-law at Harvard, and her sister Alicia, who is a cellist in high... (full context)

...in the tall grass, but Clare hears him moving. She assumes it’s her older brother, Mark, playing a joke and throws her shoe at him. The shoe hits Henry and splits... (full context)

...shirt, and a tie printed with fish. She is distracted again by an altercation with Mark. Clare goes upstairs to watch TV and soothe herself after fighting with her brother. After... (full context)

...Clare would rather know about her mother Lucille’s wellbeing, her father Philip’s temper, her brother Mark’s hijinks, and Henry’s full identity. While Clare tries to formulate a question, Ruth asks the... (full context)

...might be Henry, she runs out to the Meadow. She finds her father, Philip, and Mark in hunting gear, then she sees Henry standing next to them. They ask her what... (full context)

...introduced to her mother, Lucille, then sits down with Clare’s sister Alicia and her brother Mark’s girlfriend, Sharon. Henry notices that Clare’s father, Philip, and Mark seem to be alarmed by... (full context)

Clare goes skiing with Philip and Mark while Henry stays behind. He talks with Nell in the kitchen while she makes him... (full context)

...and Philip got married after an accidental pregnancy. This silences Lucille and improves Sharon and Mark’s outlooks on the situation tremendously. (full context)

...arrives home after Mass, Alicia and Clare go to the billiards room. Henry follows, and Mark soon joins. Alicia and Henry play pool. As they play, they discuss how Alicia’s decision... (full context)

...enjoyed meeting everyone and is especially fond of Alicia. They discuss the fact that Alicia, Mark, and Philip all seem to have seen Henry at some point during his time travels,... (full context)

...memory of waking as a girl to someone calling her name and finding Philip and Mark standing with Henry in the Meadow. Henry asks her what she’s thinking about, and she... (full context)

...put it on the list of dates he provides her for his visits. Philip and Mark will come out to hunt. As Henry waits in the clearing, something else will move... (full context)