Ray Pearson Character Analysis in Winesburg, Ohio

A laborer who works on a farm outside of Winesburg with fellow farmhand Hal Winters. He is a stoic, responsible man with a wife and six children. When Hal accidentally gets a girl pregnant and comes to Ray for advice, he begins to question his own marriage and suddenly feels that God tricked him into a life he never wanted. After reflecting on all the experiences he missed out upon to be with his wife, Ray resolves to warn Hal against getting married and having children. But when Hal tells him that the girl does not want to marry him anyway, Ray thinks fondly of his own children and realizes that what he was planning to say to Hal would have been a lie.

Ray Pearson Character Timeline in Winesburg, Ohio

The timeline below shows where the character Ray Pearson appears in Winesburg, Ohio. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Coming of Age, Independence, and Manhood Theme Icon

Ray Pearson and Hal Winters are laborers on the Wills farm outside of Winesburg who come... (full context)

One October day, Ray and Hal are joking with each other as they husk corn in a field. Ray,... (full context)

Hal questions whether or not marriage has been worthwhile for Ray and reveals that he has gotten a girl named Nell Gunther pregnant. Hal asks for... (full context)

After a day’s work, Ray’s wife good-naturedly scolds him for puttering around the house and asks him to get some... (full context)

Running to catch Hal, Ray reflects upon the traveling and life goals that he sacrificed when he married his wife.... (full context)