William in Near the Bone: Character Analysis

Overview and Role in the Story

William is the human antagonist of Near the Bone, a man who has kidnapped Mattie (whose real name is Samantha Hunter) as a child, killed her mother, and forced her to live as his wife in an isolated mountain cabin. He is not a supernatural threat but a domestic one, and the novel uses his cruelty to mirror the predatory behavior of the creature that stalks the woods. His role is to embody the systems of control that Mattie must escape—religious justification, physical violence, and psychological manipulation—and to serve as the final obstacle she must overcome to reclaim her identity.

William’s presence drives the plot from the opening chapter, when he strikes Mattie for returning late from checking snares, to the climax, where he pursues her through the snow and is pushed off a cliff. He is the reason Mattie cannot simply flee: she believes the townspeople would return her to him, a belief he has carefully cultivated. His obsession with killing the creature, which he interprets as a demon sent by God, leads him to leave Mattie alone, giving her the opportunity to interact with the cryptozoologists Griffin, C.P., and Jen—an encounter that ultimately exposes his crimes and sets the final confrontation in motion.

Motivations and Traits

William’s motivations are rooted in a desire for absolute control, which he frames as religious duty. He repeatedly invokes scripture, particularly Ephesians, to justify beating Mattie and demanding her submission. In the text, he explains that it is his duty as a man and husband to discipline her, and he forces her to read aloud the passage about wives submitting to their husbands. This is not merely personal cruelty but a systematic use of faith to legitimize abuse.

His need for sons is another driving motivation. He blames Mattie for her miscarriages and stillbirths, accusing her of using “witch’s arts” to rid herself of children. After the second miscarriage, he beats her so severely that her left arm is permanently damaged. He laments having no son to help him hunt, and his obsession with fathering a male heir becomes a recurring theme, culminating in his delusion that God will reward him with sons if he kills the creature.

William’s traits are consistent: he is violent, paranoid, possessive, and cunning. He uses physical force as a first response to any perceived disobedience, but he also employs psychological manipulation. He tells Mattie that no one will separate them, that the police would return her to him, and that she belongs to him as property. He isolates her on the mountain, refusing to teach her to fire a rifle or navigate to town, ensuring her dependence. He is also deeply suspicious of outsiders, viewing any stranger as a threat to his possession of Mattie. When Griffin remarks that Mattie looks familiar, William immediately shifts to hostility, lying about their origins and threatening to shoot the man.

His cunning is evident in his ability to maintain a facade of normalcy in town. He goes shopping and speaks to people without raising suspicion, because, as Mattie realizes, the townspeople do not know he has done anything wrong—she is the evidence, and she is hidden. This duality—charming in public, monstrous in private—makes him a more insidious villain than the creature.

Chronological Arc

William’s arc follows a trajectory from controlled predator to desperate, wounded fanatic. In the early chapters, he is in full command: he tracks the creature, beats Mattie for minor infractions, and plans to kill the bear. His decision to investigate the cave leads to the discovery of the creature’s lair, but also to the first encounter with Griffin, which unsettles him. He becomes increasingly agitated as the creature’s presence disrupts his routine and as outsiders encroach on his territory.

His paranoia escalates after Mattie whispers the name “Samantha” on the trail, triggering a memory. He beats her unconscious, and later, when she is recovering, he leaves for town to obtain traps and a larger rifle, believing the creature is a demon sent by God to test him. This decision to leave her alone is a turning point, as it allows Mattie to interact with the cryptozoologists and to begin planning her escape.

The confrontation on the path, where William strikes Griffin with a shovel and then chokes Mattie, marks his loss of control. He reveals that he killed Mattie’s mother, and his rage becomes incandescent. After the group flees, William is wounded by the creature, but he survives, driven by his obsession to recapture Mattie. In the final chapters, he ambushes her in the woods, his body torn by claws, yet still insisting she is his wife. His death comes when Mattie, asserting her real name, pushes him off a cliff. His arc ends not with redemption but with a final, failed attempt to enforce his ownership.

Relationships

William’s relationship with Mattie is the core of his character. He treats her as property, calling her “Martha” and insisting she is his wife, though he never married her. He uses violence, starvation, and isolation to keep her compliant. He also infantilizes her, calling her “Mattie girl” and “my special, special girl,” while simultaneously demanding she perform wifely duties. His control is so complete that Mattie initially believes she cannot survive without him, a belief he has deliberately cultivated.

With the strangers—Griffin, C.P., and Jen—William is hostile and territorial. He views them as trespassers and threats to his secret. He threatens to shoot Griffin, and when Griffin recognizes Mattie as Samantha Hunter, William decides to kill them all. His interaction with them reveals his fear of exposure and his willingness to murder to protect his possession.

His relationship with the creature is more complex. He initially sees it as a bear to be hunted, but as its behavior becomes inexplicable—the sorted bones, the organs, the strange cry—he reinterprets it as a demon sent by God to test him. He arms himself with grenades and a large rifle, planning to bomb the caves and shoot the creature. The creature, in turn, wounds him severely, and its presence ultimately facilitates Mattie’s escape by drawing William away and later by incapacitating him.

Key Decisions and Consequences

William’s decision to track the creature sets the plot in motion. It leads to the discovery of the cave, the encounter with Griffin, and his growing obsession. His decision to leave Mattie alone while he goes to town for supplies is pivotal, as it allows her to speak with the cryptozoologists and to begin planning her escape. His decision to attack Griffin on the path, rather than letting them leave, forces Mattie to intervene and leads to the revelation of her true identity.

His most consequential decision is to pursue Mattie after she flees with the group. Despite being severely wounded by the creature, he follows her, determined to recapture her. This decision leads to his death, as Mattie pushes him off a cliff. His refusal to accept that she is not his wife, even in the face of overwhelming evidence, is his fatal flaw.

Thematic and Symbolic Connections

William embodies the theme of coercive control through religious justification. He uses scripture to legitimize his abuse, framing his violence as a husband’s duty. His control over Mattie is total, extending to her name, her memories, and her sense of self. He erases her identity as Samantha, replacing it with “Martha,” and forces her to forget her past. This connects to the theme of identity erasure and reclamation, as Mattie’s journey is about recovering her true name and history.

William also represents the theme of memory suppression and recovery. He actively works to suppress Mattie’s memories, telling her to forget her mother and sister, and punishing her when she remembers. The novel shows how memory can be a tool of control, and how its recovery is essential to freedom.

The wilderness, which William uses as a prison, is also a refuge for Mattie. He isolates her on the mountain to keep her captive, but the same wilderness provides the creature that ultimately helps her escape. This connects to the theme of the wilderness as prison and refuge.

Finally, William’s predation mirrors that of the creature. Both are hunters who claim territory and prey on the vulnerable. The creature kills animals and leaves their bones sorted; William kills Mattie’s mother and keeps her as a possession. The novel draws a parallel between human and animal predation, as explored in predation as a mirror of human control.

Questions and Answers

1. Why does William keep Mattie isolated on the mountain?

William isolates Mattie to maintain control over her. He tells her that the townspeople would return her to him if she ran away, and he refuses to teach her survival skills or navigation. He also fears that outsiders would recognize her as the missing Samantha Hunter, which would expose his crimes.

2. How does William justify his abuse of Mattie?

William justifies his abuse through religious doctrine. He quotes Ephesians to demand her submission, and he tells her that it is his duty as a husband to discipline her. He also frames his violence as necessary for her own good, claiming he gets no pleasure from it.

3. What is William’s reaction to the creature?

Initially, William treats the creature as a bear to be hunted. As its behavior becomes inexplicable, he reinterprets it as a demon sent by God to test him. He becomes obsessed with killing it, acquiring traps, grenades, and a large rifle, and he plans to bomb its cave.

4. How does William treat the strangers who come to the mountain?

William is hostile and territorial toward Griffin, C.P., and Jen. He threatens to shoot them, lies about his origins, and eventually attacks Griffin with a shovel. When he realizes they can identify Mattie as Samantha Hunter, he decides to kill them to protect his secret.

5. What leads to William’s death?

William’s death results from his relentless pursuit of Mattie after she escapes. Despite being severely wounded by the creature, he ambushes her in the woods. When he tries to grab her, she backs toward a cliff edge, dodges his attempt, and pushes him over the edge, killing him.

For a deeper look at how William’s actions shape the ending, see the ending explained page, or explore common questions about the novel.