William Wilson Identity Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Paragraph)

Quote #7

Were these—these the lineaments of William Wilson? I saw, indeed, that they were his, but I shook as if with a fit of the ague in fancying they were not. What was there about them to confound me in this manner? I gazed;—while my brain reeled with a multitude of incoherent thoughts. Not thus he appeared—assuredly not thus—in the vivacity of his waking hours. The same name! the same contour of person! the same day of arrival at the academy! (26)

This is the last time that William is able to look his double in the face. If you read the rest of the story you’ll notice that he never takes a good look at him again. This shows that William willingly ignores the facts he doesn’t want to confront.

Quote #8

Although this event failed not of a vivid effect upon my disordered imagination, yet was it evanescent as vivid. (31)

The events are blurry in our narrator’s mind, leading us to further doubt the accuracy of his narration.