Have you ever thought of your conscience as a separate being in the physical state? Well, Edgar Allen Poe describes a situation in which this may be the case in William Wilson. Who was the other William Wilson? What were the chances the narrator and William Wilson had the same name, same date of birth, and the same physical appearance? Was William Wilson the narrator's conscience?
             When William Wilson was introduced in the story, the narrator did not enjoy his presence. The narrator was befuddled that William Wilson entered school on the exact day that he did. At this point, he also found out that their names were identical. A key point in the story is when the narrator pointed out that "... my rival had a weakness in the faucial or guttural organs, which precluded him from raising his voice at any time above a very low whisper. Of this defect I did not fail to take what poor advantage lay in my power" (15). The fact that William Wilson always whispered is an important clue that suggests that he is the narrator's conscience.
             The narrator was irritated with him for having the same name. He did not like the fact that the things that William Wilson did, were often confused with his own actions.
             I felt angry with him for bearing the name, and doubly disgusted with the name because a stranger bore it, who would be the cause of its twofold repetition, who would be constantly in my presence, and whose concerns, in the ordinary routine of the school business, must inevitable, on account of the detestable coincidence, be often confounded with my own. (15)
             This quote brings a few points across. The statement, "who would be constantly in my presence...", shows a connection between the narrator and his conscience. Also, saying that William's actions were often confused with the narrators shows how identical the two characters are. These details reiterate the f
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