The Overnight Guest

Becky Allen is Josie Doyle’s childhood best friend prior to being kidnapped by Randy Cutter. In her youth, she is described as having “long curly black hair that she constantly complained about and big expressive brown eyes” (32). Becky is widely considered to be beautiful. Although she is less than a year older than Josie, Becky experiences a priority shift as she is on the cusp of adolescence; she spends more time with boys and develops romantic connections that Josie resents. Her romantic interest in Ethan Doyle is apparent and becomes the subject of speculation after her disappearance. Becky is kept captive for two decades, held hostage by Randy. She is frequently sexually assaulted, resulting in at least four pregnancies. When Randy’s abuses escalate and threaten her daughter’s life, Becky successfully plots their escape.

Becky’s story is one of Sacrifices and Survival. She faces physical and psychological abuse so intense that it shapes her worldview, causing such intense fear that she can only attempt to gain her freedom when death feels inevitable. She spends much of the narrative trying to keep her daughter safe and happy, a Sisyphean task considering the magnitude of Randy’s cruelty. Her capacity to care for her daughter is a testament to her internal strength, highlighting her devotion to giving her child the best possible life despite their tragic circumstances. Further showcasing her fortitude is her willingness to flee Randy’s basement into an uncertain future. One of Randy’s manipulation tactics involved telling Becky that no one was looking for her, creating a false isolation that left her alone in the world except for her daughter. Yet she still pursues freedom, asserting that uncertainty is better than the risks they face.

Name and identity play important roles in Becky’s story. Unlike Wylie/Josie, who always possesses a name in the text, Becky spends half of the novel being referred to as “mother” rather than “Becky.” Narratively, this namelessness serves to add tension and mystery to the book; figuratively, it highlights Becky’s loss of autonomy. She is stripped of her name and relegated to a role. Without a name, she lacks an identity, interacting with the world exclusively in terms of her motherly capacity. She takes her role seriously and clearly loves her daughter, but she cannot claim other identities while trapped in Randy’s basement. It is only when she has escaped and is on the cusp of finding safety with Wylie that she is named again, representing her newfound ability to grow and change.

Josie, also known as the girl, the daughter, the boy, and the child, is the primary focus of the unspecified timeline. She is ultimately revealed to be the daughter of Becky Allen and Randy Cutter, born while Becky was trapped in Randy’s basement. She is prepubescent, though her age is never specified. While in the basement, she has curly black hair that looks like Becky’s did when she was younger; Becky shaves her head to have her pose as a young boy, hoping it will aid their escape attempt. Because of her shaved head, Wylie mistakes Josie as a little boy when Wylie finds her in the winter storm. Josie is named after Wylie but does not reveal her name until after Randy has been killed.

Josie’s life and trauma has resulted in a necessary maturity that conflicts with her status as a child. Her narrative sections are filled with childlike wonder and joy that is consistently marred by Randy’s abuses. She recognizes that her family is not normal but craves symbols of normalcy—as represented by chocolate Easter bunnies and puppies. Although she is loyal to her mother, there are moments in which she wants Randy to change, highlighting her desire for a better life. It is this desire, paired with her need to protect the women in her life, that leads Josie to kill Randy. In doing so, Josie ensures her freedom and the potential for a safe childhood, though the act of killing is such a mature one that she fundamentally loses any chance of ever truly being a child.

Much like her mother, Josie possesses an uncertain identity for most of the novel, referred to as “boy” or “girl” depending on the narrative perspective. However, while Becky’s identity was inflicted upon her, Josie’s is gifted. For Josie, the fluidity of her identity indicates the capacity for change. She disappears into a masculine persona for safety, only revealing her real gender identity once under her mother’s protection. Thus, when Josie reveals her name to Wylie, her decision reflects an acceptance of Wylie as a trusted figure. By giving her name, Josie asserts her ability to build a community, the first step toward ensuring her long-term security and healing.

Jackson Henley is Josie Doyle’s childhood neighbor. His mother, June, owns the property; Jackson lives with her and helps take care of her while she undergoes cancer treatment. Jackson is widely regarded as odd. After serving in the military, he returned home, where his experiences in the war made him turn to alcohol as a coping mechanism. Police investigate Jackson for his potential role in Becky’s disappearance and discover that he had a history of disorderly conduct, especially with harassing women. He is injured while attempting to dispose of an illegal gun cache in a fire; while he is arrested for possessing firearms illegally, he is never found culpable for Becky’s disappearance or the Doyle deaths. Both Wylie and Agent Santos believe Jackson to be guilty until Becky’s reappearance and confirmation that Randy Cutter, not Jackson, was her captor.

In many ways, Jackson is also one of Randy Cutter’s victims. Randy’s crimes made Jackson the focus of the police investigation, leading to revelations about his criminal past. Although Jackson’s past misbehaviors are undeniable, he was incorrectly targeted in the investigation, resulting in a mental health crisis. Jackson’s reaction to police attentions is one textual example of The Different Impacts of Trauma; his engagement with the police triggered a fight-or-flight response that ultimately injured him and resulted in his incarceration. Additionally, it delayed the investigation and prolonged Becky’s imprisonment, showcasing how different traumatic experiences can intersect.