William Lyt Character Analysis in Beartown

Lyt is a prominent member of the junior hockey team. He is Maggan’s son. Lyt longs for Kevin’s approval and friendship and basks in the attention that association with Kevin brings. After Kevin assaults Maya, he is one of Kevin’s fiercest supporters and bullies most of the rest of the team into supporting him, too.

William Lyt Quotes in Beartown

The Beartown quotes below are all either spoken by William Lyt or refer to William Lyt. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Community Breakdown and Inequality Theme Icon

). Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Simon & Schuster edition of Beartown published in 2017.

Even in Hed people recognize them, and they get slaps on the back and congratulations. After the movie, when Amat thinks they’re on the way home, Lyt turns off the main road just after the Beartown sign. He stops by the lake. Amat doesn’t understand why until Kevin opens the trunk of the car. They’ve got beer, lights, skates, and hockey sticks in the back. They put their woollen hats down to mark the goals.

They play hockey on the lake that night, four boys, and everything feels simple. As if they were children. Amat is amazed at how straightforward it is. Staying silent in return for being allowed to join in.

Related Characters: , ,

Page Number and Citation: 217

Explanation and Analysis:

William Lyt Character Timeline in Beartown

The timeline below shows where the character William Lyt appears in Beartown. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Culture, Character, and Entitlement Theme Icon

...junior team’s first line consists of Kevin, Benji, and a strong, slow player named William Lyt. David has always been able to compensate for Lyt’s weaknesses, but knows that may not... (full context)

...room is quiet; the players are beginning to feel nervous about tomorrow’s big game. William Lyt asks Kevin if he has any chewing tobacco. Kevin says that he doesn’t. Later, when... (full context)

...to the more sparsely attended boys’ games. As she navigates the throng of spectators, William Lyt’s mother, Maggan Lyt, grabs her arm and asks her if she’s going to pick up... (full context)

Parents, especially Maggan Lyt, are pushing their way into the locker room with complaints and advice. Maggan demands to... (full context)

...the third period, Beartown is lagging, and the players’ spirits are beginning to flag. William Lyt has the realization that he lacks the speed and strength to perform on this level.... (full context)

...family lives in such a big house. He goes into the kitchen with Bobo and Lyt, where everyone is doing shots. Lyt drunkenly explains that Amat can have any girl he... (full context)

Maya drinks a lot of shots with Lyt and Kevin. Maya is fascinated by the way Kevin seems to live on instinct. Kevin... (full context)

Back at the party, when Ana comes out of the bathroom, Lyt towers over her, saying drunkenly, “I got an assist today, don’t I get anything for... (full context)

Maya can’t find Ana, and she’s so drunk she’s leaning on the walls for support. Lyt makes a whispered bet with Kevin—that Kevin will “NEVER get to fuck […] the GM’s... (full context)

Kevin knocks on William Lyt’s door and asks him if he’s ready to walk to school. Lyt is overjoyed, since... (full context)

Lyt finds it “dizzying” to be caught up in the attention Kevin receives as they walk... (full context)

...and Benji has never been without his team. As he watches Kevin walk off with Lyt and the others, he realizes he’s about to learn what that’s like. Instead of joining... (full context)

At training that afternoon, Benji doesn’t show up. The players are mostly silent as Lyt lies about a sexual encounter with a girl at Kevin’s party. After the other players... (full context)

After practice that day, Amat is invited to join Kevin, Lyt, and Bobo for a movie in Hed. Amat is amaze by how natural his inclusion... (full context)

...he sees the police car. When the police pull Kevin off the bus, Bobo and Lyt try to block their path. Kevin looks “vulnerable, defenseless. Perhaps that’s why all the adults... (full context)

...toward them, and they don’t realize he’s aiming for the goal until it’s too late. Lyt takes a big hit to give Amat enough space for a shot. Amat takes the... (full context)

Maggan Lyt is Filip’s mom’s best friend. They’re a team, even though Filip’s mom usually stays quiet... (full context)

...as Bobo goes off to meet with the other players for an optional training session. Lyt, Bobo explains, has demanded that the team pull together for Kevin’s sake. Ann-Katrin says that... (full context)

At school, Lyt tells the other players that the accusation is a jealousy-fueled “conspiracy” to bring down the... (full context)

...phone calls. All the men in the house are upset and ready to fight. William Lyt’s father, Mario, is among the loudest, arguing that the Anderssons could have sought to “resolve... (full context)

...like the whole town is there. The meeting quickly devolves into a debate. As Maggan Lyt is speaking, claiming that everyone knows Maya lied and that Peter’s just “playing politics,” everyone... (full context)

William Lyt comes to Amat’s apartment and threatens him, saying Amat has to join the team at... (full context)

...has ever made him feel like part of a group.” When he reaches the rink, Lyt slaps his back approvingly. (full context)

Amat looks his teammates in the eyes, then walks past them, ignoring Lyt’s shouts. He enters the rink and walks into the meeting, pushing his way to the... (full context)

When Amat gets outside, Lyt immediately charges at him, but suddenly Ann-Katrin, Bobo’s mom, pushes between them and stares down... (full context)

Ann-Katrin watches the hockey team speaking to her son outside the house. Lyt is giving Bobo orders. Bobo has only ever wanted to belong to something. Now he... (full context)

...catches up after they’ve started attacking Amat. He steps forward and starts throwing punches, sending Lyt to the ground. Eventually, though, they overpower him. (full context)