Mrs Otis's son is called Washington, a name that he resents because it was inspired by patriotism. In the story, he is physically described as a "fair-haired" and "rather good-looking young man" (Chapter One).
What is most striking about Washington is his complete denial of the supernatural. This is an attribute he shares in common with the rest of his family but one which he physically expresses through his treatment of the blood stain in the library. This begins in Chapter One when he uses Pinkerton's Stain Remover to its full effect. Once the stain has vanished, Washington is 'triumphant.' But when the stain reappears, the full extent of Washington's determination and perseverance becomes apparent. At the beginning of Chapter Two, for example, he treats the stain again, an action he also repeats the next morning.
Washington also has a mischievious side to his character. In Chapter Three, the ghost scares Washington by blowing out his candle, prompting a retaliation in Chapter Four. In this scene, Washington makes his own version of the Canterville Ghost which he uses to frighten the real ghost. In another incident, Washington again scares the ghost by hemming him in to a fireplace with a "garden syringe."
But Washington has a softer character attribute, too. When his sister goes missing in Chapter Six, for example, Washington jumps to action and joins the search to find her, staying out until darkness falls. When Virginia returns, Washington is the first behind her as they venture into the darkness beyond the Tapestry door, where the ghost has just died.
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