Allston Wheatley

Allston Wheatley is the husband of Alma Wheatley and the adoptive father of chess prodigy Beth Harmon. Living in Kentucky, he works far away almost every day, causing him to abandon his family.

Due to his wife feeling lonely in his absence, he decides to adopt a child at the Methuen Home orphanage to give her an occupation. After this adoption, his job requires him to work full-time in Denver, forcing him to turn his back on his family. A few years into this situation, he learns from Harmon that his wife died and decides to give up the family house to her. Later on, he comes back from his Denver job and demands to get the house back, though Harmon ends up buying it thanks to her chess money.

Allston Wheatley is a pathetic father and husband who barely speaks with his adopted daughter and wife. Throughout his life, he fails to recognize the talent of Alma concerning piano and neglects her depression. His family feels completely abandoned by him whilst being in Denver. After his wife's death, Wheatly chooses to stay in Denver and doesn't come to her funeral. A few years later, when meeting with Harmon for the first time in five years, he refuses to consider her his daughter. He also doesn’t care about Alma or Beth.

Notes and references
Allston Wheatley