Character Relationship Map: Leave No Trace

Characters

• Tom (played by Thomasin McKenzie) — protagonist

  A highly intelligent teenage protagonist living in isolation with her father. She adapts to wilderness survival but yearns for education, social integration, and a conventional future.

• Will (played by Ben Foster) — protagonist

  A Vietnam veteran suffering from severe PTSD. He lives deliberately in the Oregon woods, relying on survival skills and military discipline to protect his daughter from societal trauma.

• Dale (played by Dale Dickey) — supporting

  A pragmatic woman who owns the trailer community. She provides shelter to Will and Tom after his injury and connects them with local support.

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Will → Tom (Family Father)

  The plot explicitly describes Will and Tom as a father and teenage daughter living together in Forest Park.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Will → Dale (Alliance Support Recipient)

  Dale provides an empty trailer for Will and Tom and connects them with local support after Will seriously injures his foot.

• Dale → Tom (Alliance Shelter Provider)

  Dale allows Tom and Will to use an empty trailer in the community after Will's injury.

Story Analysis

A father and daughter struggle between protective isolation and the possibility of belonging, ultimately choosing separate paths without abandoning their bond.

Plot Progression

1. Life Beneath The Trees
2. A House With Conditions
3. The Road Back Into Wilderness
4. Injury And Unexpected Refuge
5. Two Paths Through The Forest