Character Relationship Map: Smiley

Characters

• Smiley Greevins (played by Colin Petersen) — protagonist

  A mischievous boy living in the country town of Murrumbilla, Smiley hopes to save £5 to buy a bicycle. He takes on odd jobs and perseveres despite pranks and trouble with the law. After his father ste...

• Joey (played by Bruce Archer) — supporting

  Joey is Smiley’s best friend, and the two boys are frequently getting into trouble together. The synopsis does not specify Joey’s particular pranks or give him a separate role in Smiley’s effort to sa...

• Jim Rankin (played by John McCallum) — supporting

  Jim Rankin is the local publican who unwittingly gets Smiley involved in selling opium to Aboriginal people living near town. He is later arrested. Rankin is also one of the two men vying for Miss Wor...

• Miss Workman (played by Jocelyn Hernfield) — supporting

  Miss Workman is the new schoolmistress in the local town. She is the focus of a romantic subplot in which Jim Rankin and Sergeant Flaxman vie for her affections. The synopsis does not describe her act...

Canonical Relationships

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

• Smiley Greevins → Miss Workman (Professional Teacher And Student) — Miss Workman teaches Smiley and the other children practical lessons at school.

  Miss Workman arrives as the new teacher and teaches the children practical lessons about bush discipline.

• Jim Rankin → Miss Workman (Romantic Suitors) — Jim is identified as a suitor for Miss Workman; the supplied plot excerpt does not describe how she responds.

  The character profile says Jim Rankin is one of the two men vying for Miss Workman's affections.

• Jim Rankin → Smiley Greevins (Professional Recruiter And Secret Agent) — Jim involves Smiley in an adult matter by assigning him a secret errand, though the message's contents are not revealed.

  Jim Rankin recruits Smiley as a secret agent and sends him with a sealed message for a leader at the Aboriginal camp.

Story Dynamics

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

• Smiley Greevins → Joey (Social Best Friends) — The boys share games, stories, and Smiley's plans to save for a bicycle; Smiley even bargains with Joey for rides.

  The plot says Smiley spends much of his time with his friend Joey, playing together and swapping stories.

Story Analysis

A cheerful country boy balances friendship and a bicycle dream with secret errands and troubles among the adults in town.

Plot Progression

1. A Mischievous Township Childhood — Smiley's cheerful nature earns him his nickname, and he grows up sharing games and stories with Joey. Miss Workman's arrival brings new curiosity to the boys' everyday life.
2. Lessons and Bicycle Dreams — Miss Workman teaches practical bush discipline while Smiley focuses on saving for a bicycle. He resists the temptation of sweets and negotiates with Joey about future rides.
3. A Secret Errand — Jim Rankin recruits Smiley as a secret agent and sends him with a sealed message to the Aboriginal camp, a place Smiley knows is out of bounds. In a separate thread, the sergeant investigates illegal...
4. Savings Put at Risk — A letter and a trip to collect money briefly bring Smiley's bicycle goal closer. His father's return and gambling loss disrupt the plan, and Smiley protests that his money has been taken.