Character Relationship Map: Hick

Characters

• Luli McMullen (played by Chloë Grace Moretz) — protagonist

  A thirteen-year-old girl from Palmyra, Nebraska, who runs away after her parents abandon her and she sees an advertisement for Las Vegas. She travels with Glenda and Eddie, survives Eddie's assault, a...

• Glenda (played by Blake Lively) — protagonist

  A woman who gives Luli a ride and bonds with her after they rob a convenience store together. She later reveals that Eddie was her former lover and that Angel is their son; she ran away with Angel bec...

• Eddie Kreezer (played by Eddie Redmayne) — supporting

  An erratic drifter with a limp who first gives Luli a ride. He works as a bartender for Lloyd, has a past relationship with Glenda, and is Angel's father. After rescuing Luli from a man at a bar, Eddi...

• Beau (played by Alec Baldwin) — supporting

  The proprietor of the rented cabin where Luli is held by Eddie. After Eddie and Glenda are dead, Beau shelters Luli and offers a way forward: his sister in Los Angeles has always wanted a daughter. He...

• Angel (played by Dartanian Sloan) — minor

  A little boy who appears to be in Glenda's care and lives in the trailer behind the bowling alley where Luli and Glenda spend the night. Glenda later reveals that Angel is her son with Eddie and that...

• Lux (played by Bob Stephenson) — minor

  The man identified in the story as Luxe Feld, who leaves with Luli's mother. Their departure is part of the family upheaval that precedes Luli's decision to run away. The story gives no further detail...

Canonical Relationships

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

• Glenda → Eddie Kreezer (Romantic Former Lover) — Their former romance is marked by fear, separation, and unresolved danger.

  Glenda reveals that Eddie used to be her lover and that she eventually ran away with Angel because of Eddie's dangerous behavior.

• Glenda → Angel (Family Mother) — Glenda protects Angel and has previously fled with him to escape Eddie.

  Glenda reveals that Angel is her son and explains that she ran away with him because she feared what Eddie was capable of.

Story Dynamics

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

• Lux → Luli McMullen (Conflict Family Disruptor) — Lux's involvement with Luli's mother contributes directly to Luli's abandonment and escape.

  Luli's mother suddenly leaves with Lux, after which Luli's father also leaves and the family home collapses.

• Luli McMullen → Angel (Social Acquaintance) — Their connection is brief and occurs within Glenda's unstable household.

  Luli spends the night in the trailer behind the bowling alley where Angel lives under Glenda's care.

• Luli McMullen → Beau (Alliance Protector) — Beau provides practical protection and a possible path toward a new family.

  After Glenda and Eddie die, Beau shelters Luli, promises to conceal her presence, drives her to the bus station, and gives her his sister's address.

• Luli McMullen → Glenda (Alliance Uneasy Ally) — Their partnership begins with mutual assistance but becomes strained by Glenda's hidden history with Eddie.

  Glenda gives Luli a ride after Luli leaves Eddie's truck. Luli helps Glenda rob a convenience store, and they spend the night together near the bowlin...

Story Analysis

A neglected teenager escapes a collapsing home, survives predatory adults, and chooses an uncertain but hopeful new future.

Plot Progression

1. Abandonment and Escape — Luli grows up in a violent, neglectful household and receives a revolver on her thirteenth birthday. After both parents leave, a television advertisement inspires her to flee Nebraska.
2. A Dangerous Alliance — Luli meets Glenda, helps her commit a robbery, and enters a temporary world of companionship. Their shelter near the bowling alley also brings Luli back into contact with the unstable drifter.
3. Violence Behind Doors — Glenda's household reveals cruelty and hidden tensions. At a bar, Luli is attacked, and the drifter responds with lethal violence.
4. Betrayal and Captivity — The drifter claims Glenda paid him to take Luli away, then assaults her after she rejects him. Luli awakens captive in a cabin with her appearance forcibly changed.
5. Truth and Survival — Glenda exposes the drifter's past and denies abandoning Luli. A fatal confrontation ends with Glenda and the drifter dead, leaving Luli to decide her future.
6. A New Direction — Beau protects Luli and offers a possible route to adoption in Los Angeles. After rejecting a return to her broken home, Luli chooses the new destination.