Character Relationship Map: Daughters Courageous

Characters

• Gabriel Lopez (played by John Garfield) — protagonist

  Gabriel is a malcontent whose irrepressible wanderlust attracts Buff Masters after she grows cold on her playwright boyfriend. His restless nature reminds Jim Masters of himself, linking Gabriel to Ji...

• Jim Masters (played by Claude Rains) — protagonist

  Jim is the charismatic, irresponsible father of the four Masters daughters. After a globe-roaming absence of twenty years, he returns to Carmel, California, where his reappearance unsettles his daught...

• John S. 'Johnny' Heming (played by Jeffrey Lynn) — supporting

  Johnny is Buff Masters's playwright boyfriend. Buff has grown cold on him and is drawn instead to Gabriel Lopez, whose wanderlust recalls Jim Masters. This change in Buff's feelings places Johnny in t...

• Nancy 'Nan' Masters (played by Fay Bainter) — supporting

  Nancy is Jim Masters's wife. After Jim returns to Carmel following a twenty-year absence, Nancy is about to marry Sam Sloane, a dull pillar of the local community. Jim's unexpected return therefore di...

• Buff Masters (played by Priscilla Lane) — supporting

  Buff is the youngest of Jim and Nancy Masters's four daughters. Jim's return after twenty years upsets the daughters, while Buff's own romantic feelings are changing: she has grown cold on her playwri...

• Samuel 'Sam' Sloane (played by Donald Crisp) — supporting

  Sam is a dull pillar of the local community who is about to marry Nancy Masters when her long-absent husband, Jim, returns to Carmel. His planned marriage to Nancy is directly unsettled by Jim's reapp...

• Linda Masters (played by Lola Lane) — minor

  Linda is one of the Masters daughters and is engaged to George. In the busy family home, she spars with Penny about the constantly rearranged furniture and jokes about hiding her age from her fiancé....

• Penny, the Housekeeper (played by May Robson) — supporting

  Penny is the housekeeper in the lively Masters household. Linda spars with her about the furniture being constantly rearranged, making Penny part of the home's teasing bustle. The summary gives no fur...

• Cora Masters (played by Gale Page) — minor

  Cora is one of Jim and Nancy Masters's four daughters. The sisters are upset when Jim returns to Carmel after a twenty-year absence, disrupting the family after he has been away for so long.

• Tinka Masters (played by Rosemary Lane) — minor

  Tinka is one of Jim and Nancy Masters's four daughters. The sisters are upset when Jim returns to Carmel after a twenty-year absence, disrupting the family after he has been away for so long.

Canonical Relationships

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

• Jim Masters → Cora Masters (Family Father) — Cora is identified as part of Jim's family, but the supplied plot excerpts describe no specific interaction between them.

  Cora's profile identifies her as one of Jim and Nancy's four daughters.

• Nancy 'Nan' Masters → Linda Masters (Family Mother) — Linda is part of Nancy's family household, though the supplied plot gives no specific interaction between them.

  Linda's profile identifies her as one of Nancy's daughters.

• Jim Masters → Linda Masters (Family Father) — Linda appears in the bustling Masters household, where she spars with Penny about the repeatedly rearranged furniture.

  Linda's profile identifies her as one of Jim and Nancy's four daughters.

• Nancy 'Nan' Masters → Tinka Masters (Family Mother) — Tinka is part of the Masters household introduced in the opening water incident and family scenes.

  Tinka's profile identifies her as one of Nancy's daughters.

• Jim Masters → Tinka Masters (Family Father) — The supplied plot opens with Tinka believed to be drowning; the alarm is mistaken, and she brings Eddie back from the water.

  Tinka's profile identifies her as one of Jim and Nancy's four daughters.

• Buff Masters → John S. 'Johnny' Heming (Former Romantic Interest) — Buff's attraction shifts from Johnny toward Gabriel, placing Johnny in the background of her romantic choice.

  Johnny's profile identifies him as Buff's playwright boyfriend and says Buff has grown cold on him. The plot also contrasts Johnny's settled nature wi...

• Buff Masters → Gabriel Lopez (Romantic Partners) — Buff chooses Gabriel despite his warnings about their uncertain finances and his restless nature.

  The plot says Buff is involved with Gabriel, has been seeing him secretly, and chooses to go with him. Her profile says she is drawn to his wanderlust...

• Nancy 'Nan' Masters → Samuel 'Sam' Sloane (Romantic Fiancés) — They prepare for their marriage as Nancy also tries to stop Buff from leaving with Gabriel.

  Nancy tells Buff that she and Sam have decided to marry the next day; the profiles also describe Sam as about to marry Nancy.

• Jim Masters → Nancy 'Nan' Masters (Family Estranged Spouses) — Jim's return unsettles Nancy's plans to marry Sam, although the provided excerpts do not confirm how their relationship is resolved.

  The profiles identify Nancy as Jim's wife and state that he returns after a twenty-year absence while she is about to marry Sam.

• Nancy 'Nan' Masters → Buff Masters (Family Mother) — Nancy opposes Buff's relationship with Gabriel, while Buff ultimately chooses to leave with him.

  The character profiles identify Nancy as Buff's mother. In the plot, Nancy demands that Buff come home and stop seeing Gabriel.

• Jim Masters → Buff Masters (Family Father) — Jim advises Buff to follow what she wants when she asks him about choosing between Gabriel and her mother's wishes.

  The character profile identifies Jim as Buff's father and Buff as one of his four daughters.

Story Dynamics

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

• Linda Masters → Penny, the Housekeeper (Social Household Disputants) — Their household banter centers on Penny's repeated rearranging of the furniture.

  The plot says Linda spars with Penny about the constantly rearranged furniture.

• Jim Masters → Samuel 'Sam' Sloane (Conflict Rivals For Nancy) — Jim's return disrupts the marriage Sam and Nancy are preparing for; the supplied excerpts do not establish the outcome.

  The profiles state that Nancy is Jim's wife and is about to marry Sam when Jim returns after a twenty-year absence.

• Jim Masters → Gabriel Lopez (Social Kindred Wanderers) — Gabriel's restless nature connects him to Jim's own wandering past; the supplied plot also has Gabriel contrast himself with Johnny by joking that Johnny would stay put.

  The character profiles state that Gabriel's wanderlust reminds Jim of himself.

• Nancy 'Nan' Masters → Gabriel Lopez (Conflict Romantic Opponents) — Nancy's opposition to Gabriel leads her to demand that Buff come home and stop seeing him.

  Nancy distrusts Gabriel, worries about his impulsive behavior and trouble with the law, and tries to keep him and Buff apart.

Story Analysis

The supplied story centers on family tensions and Buff's choice to pursue Gabriel despite Nan's objections and the uncertain future he describes.

Plot Progression

1. The Masters Household — The story opens with a mistaken alarm at the water and Tinka bringing Eddie back. The lively household is introduced through Linda's exchanges with Penny and the family's teasing atmosphere.
2. Buff Chooses Gabriel — Buff becomes involved with Gabriel, while Nan distrusts him and tries to keep them apart. Gabriel warns Buff that he cannot promise financial security or a settled life.
3. A Wedding Tomorrow — Nan tells Buff that she and Sam have decided to marry the next day and demands that Buff stop seeing Gabriel. Buff turns to Jim for advice, and he tells her to follow her own wishes.
4. An Uncertain Departure — Buff chooses to go with Gabriel despite apologizing to Nan and Sam. Gabriel questions their prospects and admits that his restless nature could lead him to leave, while the excerpts provide no confirm...