Character Relationship Map: Simba

Characters

• Alan Howard (played by Dirk Bogarde) — protagonist

  Alan Howard returns to his family farm in Kenya intending to become a farmer, but becomes involved in the conflict after a family member is murdered by the Mau Mau. His prejudice toward native African...

• Mary Crawford (played by Virginia McKenna) — supporting

  Mary Crawford is a nurse working at the local dispensary and Alan Howard's former romantic connection. She resumes her relationship with Alan despite the surrounding violence, suffers the murder of he...

• Mr Crawford (played by Basil Sydney) — supporting

  Mr Crawford is Mary Crawford's father and one of the white residents affected by the rebellion. He disagrees with other members of his family over the ideology of the uprising and attitudes toward nat...

• Mrs Crawford (played by Marie Ney) — supporting

  Mrs Crawford is Mary Crawford's mother and part of the family Alan Howard meets after returning to Kenya. The family is divided over the rebellion's ideology and the treatment of native Africans. Her...

• Karanja (played by Earl Cameron) — supporting

  Karanja is the doctor who runs the local dispensary where Mary Crawford works. He advises Alan Howard to leave Kenya, but later proves his innocence when he reveals that he has no initiation scars. Ka...

• Colonel Bridgeman (played by Desmond Roberts) — minor

  Colonel Bridgeman commands a local police militia during the Mau Mau uprising. He oversees the questioning of rebel suspects, receives information about the rebel leader's location, and leads the poli...

Canonical Relationships

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

• Karanja → Mary Crawford (Professional Medical Colleagues) — Karanja and Mary are connected through the dispensary.

  Karanja runs the local dispensary where Mary works.

• Alan Howard → Mary Crawford (Romantic Former Lovers) — Alan and Mary resume their romantic relationship.

  Alan reunites with Mary, and the plot later states that they rekindle their relationship.

• Mr Crawford → Mrs Crawford (Family Spouse) — They are a married couple divided by political and racial views.

  The plot describes Mr and Mrs Crawford together as Mary's parents and states that they disagree over the rebellion's ideology.

• Mrs Crawford → Mary Crawford (Family Mother) — Mrs Crawford is Mary's mother.

  Mary returns to the home of her parents, Mr and Mrs Crawford, and remains connected to them during the rebel attack.

• Mr Crawford → Mary Crawford (Family Father) — Mr Crawford is Mary's father and a victim of the rebellion.

  The plot identifies Mr Crawford as Mary's father, and he is later murdered when rebels attack the Crawford home.

Story Dynamics

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

• Mr Crawford → Alan Howard (Alliance Defender) — Mr Crawford directly protects Alan from an attacker.

  When a rebel attacks Alan in his house, Mary's father shoots the attacker, who later dies in the hospital.

• Alan Howard → Colonel Bridgeman (Alliance Investigation Partners) — Alan cooperates with Bridgeman's security operation.

  Alan meets Colonel Bridgeman, who commands the local police militia, and takes part in questioning rebel suspects.

• Karanja → Alan Howard (Social Adviser) — Karanja attempts to protect Alan through direct advice.

  Karanja advises Alan to leave Kenya when the Mau Mau threats intensify.

Story Analysis

A returning farmer confronts colonial fear, insurgent violence, and a tragic family connection at the heart of the rebellion.

Plot Progression

1. A Marked Homecoming — Alan returns to Kenya and reunites with Mary, but discovers that his brother David has been murdered. The word Simba marks the house and establishes the mystery surrounding the rebellion.
2. Law Against Insurgency — Alan joins Colonel Bridgeman's investigation and witnesses the violent confirmation of Mau Mau activity. Political disagreement among white farmers and the Crawford family reveals a divided colonial c...
3. Warnings and Suspicion — The public oath ritual and an attack on Alan's house intensify the danger. Alan suspects Karanja until Karanja proves that he lacks the initiation scars associated with the rebels.
4. Love Under Siege — Alan and Mary rekindle their relationship, but rebels attack her parents' home and murder her father. Karanja then reveals that his own father is Simba, the local rebel leader.
5. The Farm's Last Stand — Alan's workers flee as police and civilians converge on the farm. During the Mau Mau assault, Karanja confronts Simba, Alan shoots Simba, and the rebels kill Karanja before the police arrive.