Character Relationship Map: My Tutor

Characters

• Terry (played by Caren Kaye) — protagonist

  A skilled French tutor hired by Mr. Chrystal to live at the Chrystal home and help Bobby pass his French final. She develops a romantic relationship with Bobby, faces accusations of greed from his fat...

• Bobby (played by Matt Lattanzi) — protagonist

  A high school senior struggling with his French final, which threatens his Yale acceptance. Initially focused on losing his virginity, he grows closer to his tutor Terry, passes the exam, asserts his...

• Mr. Chrystal (played by Kevin McCarthy) — supporting

  A wealthy lawyer and Bobby's overbearing father who hires Terry as a tutor to ensure Bobby passes Yale's French requirement. Upon seeing her with Bobby, he reveals the bonus arrangement to Bobby, impl...

• Biker Boyfriend (played by Rex Ryon) — minor

Canonical Relationships

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

• Terry → Biker Boyfriend (Romantic On-and-Off Lovers) — Terry's boyfriend's infidelity contributes to her distress before she begins her affair with Bobby.

  The plot describes Terry's on-and-off-again boyfriend cheating on her, which leaves Terry upset.

• Mr. Chrystal → Terry (Professional Employer And Tutor) — Mr. Chrystal employs Terry as Bobby's tutor and later tells Bobby about the bonus, implying that Terry's affection was financially motivated.

  Mr. Chrystal hires Terry to live in the Chrystal home and help Bobby pass his French exam, offering her an additional $10,000 if Bobby passes.

• Terry → Bobby (Romantic Tutor Turned Lover) — Their relationship develops from paid French tutoring into a love affair, then is strained by Bobby's accusation that Terry was motivated by the promised bonus. They reconcile briefly before Terry dri...

  Mr. Chrystal hires Terry to tutor Bobby in French. They begin an affair after Terry pulls Bobby into the pool, and they later share a final kiss befor...

• Mr. Chrystal → Bobby (Family Father) — Mr. Chrystal hires a tutor to secure Bobby's Yale prospects, but their conflict over the bonus and Bobby's future leads Bobby to reject his father's control.

  The plot identifies Mr. Chrystal as Bobby's father. After Bobby passes the exam, Bobby confronts him about his overbearing control and declares that h...

Story Analysis

A summer tutoring arrangement becomes a complicated romance as Bobby pursues independence from his father's plans and faces the consequences of his choices.

Plot Progression

1. The Exam and the Tutor — Bobby learns that his French result threatens his Yale acceptance, and Mr. Chrystal hires Terry to prepare him for a retake. Bobby's own UCLA and astronomy ambitions emerge as he begins studying with...
2. A Secret Poolside Attraction — Bobby watches Terry's nighttime swims and is caught following her. After Terry discovers her boyfriend's infidelity, she and Bobby begin an affair at the pool.
3. The Exam and the Bonus — As summer ends, Bobby wants the relationship to continue while Terry expects it to end after the exam. Bobby passes, but Mr. Chrystal's disclosure of the bonus turns the situation into a painful accus...
4. Choosing a Future — Bobby rejects his father's attempt to direct his future and says he will attend UCLA. After a rupture with Terry and an encounter with Bonnie, Bobby apologizes to Terry before she leaves.