Character Relationship Map: State Fair

Characters

• Margy Frake (played by Janet Gaynor) — protagonist

  Margy Frake is Abel Frake and Melissa Frake's daughter. At the fair, she reconnects with her childhood friend Harry Ware, but also develops a bond with newspaper reporter Pat Gilbert after sharing a r...

• Abel Frake (played by Will Rogers) — protagonist

  Abel Frake is Melissa Frake's husband and Margy Frake and Wayne Frake's father, a farmer determined to win the hog contest at the Iowa State Fair. He worries when his Hampshire pig becomes ill, celebr...

• Pat Gilbert (played by Lew Ayres) — supporting

  Pat Gilbert is a newspaper reporter covering the Iowa State Fair. He meets Margy Frake beside her on a roller coaster, and they bond over their connection to Brunswick before becoming romantically inv...

• Emily Joyce (played by Sally Eilers) — supporting

  Emily Joyce is a trapeze artist performing at the fair's circus. She meets Wayne Frake during the hoop toss game and later shares drinks and an intimate night with him. Although Wayne falls in love wi...

• Wayne Frake (played by Norman Foster) — supporting

  Wayne Frake is Abel Frake and Melissa Frake's son and Margy Frake's brother, returning from college for the state fair. He impresses Emily Joyce with his skill at the hoop toss, watches her trapeze ac...

• Melissa Frake (played by Louise Dresser) — supporting

  Melissa Frake is Abel Frake's wife and the mother of Margy Frake and Wayne Frake. She prepares pickles and mincemeat for the fair's food competition, secretly adds apple brandy to the mincemeat, and w...

Canonical Relationships

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

• Wayne Frake → Emily Joyce (Romantic Lovers) — Their brief fairground romance becomes intimate, but Emily ends the prospect of marriage despite Wayne's love for her.

  Wayne meets Emily at the hoop toss, watches her trapeze performance, and later shares drinks and an intimate night with her. Emily ultimately decides...

• Margy Frake → Pat Gilbert (Romantic Lovers) — Their connection grows from a fairground meeting into love, is complicated by Margy's feelings about Harry, and leads to their reunion after the fair.

  Margy and Pat meet on a roller coaster, bond over their connection to Brunswick, and later fall in love. At the fair's end, Margy tells Pat about her...

• Margy Frake → Wayne Frake (Family Sister And Brother) — The siblings share time at the fair, including a night outing before pursuing separate encounters.

  The character information identifies Wayne as Margy's brother. They arrive at the fair together and venture out to the circus fair, where they later s...

• Abel Frake → Wayne Frake (Family Father) — Wayne's absence from his father's hog contest prompts an apology after Abel wins first prize.

  The character information identifies Wayne as Abel's son. Wayne later apologizes to Abel for missing the hog contest.

• Abel Frake → Melissa Frake (Family Husband And Wife) — They support their children's fair experiences while pursuing their own contests; Melissa later confesses that she put apple brandy in her mincemeat.

  The plot identifies Melissa as Abel's wife, and they travel to the fair together and enjoy the amusement rides together.

• Melissa Frake → Wayne Frake (Family Mother) — Melissa is attentive to Wayne's mood at the end of the fair, but the plot gives no further specific interaction between them.

  The character information identifies Wayne as Melissa's son. Melissa notices that both her children are despondent as the family leaves the fair.

• Melissa Frake → Margy Frake (Family Mother) — Melissa observes Margy's low spirits after the fair, though the plot does not specify a conversation between them about Margy's romantic feelings.

  The character information identifies Margy as Melissa's daughter. At the fair's departure, Melissa notices her children's despondent demeanor.

• Abel Frake → Margy Frake (Family Father) — Abel attends the fair with Margy as part of the Frake family.

  The character information identifies Margy as Abel's daughter.

Story Analysis

The Frake family's fairground ambitions and romantic encounters lead to prizes, disappointment, confession, and a final reunion.

Plot Progression

1. Preparations and Fairbound Hopes — Abel prepares Blue Boy for the hog contest and stakes a wager on his success. Melissa prepares food entries with apple brandy, while Margy reconnects with Harry and Wayne returns from college.
2. Encounters Under the Fair Lights — At the fair, Abel worries about Blue Boy, while Wayne meets Emily and Margy meets Pat. The two younger Frakes begin separate romantic connections amid the fair's attractions.
3. Prizes and Growing Attachments — Melissa wins both food contests, and Margy and Pat grow closer through outings at the fair. Wayne and Emily become intimate, while Abel's hopes for Blue Boy remain in play.
4. Victory and Romantic Disappointment — Abel gets Blue Boy into the contest, and the hog wins first prize. Wayne apologizes for missing the contest, but Emily will not marry him; Margy tells Pat that she still has feelings for Harry.
5. Confessions and Reunion — The Frakes leave the fair, and Melissa later admits that she put brandy in her mincemeat after a judge became ill. Abel collects his wager, while Margy runs into the rain to reunite with Pat after his...