Character Relationship Map: The Maus

Characters

• Selma (played by Alma Terzić) — protagonist

  A Bosniak woman traveling through eastern Bosnia who is badly wounded by a mine explosion. Haunted by the wartime deaths of her parents and brother, she distrusts the armed men who offer help. Guided...

• Alex (played by August Wittgenstein) — supporting

  Selma's companion, who insists they can reach the next town on foot after their car breaks down. He tries to comfort and protect her, attempts to call for emergency assistance, and struggles to preven...

• Vuk (played by Aleksandar Seksan) — supporting

  An armed local man who initially warns the travelers to stay on the path before leading them to a hideout. He displays hostility toward Selma because she is Bosniak, searches for her after she escapes...

Canonical Relationships

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

• Selma → Alex (Romantic Partner) — They are an intimate couple whose relationship is tested by physical danger and trauma.

  Selma and Alex are traveling together as a couple through eastern Bosnia and attempt to survive the same attack.

Story Dynamics

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

• Alex → Vuk (Conflict Opponent) — Alex opposes Vuk's hostile treatment of Selma and becomes another target of the threat.

  Alex struggles to keep the encounter with the armed men from becoming violent and later survives the attack connected to the hideout.

• Selma → Vuk (Conflict Enemy) — Vuk becomes Selma's principal human threat in the isolated hideout.

  Vuk warns them on the forest path, and the armed men later reveal hostility toward Selma because she is Bosniak.

Story Analysis

A stranded couple confronts wartime trauma, ethnic hatred, and violent survival in a dangerous Bosnian forest.

Plot Progression

1. The Broken Route — Selma and Alex travel through eastern Bosnia toward Sarajevo airport, but their car breaks down in a remote forest. Selma fears the legacy of wartime minefields while Alex proposes continuing on foot.
2. The Forest Explosion — Their dog leads them toward armed local men, including Vuk, who warns them to stay on the path. An explosion kills the dog and badly wounds Selma, forcing the couple to accept help from the armed men.
3. Hostility At The Hideout — The connection for emergency help fails, and the armed men reveal hostility toward Selma because she is Bosniak. At the hideout, Selma distrusts their offered drink and recounts the wartime deaths and...
4. Prayer Against The Hunter — An apparent escape route becomes a trap, and Selma attacks one of the armed men with a knife. Vuk then hunts her through the hideout, but Selma hides with the help of her repeated prayer and kills him...