Character Relationship Map: Almost Summer

Characters

• Bobby DeVito (played by Bruno Kirby) — protagonist

  Bobby manages Grant's student body campaign and, after Grant is suspended, recruits Darryl to run against Christine, partly to protect the bets he and Dean have made. He coaches Darryl through the cam...

• Christine Alexander (played by Lee Purcell) — protagonist

  Christine is a junior running for student body president against Darryl after Grant is suspended. She is Bobby's ex-girlfriend and is dating Kevin, with whom she argues about their future after he fai...

• Darryl Fitzgerald (played by John Friedrich) — supporting

  Darryl is an overlooked junior whom Bobby persuades to run for student body president against Christine. He makes a strong impression at the candidate assembly and, during a staged police bust, challe...

• Dean Hampton (played by Thomas Carter) — supporting

  Dean is Bobby's friend and helps him find a replacement candidate after Grant is suspended, since they have substantial bets against Christine. During the campaign, Dean also deals with problems invol...

• Kevin Hawkins (played by Tim Matheson) — supporting

  Kevin is the senior class president and Christine's boyfriend. The two argue about their future after Kevin fails to secure a college football scholarship. He is part of Christine's personal life duri...

• Duane Jackson (played by David Wilson) — supporting

  Duane is a student whose arrest by police on campus interrupts the student body debate. Darryl steps in, cites California law, and exposes the search as illegal. The summary provides no further detail...

Canonical Relationships

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

• Christine Alexander → Kevin Hawkins (Romantic Boyfriend And Girlfriend) — Their relationship is romantic but strained by Kevin's uncertain future.

  Christine is shown cuddling with Kevin, her new boyfriend, and they later argue about their future plans.

• Bobby DeVito → Christine Alexander (Romantic Former Lovers) — Their former romance continues to shape the campaign and their personal interactions.

  The plot identifies Christine as Bobby's ex-girlfriend, and Bobby and Christine reminisce about their past during the election.

• Bobby DeVito → Darryl Fitzgerald (Professional Campaign Manager) — Bobby trains and manages Darryl's campaign for student body president.

  Bobby recruits Darryl as a replacement candidate and guides him through campaign preparations.

Story Dynamics

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

• Dean Hampton → Darryl Fitzgerald (Alliance Campaign Associates) — Dean supports the campaign effort surrounding Darryl's candidacy.

  Dean works with Bobby to find a replacement candidate, and he is present during the campaign debate when Darryl's candidacy is challenged.

• Darryl Fitzgerald → Kevin Hawkins (Social Schoolmates) — They occupy different positions within the same student political community.

  Darryl and Kevin are both involved in the high school election environment, with Kevin serving as senior class president while Darryl runs for student...

• Bobby DeVito → Duane Jackson (Conflict Political Manipulator) — Bobby uses Duane's staged arrest as a campaign tactic.

  Bobby later admits to Darryl that the police bust involving Duane was staged.

• Darryl Fitzgerald → Duane Jackson (Alliance Legal Supporter) — Darryl publicly defends Duane against an unlawful arrest.

  During the debate, Darryl intervenes after learning that police are arresting Duane and exposes the illegal search by citing California law.

• Christine Alexander → Darryl Fitzgerald (Conflict Election Opponents) — They compete directly for the student body presidency.

  Christine challenges Darryl to a debate and accuses him of being Bobby's puppet.

• Bobby DeVito → Dean Hampton (Social Friends) — They act as friends and collaborators throughout the campaign.

  Bobby and Dean discover Christine's uncontested candidacy together and desperately seek a replacement candidate.

Story Analysis

A manipulated school election becomes a test of independence, honesty, and personal reconciliation.

Plot Progression

1. A Candidate From Nowhere — Bobby's preferred candidate is suspended, leaving the campaign without a viable challenger to Christine. Bobby and Dean recruit the overlooked Darryl and push him into the election.
2. Building The Challenger — Darryl impresses students with his first speech while Bobby trains him as a candidate. Personal feelings and romantic complications begin to interfere with the campaign.
3. The Campaign Turns Personal — Christine challenges Darryl, and accusations that he is Bobby's puppet provoke a cafeteria fight. Darryl insists that he can act independently and accepts the debate.
4. Truth Under Pressure — Darryl defends Duane during the campus arrest and gains momentum. He wins the election, but Bobby's staged police operation threatens the meaning of the victory.
5. Honesty At The Prom — Darryl rejects the presidency after confessing the truth, yet classmates support him for his honesty. The prom closes the story with renewed relationships and emotional reconciliation.