Character Relationship Map: Big Ears

Characters

• Wheezer (played by Bobby 'Wheezer' Hutchins) — protagonist

  Wheezer is a boy who overhears his father telling his mother that he is getting her a divorce. Frightened by what he thinks this could mean for his family, he asks his friends what divorce is and late...

• Dorothy (played by Dorothy DeBorba) — supporting

  Dorothy is one of Wheezer's friends. After he tells her and the others that he heard his father mention divorce, she joins their speculation about what the word means. She is also among the friends in...

• Stymie (played by Matthew Beard) — supporting

  Stymie is one of Wheezer's friends and hears Wheezer's account of his parents' talk about divorce. He joins the group's attempts to guess what divorce means, and is among the friends involved when Whe...

• Wheezer's mother (played by Ann Christy) — supporting

  Wheezer's mother is Wheezer's parent and the other half of the couple who repeatedly argue over trivial matters. Her husband's talk of divorce frightens Wheezer, who fears losing his family. After he...

• Wheezer's father (played by Creighton Hale) — supporting

  Wheezer's father is one half of Wheezer's frequently quarrelling parental pair. Wheezer overhears him telling Wheezer's mother that he is getting her a divorce, which frightens the boy. When Wheezer b...

• Stymie's Mother (played by Johnnie Mae Beard) — supporting

Canonical Relationships

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

• Stymie's Mother → Stymie (mother)
• Wheezer's mother → Wheezer (mother)
• Wheezer's father → Wheezer (father)

Story Dynamics

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

• Dorothy → Stymie (Alliance Teammate) — They cooperate as members of the children's group responding to Wheezer's distress.

  Dorothy and Stymie are both members of the gang that discusses Wheezer's family crisis and later participates in making him ill.

• Wheezer → Dorothy (Social Friend) — Dorothy is one of Wheezer's trusted companions in the children's group.

  Wheezer tells Dorothy and the other children what he overheard about the divorce, and Dorothy is part of the group discussing its meaning.

• Wheezer → Stymie (Social Friend) — Stymie is a close enough companion for Wheezer to seek his help and advice.

  Wheezer tells Stymie about the divorce, and Stymie participates in the group's speculation about what divorce means.

Story Analysis

A frightened child turns a dangerous illness into a desperate attempt to reunite his quarreling parents.

Plot Progression

1. Breakfast Battles — Wheezer's parents repeatedly quarrel over trivial household matters. Their exaggerated fighting creates the unstable family situation that Wheezer observes.
2. The Meaning Of Divorce — Wheezer asks Dorothy and Stymie to explain divorce after overhearing it at home. The children's explanation turns his confusion into fear about losing his family.
3. A Dangerous Cure — Wheezer devises a plan to become sick so his parents will reunite. His friends help him use medicine and lard, making the plan physically dangerous.
4. Illness Brings Reconciliation — Wheezer becomes genuinely ill, and concern for him brings his parents back together. They kiss, promise to stop fighting, and affirm their love for him.