Character Relationship Map: Fangs

Characters

• Snakey Bender (played by Les Tremayne) — protagonist
• Ivy (played by Janet Wood) — supporting
• Cynthia (played by Bebe Kelly) — supporting
• Brother Joy (played by Marvin Kaplan) — supporting
• Sis (played by Alice Nunn) — supporting
• Burt (played by Richard Kennedy) — supporting

Canonical Relationships

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

• Burt → Ivy (Romantic Spouse) — Their marriage directly changes Burt's commitments and plans.

  Burt has recently married Ivy and tells Snakey that he and Ivy are leaving for Mexico.

• Snakey Bender → Burt (Professional Concert Partner) — Burt's departure disrupts an established musical arrangement with Snakey.

  Snakey and Burt share a regular Wednesday-night band concert tradition, which changes after Burt's marriage.

• Snakey Bender → Cynthia (Romantic Interest) — Their growing attraction connects Cynthia to Snakey's unusual world.

  Snakey becomes involved with Cynthia, and their time together is described as embarrassing but intriguing for her.

Story Dynamics

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

• Brother Joy → Cynthia (Unknown Disappeared Companions) — Their unexplained disappearance together creates the unresolved late-story mystery.

  Near the end, Brother Joy and the schoolteacher disappear together, and the search focuses on finding them.

• Sis → Cynthia (Alliance Facilitator) — Sis indirectly assists Cynthia's developing relationship with Snakey.

  Sis helps arrange circumstances that allow Cynthia and Snakey to spend time together at the store.

• Sis → Snakey Bender (Alliance Supporter) — Sis actively supports Snakey's connection with Cynthia.

  At the store, Sis helps create an opportunity for Cynthia and Snakey to spend time together.

• Snakey Bender → Brother Joy (Conflict Moral Opponents) — Their opposing moral views establish a central conflict over Snakey's livelihood.

  Brother Joy condemns Snakey's snake trade as sinful, while Snakey defends the business as necessary to feed the animals.

Story Analysis

The story follows Snakey Bender as his animal trade, personal attractions, friendships, and unresolved disappearances create mounting social and moral tension.

Plot Progression

1. The Snake Trade Divides Them — Snakey displays a captured snake and explains his animal-supply business. Brother Joy challenges the morality of the trade, while Snakey defends it as practical and necessary.
2. A Dangerous Fascination — Cynthia praises Snakey's educational demonstrations, and Sis helps the two spend time together. Cynthia then visits the ranch and becomes increasingly fascinated by the snakes, culminating in the appe...
3. The Concert Tradition Breaks — Burt reveals that his recent marriage to Ivy is changing his priorities. His departure for Mexico and transfer of the stereo equipment end the old Wednesday-night concert arrangement and strain his re...
4. The Unfinished Search — Brother Joy and Cynthia disappear together, prompting a search and conflicting information about a cabin. The available story ends just as a possible location is about to be revealed.