Character Relationship Map: Summertree

Characters

• Jerry (played by Michael Douglas) — protagonist

  A 20-year-old university student who is considering leaving school to find himself. He becomes a Big Brother to Marvis, falls in love with Vanetta, and pursues music, but dropping out costs him his st...

• Herb (played by Jack Warden) — protagonist

  Jerry's father, who worries that Jerry is wasting his expensive university tuition and will lose his student draft deferral if he drops out. He appears to accept Jerry's plan to go to Canada, but secr...

• Vanetta (played by Brenda Vaccaro) — supporting

  A nurse whom Jerry meets at the hospital after Marvis is injured. She and Jerry fall in love and live together, but she is still married to Tony, from whom she has been separated for two years. Torn b...

• Ruth (played by Barbara Bel Geddes) — supporting

  Jerry's mother, who is present when he visits his parents to discuss leaving university and later returns with Herb to their bedroom as news footage from Vietnam plays on television. The summary ident...

• Marvis (played by Kirk Calloway) — supporting

  A black child whom Jerry takes on as a Big Brother after seeing a television advertisement. When Marvis is slightly injured in a fall, Jerry takes him to a hospital, where he meets Vanetta. After Marv...

• Tony (played by Bill Vint) — supporting

  Vanetta's husband, from whom she has been separated for two years without divorcing. After returning from Vietnam in his Marine uniform, he visits Vanetta's apartment while she is out and tells Jerry...

Canonical Relationships

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

• Vanetta → Tony (Romantic Spouse) — Vanetta and Tony remain legally married despite their separation.

  Vanetta explains that Tony is her husband and that they separated two years earlier without divorcing.

• Jerry → Vanetta (Romantic Lover) — Jerry and Vanetta form an intense relationship challenged by her unresolved marriage.

  Jerry meets Vanetta at the hospital, falls in love with her, and begins living with her.

• Ruth → Jerry (Family Mother) — Ruth is Jerry's worried mother within the family conflict.

  Ruth is identified as Jerry's mother and is present when Jerry discusses dropping out and later says goodbye.

• Herb → Jerry (Family Father) — Herb is Jerry's concerned but controlling father.

  The plot identifies Herb as Jerry's father and shows Jerry visiting Herb and Ruth to discuss leaving university.

Story Dynamics

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

• Jerry → Marvis (Alliance Big Brother) — Jerry acts as Marvis's volunteer mentor and companion.

  Jerry becomes a Big Brother to Marvis after responding to a television advertisement and takes him to the hospital after a fall.

• Jerry → Tony (Conflict Rival) — Jerry and Tony become romantic rivals because of Vanetta's divided loyalties.

  Tony's return forces Jerry to leave Vanetta's apartment so Tony and Vanetta can address their personal issues.

Story Analysis

Jerry's search for independence collides with family pressure, romantic uncertainty, and the unavoidable consequences of the Vietnam draft.

Plot Progression

1. A Son Questions His Future — Jerry tells his parents he may leave university despite the Vietnam draft. He seeks a new purpose by becoming a Big Brother to Marvis.
2. Love Begins At The Hospital — A minor injury brings Jerry and Marvis to the hospital, where Jerry meets Vanetta. Their romance quickly develops into shared domestic life.
3. Freedom Meets The Draft — Jerry leaves university and pursues music, but his draft notice arrives. The conservatorium rejects him, eliminating the deferral he expected to regain.
4. Every Refuge Collapses — Jerry fails to find a draft-evasion solution, loses Marvis after the boy's brother dies in Vietnam, and faces Tony's return to Vanetta's life.
5. The Road Is Secretly Blocked — Vanetta will not flee with Jerry, so he plans to drive to Canada. Herb secretly sabotages that plan, and the ending connects Jerry's fate to Vietnam.