Character Relationship Map: Slanted

Characters

• Joan Huang (played by Shirley Chen) — protagonist

  Chinese-American high school protagonist who struggles with racial identity and self-acceptance, ultimately undergoing a controversial ethnicity-changing surgery to assimilate and achieve her dream of...

• Jo Hunt (played by Mckenna Grace) — protagonist

  The white-presenting alias and physical transformation of Joan Huang after she undergoes the permanent ethnicity-changing procedure at the Ethnos clinic.

• Olivia Hammond (played by Amelie Zilber) — supporting

  The most popular girl at school who initially denies running for prom queen. She is Cuban American, estranged from her mother, and values social status over genuine cultural connection.

• Brindha (played by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) — supporting

  Joan's Indian-American friend who provides emotional support, discovers Jo's true identity, and confronts Joan about her internalized racism and betrayal.

• Harmony (played by Elaine Hendrix) — supporting

  Roger's cleaning client whose house is temporarily used by Jo to host a party while she is away.

Canonical Relationships

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

• Joan Huang → Jo Hunt (Meta Alter Ego) — Jo Hunt is Joan's transformed public identity and reflects her attempt to escape racial shame.

  Jo Hunt is the alias Joan Huang adopts after undergoing the Ethnos procedure and presenting as white.

Story Dynamics

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

• Joan Huang → Harmony (Unknown Unauthorized Guest) — Joan uses Harmony's home as a party location without Harmony's presence.

  Jo hosts a party at Harmony's house while Harmony is away.

• Jo Hunt → Brindha (Conflict Betrayer) — Jo's pursuit of Olivia's approval damages her friendship with Brindha.

  At Olivia's party, Jo reluctantly orders Brindha and her other non-white friends to leave.

• Joan Huang → Brindha (Social Friend) — Brindha provides emotional support grounded in shared experiences of racial exclusion.

  Brindha is Joan's Indian-American friend and comforts her after discovering Jo's identity and hearing about the surgery.

• Jo Hunt → Olivia Hammond (Social Friend) — Their friendship is built around Jo's white presentation and Olivia's social influence.

  After Joan returns to school as Jo Hunt, she quickly befriends Olivia.

• Joan Huang → Olivia Hammond (Social Aspirant) — Joan views Olivia as a gateway to popularity and social acceptance.

  Joan seeks Olivia's endorsement for prom queen and later becomes friends with Olivia after returning to school as Jo.

Story Analysis

A teenager pursues racial assimilation for social acceptance, then confronts the loss of identity and begins moving toward self-acceptance.

Plot Progression

1. A Crown Beyond Reach — Joan feels alienated from her white peers and dreams of becoming prom queen. Her attempts to gain Olivia's approval fail, leaving her vulnerable to Ethnos.
2. The White Presentation — Joan discovers that Ethnos performs ethnic modification surgery and secretly obtains consent. After the procedure, she adopts the name Jo Hunt and experiences immediate social benefits.
3. Approval At A Cost — Jo becomes close to Olivia and hosts a party at Harmony's house. Olivia's demand that Brindha leave forces Jo to choose social advancement over loyalty.
4. The Face Fights Back — Jo's altered face begins to deform, but the clinic presents the problem as treatable. At prom, Olivia helps conceal the damage before Jo's face melts publicly after her election.
5. Recovering The Self — Joan learns more about the cultural fracture behind Olivia's family and returns to her own parents. After the clinic refuses reversal, she tears away the new face and sees her original eyes.