Character Relationship Map: Shame

Characters

• William Fielding / David Field (played by John Gilbert) — protagonist

  William Fielding is a missionary in China who loses his wife after the birth of their son, David. After William's death, David grows up, marries Winifred Wellington, inherits the family estate and bus...

• David, at 5 (played by Michael D. Moore) — protagonist

  David is the young son of William Fielding, born after his mother's death and raised by Lotus Blossom as her own child. At this early age, he is marked by Foo Chang, an act that becomes important to h...

• David, at 10 (played by Frankie Lee) — supporting

  David is shown at a later stage of childhood after Li Clung protects him and takes him to his wealthy grandfather's home in San Francisco. He befriends Li Clung, grows up within the family, and eventu...

• Foo Chang (played by George Siegmann) — supporting

  Foo Chang is a trader who passionately loves Lotus Blossom and wrongly believes that David is her child. He kills William Fielding and brands David, later becoming the head of an opium ring and trying...

• Li Clung (played by William V. Mong) — supporting

  Li Clung knows the truth about David's parentage and rescues him after Lotus Blossom's death, taking him to his wealthy grandfather's home in San Francisco. Later, he kills Foo Chang, helps Winifred W...

• Winifred Wellington (played by Doris Pawn) — minor

  Winifred Wellington is David's American wife. After Foo Chang's revelation causes David to flee with their infant son to Alaska, she seeks help from Li Clung. She is reunited with David when Li Clung...

• Lotus Blossom (played by Anna May Wong) — minor

  Lotus Blossom is the Chinese woman William Fielding marries after his first wife's death. She treats David as her own child, but Foo Chang's mistaken belief about the boy leads him to kill William and...

• Jonathan Fielding (played by George Nichols) — minor

Canonical Relationships

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

• David, at 10 → Winifred Wellington (Romantic Husband And Wife) — David and Winifred are married.

  The plot says David marries Winifred Wellington.

• Jonathan Fielding → David, at 10 (Family Grandfather) — Jonathan is David's grandfather and the source of his inherited business.

  David later inherits his grandfather's business, and the character list identifies Jonathan Fielding as that grandfather.

• Jonathan Fielding → David, at 5 (Family Grandfather) — Jonathan is David's wealthy grandfather.

  Li takes David to the home of his wealthy grandfather in San Francisco; the character list identifies Jonathan Fielding as the grandfather.

• Foo Chang → Lotus Blossom (Romantic Love Interest) — Foo Chang is in love with Lotus.

  The plot says Foo Chang is madly in love with Lotus Blossom.

• Lotus Blossom → William Fielding / David Field (Family Wife) — Lotus becomes William's wife.

  After William's first wife dies, he marries Lotus Blossom.

• Lotus Blossom → David, at 5 (Family Stepmother) — Lotus cares for David as her own child.

  After marrying William, Lotus Blossom treats his child David as if he were her own.

• William Fielding / David Field → David, at 10 (Family Father) — William is David's father.

  The plot establishes David's parentage as William's son; the later account follows David as he grows older.

• William Fielding / David Field → David, at 5 (Family Father) — William is David's father.

  William's wife gives birth to a son named David, and the plot identifies William as the boy's father.

Story Dynamics

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

• Li Clung → Foo Chang (Conflict Killer And Victim) — Li kills Foo Chang.

  After Winifred seeks Li's help, Li Clung kills Foo Chang.

• Foo Chang → David, at 10 (Conflict Blackmailer And Adversary) — Foo pressures David and triggers his crisis over his identity.

  Foo Chang tries to bribe David to help bring opium into the city; after David refuses, Foo reveals David's Chinese ancestry and points to the brand as...

• Li Clung → David, at 10 (Social Friend) — David and Li become friends.

  The plot says David befriends Li Clung after arriving in San Francisco.

• Li Clung → David, at 5 (Alliance Guardian) — Li protects David and brings him to his grandfather.

  Knowing the child's true parentage, Li Clung takes David to his wealthy grandfather's home in San Francisco.

• Foo Chang → David, at 5 (Conflict Attacker) — Foo Chang brands the young David.

  Foo Chang brands David after killing William.

• Foo Chang → William Fielding / David Field (Conflict Murderer And Victim) — Foo Chang kills William.

  Believing David to be Lotus's child, Foo Chang kills William.

• Li Clung → Winifred Wellington (Alliance Ally) — Li helps Winifred find David.

  Winifred goes to Li Clung, who promises to take her to David.

Story Analysis

David's life is shaped by family loss, a concealed truth about his ancestry, and the struggle to reunite with Winifred.

Plot Progression

1. Loss and a New Household — William loses his wife after David's birth and later marries Lotus Blossom. Lotus cares for David, while Foo Chang's love for her precedes the violence that destroys their household.
2. A Child Taken to Safety — After William's death and Lotus's suicide, Li Clung acts on his knowledge of David's true parentage. He takes David to his grandfather's home in San Francisco, where David grows up and later inherits...
3. The Brand and the Flight — David marries Winifred, but Foo Chang returns with an opium scheme. David's refusal leads Foo to disclose David's Chinese ancestry, and David flees to Alaska with his infant son.
4. Li's Intervention and Reunion — Winifred seeks Li's help, and Li promises to take her to David while withholding the truth about David's ethnicity. Li kills Foo Chang, then reveals the truth when the couple is reunited; the family r...