Character Relationship Map: Why Be Good?

Characters

• Pert Kelly (played by Colleen Moore) — protagonist

  The film's protagonist, a young woman who wins a dance contest and navigates societal expectations regarding female virtue through her courtship with Winthrop Peabody Jr.

• Ma Kelly (played by Bodil Rosing) — protagonist

  Pert Kelly's mother. No specific actions or dialogue are detailed in the provided plot summary.

• Pa Kelly (played by John St. Polis) — supporting

  Pert Kelly's father, who voices traditional concerns about the virtues of contemporary men.

• Winthrop Peabody Jr. (played by Neil Hamilton) — supporting

  The department store heir who seeks a romantic partner and devises a specific test to verify a woman's virtue before marriage.

• Winthrop Peabody Sr. (played by Edward Martindel) — supporting

  The strict department store owner and father who initially forbids his son from associating with female workers and terminates Pert's employment.

Canonical Relationships

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

• Pert Kelly → Winthrop Peabody Jr. (Romantic Partner) — Pert and Junior develop a courtship that culminates in marriage.

  Junior notices Pert after her dance-contest victory, drives her home, schedules dates with her, and marries her that night.

• Winthrop Peabody Sr. → Winthrop Peabody Jr. (Family Father) — Senior is Junior's father and gives him warnings about women.

  The plot states that Winthrop Peabody Sr. lectures his son before Junior begins work at the department store.

• Pa Kelly → Pert Kelly (Family Father) — Pa Kelly provides parental guidance and moral criticism to Pert.

  The character profile identifies Pa Kelly as Pert Kelly's father, and the plot states that he admonishes her about modern men's lack of virtue.

• Pert Kelly → Ma Kelly (Family Mother) — Ma Kelly is Pert Kelly's mother.

  The character profile identifies Ma Kelly as Pert Kelly's mother.

• Winthrop Peabody Sr. → Pert Kelly (Professional Employer) — Senior is Pert's employer and terminates her employment.

  After Pert is tardy to work, she reports to the personnel office, where Senior sees what happened and fires her.

Story Analysis

Pert Kelly's courtship with Winthrop Peabody Jr. challenges social judgments about female virtue and ultimately changes Senior's judgment.

Plot Progression

1. Warnings Before Courtship — Junior prepares to begin work at his father's department store while Senior warns him about women and female employees. Pert wins a dance contest and attracts Junior's attention.
2. The Cost of Tardiness — Junior drives Pert home and arranges a date, but her late night causes her to arrive tardy at work. Senior fires her after discovering the situation at the personnel office.
3. Gifts and Competing Warnings — Junior explains that he did not fire Pert, and they arrange another date. Gifts arrive for Pert while both fathers' warnings frame the upcoming encounter.
4. The Virtue Test — Junior tests Pert by trying to push her beyond her personal limits. Pert protests and passes the test by maintaining her boundaries.
5. Marriage Ends the Doubt — Pert and Junior marry that night and prove her virtue to Senior. Senior can no longer refute the conclusion established by Pert's conduct.