The relationship between the characters

In this part of the study guide, we will offer you some suggestions on how you can analyse “Family Tree” with a focus on the relationships between characters. We also include references to the main character, setting, title, main theme, which can help you better understand the short story.

We start by explaining the concepts of the main character, setting, title, main theme.…

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Relationships between characters

Here, we will focus on the relationships between the characters in the text. All the characters are members of the same family, and the story is representative of family dynamics. Below, we have provided you with a list that highlights the main relationships and their features:

The relationship between Annie and Susie

The text mostly presents the interaction between the two sisters. Susie and Annie grew up in conflict or competition. Susie has always felt superior and Annie inferior: “Susie’s one step ahead though, being three years older. It used to annoy Annie that she would never catch up”. (ll. 3-4) And: “It’s as if the horseplay has reminded them that Susie is the oldest sister. The one who still gets to make the rules. Annie follows her obediently through to their parents’ bedroom”. (ll. 75-77)

The relationship between the sisters and their parents

The sisters have always felt excluded from their parents’ life: “You know, when I was very young I never saw them as separate people,” she says. “They were always MumandDad. I used to lie in bed sometimes and wish he’d die so she’d love me more.” (ll. 93-95)

It was as if they wanted our family to be split into two pairs – Them and Us. But it was never Us, wa…