In the movie Winter's Bone, Daniel Woodrell demonstrates that being a good family member does not always mean acting like one. The Dolly clan, a group of wayward, backcountry folk all related in one way or another, lives in a shoddy town nestled in the Ozark mountains. Ree Dolly, the protagonist of this country noir novel, is the daughter of the notorious "crank" cook, Jessup Dolly, who has recently gone missing. Jessup has disappeared from home numerous times before and no one has ever bothered to question where he is, but this time is different. This time Jessup is in trouble with the law and it is up to Ree to find him or else she could lose her family's house and land. On her quest to find her father, Ree quickly learns that asking questions of the austere Dolly clan can be a fatal mistake. The Dollys will stop at no end to protect the family's name and Ree, unfortunately, becomes the target of their tough love.
Teardrop, Ree's meth-addicted uncle, is the first person she visits on her quest. Uncle Teardrop is a stern man and his rough appearance reflects the gruesome events that he has weathered in his lifetime. When Ree first comes to him with questions regarding his younger brother, Teardrop is not happy. He makes it clear to her that Jessup's whereabouts is not her business and to not ask questions. However, when Ree brings up Little Arthur and the rest of the Miltons from Hawkfall, Teardrop becomes physical and grabs Ree by her hair as a threatening gesture. He knows the danger Ree would be putting herself in by meddling with that side of the family and wants to make sure that she stays away. .
Uncle Teardrop, just like the rest of the town, knows more about Jessup's situation than he tells Ree. Jessup made a deal with the law to snitch on another meth cook, which Teardrop later tells Ree is against "our way." He says, "Jessup, he went'n did wrong, the poor silly shit.