She's the white-trash town tramp, molded by a life of sexual abuse at the hands of her father and verbal abuse from her mother, who seems to delight in reminding Rae of her mistake in not aborting her. Lazarus, who is also facing personal crisis at the dissolution of his marriage, nurses Rae back to health, providing her with gentle, fatherly advice as well as an education in blues music. Rae's boyfriend, Ronnie, goaded by the man who nearly beat Rae to death, misunderstands the relationship between Lazarus and Rae, and vows to kill him. Lazarus, exhibiting a street-smart understanding of violence black snake moan plot its motives, calls Ronnie's bluff, senses that he is as troubled as Rae, and becomes a guiding force in the young couple's resurrection. He finds the town slut and nymphomaniac Rae dumped on the road nearby his little farm, drugged, beaten and almost dead. Lazarus brings her home, giving medicine and nursing and nourishing her like a father, keeping her chained to control her heat. When her boyfriend Ronnie is discharged from the army due to his anxiety issue, he misunderstands the relationship of Lazarus and Rae, and tries to kill him. The synopsis below may give away important black snake moan plot points. A lot of times this leaves you with that, expecting orange juice and get a mouthful of sour milk feeling. This is not one of those times. She is a needed, underhanded, sex crazed town bike. Her boyfriend Ronnie Justin Timberlake has decided to join the military and make a future for the two of them and Rae falls into a virtual hissy fit because she has no idea how she will live without him. This is followed by a night of alcohol and drug fueled partying which ends up with her playing naked football and having sex with at least one other guy yes that is 3 different men in a matter of hours. Her night ends with Ronnie's best friend giving her a ride home. Oddly enough this is the only man in the movie she doesn't throw herself at. She is rewarded for her efforts by being beaten half to death and left in the road, 5 feet from the doorstep of Lazarus Samuel L. Lazarus has recently had his wife leave him for his younger brother so he is battling his own demons. He decides that god has placed this young girl black snake moan plot his hands for a reason and he has to do his level best to help this girl who has spent the first 30 minutes of the film in panties and a cut off shirt. Rae spends the next 2 days in a nearly comatose state waking up only sporadically to fight her crazy dreams and try to climb onto anything rigid. Lazarus decide that in order to protect the girl from herself and possible exorcise her sex demons he should wrap a 40 foot chain around her and confine her to his house. Over the next week both Lazarus and Rae embark on a journey of self-realization and acceptance with the help of a couple of well placed reality checks. Ronnie must report to his National Guard unit and leaves Rae all alone. Rae is not alone for long, because she is the town tramp with a powerful need to hook-up with a man. After a party, Rae is taken home by a friend who ends up beating her half to death and throws her on the side of the road. The next day, Lazarus Samuel L. Jackson finds Rae and carries her home. Lazarus gives medical care to Rae, and believes that he can also save her from herself. Rae is like a dog in heat so Lazarus puts a 40 pound chain around black snake moan plot and his radiator to keep her from going out looking for men. Lazarus has problems of his own, because his wife has just left him for another man. Lazarus turns to his blues music to relieve his pain.