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Characters · 10
Billy Colman
Billy Colman is the first-person narrator and protagonist of Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls, a coming-of-age story set in the Ozark Mountains during the Great Depression.
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Billy's Father (Walter Colman)
Billy's father, Walter Colman, is a dedicated Ozark farmer facing financial hardships.
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Billy's Grandfather
Billy's grandfather is a kind-hearted and sharp-witted old man who runs the general store close to the Colman homestead in the Ozark Mountains.
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Billy's Mother
Billy's mother is a steadfast and quietly devoted presence in Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls, acting as the emotional heart of the Colman household in the Ozark Mountains.
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Billy's Sisters
Billy's sisters play a minor yet significant role in Wilson Rawls' Where the Red Fern Grows.
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Little Ann
Little Ann is one of Billy Colman's two redbone coonhounds in Wilson Rawls' Where the Red Fern Grows, embodying intelligence, beauty, and instinct alongside her loyal companion Old Dan.
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Old Dan
Old Dan is one of Billy Colman's two redbone coonhounds in Wilson Rawls's Where the Red Fern Grows, embodying raw, fearless courage.
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Rainie Pritchard
Rainie Pritchard is a supporting antagonist in Wilson Rawls' Where the Red Fern Grows, primarily acting as a foil and instigator whose actions lead to tragic outcomes.
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Rubin Pritchard
Rubin Pritchard is a supporting antagonist in Wilson Rawls's Where the Red Fern Grows, primarily acting as a foil to Billy Colman and triggering one of the novel's most tragic events.
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The Town Marshal
The Town Marshal is a minor but important supporting character in Wilson Rawls's Where the Red Fern Grows, making a brief appearance during Billy Colman's visit to Tahlequah to finally collect the hound puppies he has long saved for.
character
Key quotes · 10
“I knew that as long as I lived I would never forget the two little red hounds.”
This reflective line is spoken by Billy Colman, the narrator and main character of Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls, near the novel's end.
Billy Colman (first-person narrator)
“It was the most beautiful tree I had ever seen, and I had to have it.”
This line is spoken by Billy Colman, the young protagonist and narrator of Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls.
Billy Colman (narrator) · Early chapters (Ch. 1–3)
“A man can do anything he sets his mind to, if he's willing to work hard enough.”
This quote comes from Billy's father in Wilson Rawls' cherished coming-of-age novel Where the Red Fern Grows.
Billy's Father (Mr. Colman)
“God had heard the prayer of a small boy, and the red fern had grown.”
This closing line is spoken by the adult Billy Colman, the story’s first-person narrator, as he reflects on the miraculous red fern that has grown over the graves of his beloved hounds, Old Dan and Little Ann.
Billy Colman (adult narrator) · Final chapter (Chapter 20)
“The red fern was there, in all its beauty, a sacred plant that only an angel could plant.”
This lyrical passage appears near the end of Where the Red Fern Grows (1961) by Wilson Rawls, narrated by the adult Billy Colman as he returns to the graves of his beloved hunting dogs, Old Dan and Little Ann.
Billy Colman (adult narrator) · Final chapter (Chapter 20)
“I had the two things I wanted most in the world, two little red hounds.”
This line is spoken by Billy Colman, the young protagonist and narrator of Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls.
Billy Colman (narrator) · Chapter 5
“I buried my face in her long, red coat and cried until I could cry no more.”
This heartbreaking line appears near the end of Wilson Rawls' cherished novel Where the Red Fern Grows, delivered by the narrator and protagonist, young Billy Colman.
Billy Colman (narrator) · Chapter 19–20
“Where one is buried, the other will not live.”
This heartfelt line comes from Wilson Rawls' cherished coming-of-age novel Where the Red Fern Grows.
Narrator (Billy Colman, retrospective) · Chapter 19–20
“Old Dan and Little Ann—they were a team. They lived for each other.”
This reflective line is spoken by Billy Colman, the adult narrator reminiscing about his childhood in the Ozark Mountains.
Billy Colman (adult narrator)
“I looked at him. His eyes were glazed and covered with a film. I knew he was dead.”
This heartbreaking line is delivered by Billy Colman, the young narrator of Wilson Rawls's Where the Red Fern Grows, at a pivotal moment when he learns that his cherished redbone coonhound Old Dan has died from injuries inflicted by a mountain lion.
Billy Colman (narrator) · Chapter 19
Symbols · 5
Old Dan and Little Ann
In Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls, Old Dan and Little Ann represent the strong connection between courage and intelligence, as well as the ideal partnership built on unconditional love.
The Lantern
In Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls, the lantern represents guidance, hope, and the connection between Billy and his family.
The Ozark Mountains
In Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls, the Ozark Mountains embody the wild natural world that shapes and challenges Billy Colman's character.
The Red Fern
In Wilson Rawls's Where the Red Fern Grows, the red fern symbolizes divine love, cherished memories, and the lasting connection between a boy and his dogs.
The Sycamore Tree
In Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls, the sycamore tree symbolizes Billy's determination and the impact of hard work.
Literary devices · 9
Flashback
In Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls uses an extended flashback as a framing device that influences every emotional moment the reader goes through.
Tone
In Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls creates a tone filled with tender, aching nostalgia right from the start.
Imagery
In Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls employs vivid sensory imagery to draw readers into the Ozark wilderness and heighten the emotional stakes of Billy's journey.
Personification
In Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls uses personification to strengthen the emotional connection between Billy and his hounds while also bringing the Ozark wilderness to life.
Simile
In Wilson Rawls's Where the Red Fern Grows, similes capture the emotional weight that straightforward descriptions often miss, anchoring Billy's deep feelings in the sensory experiences of his world.
Foreshadowing
In Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls uses foreshadowing to create a sense of inevitable loss that lingers over the novel's joyful hunting moments.
Frame Narrative
In Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls employs a frame narrative that grounds the entire story in adult Billy's reflective voice.
Motif
In Wilson Rawls's Where the Red Fern Grows, the red fern serves as the novel's central motif—an image that gains spiritual and emotional significance with each appearance.
Symbolism
In Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls presents the red fern as a profound symbol, encapsulating grief, love, and sacred significance in a single natural image.
Vocabulary · 20
scent
The smell left behind by an animal that a hunting dog follows on the ground or in the air to track its prey.
noun · Chapter 8
coon
A raccoon; in this story, the wild animal that Billy and his dogs hunt through the Ozark hills at night.
noun · Chapter 10
hound
A dog bred specifically for hunting, known for its keen sense of smell and loud baying cry when it picks up a trail.
noun · Chapter 2
bawl
The long, loud howl or cry a hound dog makes when it picks up or follows a scent trail during a hunt.
verb · Chapter 8
bottom land
Low-lying flat ground alongside a river or stream, typically fertile and often wooded; the terrain Billy hunts through.
noun · Chapter 10
sycamore
A large hardwood tree common along Ozark riverbanks, recognizable by its patchy white and gray bark; central to a key challenge Billy faces.
noun · Chapter 9
varmint
A troublesome or destructive wild animal; used in this region and era to refer to creatures like raccoons that are hunted or trapped.
noun · Chapter 10
coonskin
The pelt or hide of a raccoon after it has been killed and skinned, which Billy sells to earn money.
noun · Chapter 4
staunch
Loyal, steadfast, and dependable without wavering; used to describe the unwavering devotion of Billy's dogs to him.
adjective · Chapter 8
lantern
A portable light enclosed in a case, typically fueled by kerosene, used by Billy to see during his nighttime hunting trips.
noun · Chapter 10
ax
A heavy chopping tool with a metal blade on a long handle, used by Billy to chop down trees during hunts to catch treed raccoons.
noun · Chapter 9
treeing
The act of a hunting dog chasing an animal, such as a raccoon, until it climbs a tree and then barking to alert the hunter to its location.
verb · Chapter 8
championship
A formal hunting competition in which dogs and their owners compete for the title of best coon-hunting team in the region.
noun · Chapter 13
ghost coon
A legendary raccoon in the local area that is said to be uncatchable, having outsmarted every hunter and dog that has ever tried to track it.
phrase · Chapter 14
mountain lion
A large wild cat, also called a cougar or panther, that attacks Billy and his dogs in the climactic confrontation near the end of the story.
noun · Chapter 16
red fern
A sacred plant in Cherokee legend said to grow only where an angel has planted it; in the story it grows over the graves of Billy's two dogs as a symbol of their bond.
noun · Chapter 18
billfold
A small flat wallet used to carry paper money; Billy carefully saves his earnings in one over the years to buy his dogs.
noun · Chapter 4
hollered
Shouted or called out loudly; a regional, informal past-tense form common in Ozark dialect used throughout the novel.
verb · Chapter 6
depot
A railroad station where passengers board trains and freight is loaded or unloaded; Billy picks up his puppies here.
noun · Chapter 6
pelt
The skin and fur of a hunted animal, especially a raccoon, which can be sold or traded for money.
noun · Chapter 4