The opening pages of Old Yeller establish the setting in Salt Lick, Texas, a hill country located six hundred miles south of Abilene, Kansas, during the late 1860s. This precise focus on setting indicates that the book is a work of regionalism, a genre of literature that vividly and accurately portrays a specific locale. Regionalism includes detailed descriptions of nature, unique customs, values, and even the speech of the people from that area. In these works, the setting is so integral to the story that readers cannot envision the events occurring elsewhere.

Typically, regionalism resonates as authentic only when the author has actually experienced that particular time and place. However, Old Yeller is a notable exception. Although Fred Gipson grew up in Texas, he depicts a period forty years before his birth. As the novel's dedication indicates, he bases the story on tales his parents shared about their lives in Texas during the late nineteenth century.

Old Yeller offers rich details about the challenging life faced by the Coates family. Gipson describes specific tasks that farmers in the 1860s undertook, such as making soap from wood ashes and hog fat, plowing cornfields with a mule, and branding wild hogs. Despite his focus on a particular setting, Gipson succeeds in creating characters with a universal appeal.

Old Yeller is narrated from Travis's perspective as he reminisces about events from the late 1860s. Travis's memories are significant for two reasons. Firstly, they confirm that the lessons he learned at fourteen were impactful and likely shape his adult worldview. Secondly, they enable Travis to shift between different points in time. For instance, in the book's second paragraph, Travis recounts both the day Old Yeller arrived at his family's farm and the day, weeks later, when he had to put him down. Mentioning the ending in the first chapter reduces some suspense, but it strengthens the novel's structure. Old Yeller features an episodic plot with loosely connected stories centered around the dog. This type of plot can sometimes feel aimless to readers. However, by revealing the outcome at the start, Gipson creates a cohesive and satisfying piece of literature.

Old Yeller belongs to the broad genre of realism, a literary style that gained prominence in the United States post-Civil War and typically highlights the lives of "ordinary" characters. Travis tells the story using informal language, and many dialogues are in a modified dialect that captures the essence of Texas speech. In a more sentimental story, Old Yeller would be miraculously saved from death. However, in Gipson's realistic portrayal, the events make the dog's death unavoidable.

Old Yeller, published in 1956, predates the time when mainstream America began reevaluating the roles of minorities and women in society. Gipson does not explicitly address the stereotypes of Native Americans and women prevalent during his era, but readers might detect hints of prejudice or bias in his characters. In Old Yeller, Native Americans are sometimes mentioned as one of the threats to settlers. Gipson handles the hostility between Native Americans and white settlers in a straightforward manner, without suggesting that the settlers have a divine right to the land.

Travis's main objective throughout Old Yeller is to demonstrate to his parents, particularly his father, that he has matured into a man. Travis inherently believes that men and women have distinct roles, which accurately reflects nineteenth-century frontier society where men hunted and women cooked. However, Travis's additional belief that men are superior to women is gently corrected. Mama works just as hard as Travis and is equally vital to the family's survival. When Travis is injured, Lisbeth takes over his chores and performs them well. Travis eventually learns that becoming a man involves more than aging and hard work; it also includes maintaining faith in the fundamental goodness of life. This life lesson is one that, as the reader should understand, is not exclusive to males.

Old Yeller concludes with Travis choosing to raise one of Old Yeller's pups. This pup becomes the main character in Gipson's sequel, Savage Sam. Set two years later, the story follows Travis, Arliss, and Lisbeth as they are captured by Native Americans raiding ranches. The narrative details the children's harrowing experiences and eventual rescue. While Old Yeller is appropriate for school-aged children, the violent content in Savage Sam makes it suitable only for high school students and adults. This violence includes Arliss biting off and accidentally swallowing a Native American's ear and the children being forced to eat their cherished mule. Additionally, in a brief scene, one of the Native Americans threatens to rape Lisbeth; in a more graphic scene, Travis is tortured for intervening.

The depiction of Native Americans in Savage Sam is highly problematic. Gipson primarily portrays them as agents of brutal violence. However, their expertise in hunting, riding, and survival earns Travis's reluctant respect. Students can use this novel to discuss the historical and ongoing conflicts between Native Americans and whites, as well as broader issues arising from other racial and cultural tensions in America.

Gipson, along with his collaborator William Tunberg, wrote screenplays for two Walt Disney adaptations. Old Yeller, released in 1957, was well-received by both critics and audiences. However, Savage Sam, released in 1963, was less popular. To make it suitable for all ages, Disney studios removed most of the violence, reducing the story to a light-hearted adventure through the Texas countryside.

Commire, Anne, ed. Something about the Author. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale Research, 1971. This volume provides a concise summary of Gipson's life and career.

Cox, Mike. Fred Gipson: Texas Storyteller. Austin, TX: Shoal Creek Publishers, 1980. This biography offers unique personal details, as the author conducted interviews with Gipson, his first wife, his surviving son, and friends.

De Montreville, Doris, and Donna Hill, eds. Third Book of Junior Authors. New York: H. W. Wilson, 1972. Features remarks by Gipson regarding his writing process.

Henderson, Sam H. Fred Gipson. Austin, TX: Steck-Vaughn, 1967. Although published prior to Gipson's death and largely replaced by Mike Cox's biography, this book remains valuable for its analysis of Gipson's novels, including Old Yeller and Savage Sam.

Kirkpatrick, D. L., ed. Twentieth-Century Children's Writers. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1983. Provides a comprehensive overview of Gipson's literary career.

"Obituary." New York Times Biographical Edition (August 1973): 1297-1298. This obituary contains statements from Gipson about his own writing.

Piekarski, Vicki, and John Tuska, eds. Encyclopedia of Frontier and Western Fiction. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1983. Offers a succinct biography of Gipson.