Setting
Where the Red Fern Grows is set in the Ozark Mountains on Cherokee land in northeastern Oklahoma during the Great Depression. Billy Coleman's father works the farm, while his grandfather, a key motivator and source of support for Billy, operates a country general store and mill. This store serves as a meeting place for local raccoon hunters.
Their home is deeply embedded in the natural landscape.
[The house] was situated in a picturesque valley deep within the rugged Ozarks. The area was newly settled and sparsely populated. The land we lived on was Cherokee land, allocated to my mother because of her Cherokee heritage. It stretched from the mountain foothills to the banks of the Illinois River in northeastern Oklahoma. The soil was rich, black, and fertile... [The log house was] nestled at the base of the foothills at the entrance of a small canyon, surrounded by a grove of massive red oaks.
This rural environment offers Billy a safe space to explore, run freely, hunt, learn responsibility, and understand love.
Rawls crafts a mood of protectiveness from Billy's mother and a sense of freedom for Billy. Billy and his family live in a sanctuary of love and mutual respect for each other, their neighbors, God, and His creation. The Colemans take pride in their identity. Although their home lacks material wealth, it is abundant in love and understanding, catering to the dreams and aspirations of a young boy.
Literary Qualities
Rawls crafts an exhilarating adventure and a compelling tale of love, dedication, determination, and success through the use of aphorisms (concise statements of a truth or principle), foreshadowing, and vivid imagery. Billy, the main character and narrator, recounts his story in an extended flashback. Over fifty years have elapsed since his experiences as a young boy in the Ozarks of northeast Oklahoma and his deep bond with two extraordinary dogs. Rawls employs figurative language to vividly depict the Ozark Mountains, the family farm, the surrounding forests, and the local customs and traditions. Here are some examples of these descriptions: "Papa's words perked me up just like air does a deflated inner tube." "A big grinning Ozark moon had the countryside bathed in a soft yellow glow. The starlit heaven reminded me of a large blue umbrella, outspread and with the handle broken off." "By the time I had reached the river, every nerve in my body was drawn up as tight as a fiddlestring." "The next morning I went out to my doghouse. Scraping the snow away from the two-way door, I stuck my head in. It was as warm as an oven. I got my face washed all over by Little Ann. Old Dan's tail thumped out a tune on the wall."
Rawls' use of foreshadowing with the death of Rubin Pritchard sets the stage for the later deaths of Old Dan and Little Ann. Although Billy is genuinely unprepared to cope with the deaths and the depth of his sorrow, the accidental death of a disreputable acquaintance helps to prepare him for his "real" grief.
For Further Reference
Breckenridge, Kit. "Modern Classics." School Library Journal (April, 1988): 42-43. This article discusses Where the Red Fern Grows.
Engle, Paul. Review of Where the Red Fern Grows.New York Times Book Review (September 8, 1974): 38. A positive review of Where the Red Fern Grows.
Holtz, Sally Holmes, editor. Sixth Book of Junior Authors & Illustrators. New York: H.W. Wilson Company, 1989, pp. 241-42. Includes biographical details and a photograph of the author.
Magill, Frank N., editor. Masterplots II Juvenile and Young Adult Fiction Series, vol. 4. Pasadena, CA: Salem Press, 1991, pp. 1616-19. An essay that outlines the plot, themes, meanings, and context of Where the Red Fern Grows.
McCoy, Jody. Review of Summer of the Monkeys.Voice of Youth Advocates (October, 1992): 230.
Miller, Frances A. "Books To Read When You Hate To Read." Booklist (February 15, 1992): 1100-1. This article lists Rawls as an author of engaging books for reluctant readers.
"Rawls, Woodrow Wilson." In Authors and Books for Young People, 3rd edition. Meruchen, New Jersey: Scarecrow Press, 1990, p. 583. Rawls is featured in this collection of authors for young readers. "Rawls, Woodrow Wilson." In Authors in the News, vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 1976, p. 387.
Review of Where the Red Fern Grows.Library Journal (February 1, 1961): 612-13. A review of Woodrow Wilson Rawls' book about a boy and his two coon dogs.
Silvey, Anita, editor. Children's Books and Their Creators. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin Company, 1995, p. 551. A brief biographical sketch and critical review of Rawls' two books.
Williamson, Michael M., and Susan H. Williamson. "Stalking the Elusive Prey." School Library Journal (September, 1984): 47-48. A review of Where the Red Fern Grows.
"Woodrow Wilson Rawls." In Authors & Artists for Young Adults, vol. 21. Edited by Thomas McMahon. Detroit: Gale, 1997, pp. 171-75. Contains biographical information, including a "sidelights" essay where Rawls recounts re-writing Where the Red Fern Grows after destroying the original manuscript. Features a photo of Rawls and reprints of the book covers for Where the Red Fern Grows and Summer of Monkeys.
"Rawls, (Woodrow) Wilson." In Something about the Author, vol. 22. Edited by Anne Commire. Detroit: Gale, 1981, pp. 205-206. A biographical sketch of Rawls accompanied by a photograph.
Love, Madelaine. "Woodrow Wilson Rawls." http://pac.eils.lib.id.us/rawls.html (December 4, 2000). Created as part of the "Woodrow Wilson Rawls: Dreams Can Come True" research project funded by the Idaho Humanities Council and the Idaho Falls Public Library. This resource includes a range of biographical and critical information, such as a photo album, a personal message from the author, a bibliography, and interviews with Rawls' widow and acquaintances.
