Where the Red Fern Grows Study Guide Raccoon Hunting Many of the events in Billy Colman s life, the young protagonist of Where the Red Fern Grows, may seem strange or odd to you because Billy probably lives in a place very different from you. Billy lives in the very rural Ozark Mountains where raccoon, coon, hunting is very common. Because raccoons can eat and destroy a farmer s crops, the animals are considered to be pests. Thus, farmers train dogs to track and hunt raccoons. For a hunter of any type of animal, a great hunting dog is a necessity and a point of pride. Be a Better Reader As you work through the study guide for Where the Red Fern Grows, you ll also practice these skills, which will help you when you read novels in the future, for school assignments or just for fun. 1. Describe the development of the main character. 2. Discuss how the plot develops throughout the novel. 3. Describe themes in the novel and trace their development throughout the text. 4. Cite textual evidence to support discussion of the novel. 5. Describe and analyze the role of setting in the novel. Behind the Scenes Wilson Rawls, author of Where the Red Fern Grows, grew up in the Ozark Mountains of Oklahoma and Arkansas, just as Billy Colman does. Also like Billy, Rawls spent most of his childhood outdoors exploring with his hound dogs. Rawls, however, got a shaky start to writing novels. While he could create the elements of a great story, his grammar was so poor that he would not show his work to anyone. When his wife found out, she edited her husband s work and then sent it to publishers. Rawls wrote Where the Red Fern Grows in 1961 and The Summer of the Monkeys in 1976. Get This! 1. Where the Red Fern Grows is told from the point of view of Billy Colman, a boy who works very hard to get the dog he wants. Think about how the novel would differ if told from the viewpoint of Grandpa, Papa, or Mama. 2. Where the Red Fern Grows possesses numerous symbols. Be sure to notice and try to figure out the symbolism of the dogs, the trophy cups, and trees. 3. As you read Where the Red Fern Grows think about the character traits Billy demonstrates and what these say about Billy as a person.
Where the Red Fern Grows Study Guide The Plot Wilson Rawls s Where the Red Fern Grows follows Billy Colman s journey from getting his hunting dogs, Old Dan and Little Ann, to training them, and the adventures and sadness that await them. As you read, fill in the boxes for each element of the novel s plot.
The Character of Billy Colman Where the Red Fern Grows focuses on the character of Billy Colman and his adventures with his hunting dogs, Old Dan and Little Ann. For each of the instances below, identify a passage about or a quote by Billy. Then discuss what the author is trying to convey through it. Example 1. Billy s desire for a dog (Ch. 2) Passage about or Quote by Billy What the Author is Trying to Convey 2. How protective Billy feels of his dogs (Ch. 5) 3. How Billy feels about his grandfather (Ch. 7) 4. Billy s parents see his increasing maturity (Ch. 8) 5. Billy works to save and protect his dogs (Ch. 11)
The Setting In Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls uses the setting of the rural Ozark Mountains to tell the story of Billy growing up and his relationship with his dogs. Use the spaces below to describe the setting in the novel. In the first column, type or write direct quotes from the novel phrases and sentences that are used to show what it s like throughout the work. In the second column, explain in your own words what the author is trying to convey. An example has been completed for you. Direct Quote Related to Setting Our home was in a beautiful valley far back in the rugged Ozarks... The rich bottom land near the river was studded with tall sycamores, birches, and box elders. (Ch. 2) Your Explanation Billy s family lives in a very rural area far away from other people and surrounded by nature.
Tracking Themes What message is Wilson Rawls trying to communicate in Where the Red Fern Grows? The main themes in the novel involve determination and the relationship between man and animals. See if you can identify and analyze those themes. Step 1: What parts of the plot seem related to a possible theme in the novel? (Think about the main conflict and how it get resolved or worked out.) Step 2: Which characters seem related to a possible theme? Which characters change, and what do those changes suggest about determination or man s relationship with animals? Step 3: How does the author use symbols to hint at the novel s themes? What objects, people, or places stand for something bigger in the story? Step 4: What does the novel s title suggest about the novel s theme? Step 5: Write one or two of the novel s main themes in your own words.
Talk About It What do you think about Where the Red Fern Grows? How do you think Billy is as a narrator? What character traits does Billy demonstrate throughout the novel? In the space below each question, write an answer based on your own experiences and your own understanding of the novel. Include some textual evidence or examples that helped you arrive at your answer. 1. Where the Red Fern Grows is told from the point of view of twelve year old Billy. How do you think the novel would differ if it was told from the point of view of Grandpa? Textual Evidence or Examples: 2. Where the Red Fern Grows traces Billy s personal growth and maturity. What character traits does Billy demonstrate and how does he display them? Textual Evidence or Examples:
Represent! Show what you know about Where the Red Fern Grows and its relevance to your life. Choose one of these projects to complete and share with your teacher, classmates, and others. Choice 1: A Different Point of View The novel focuses on Billy s version of the events involving Old Dan and Little Ann. While the novel shares a lot with the reader, it does not provide us with an even handed description of anyone s point of view other than Billy s. Create and perform a monologue as Old Dan, Little Ann, or one of Billy s parents to try to gain more insight into any of them as a character. You may want to focus on a particular event in the novel or perform snippets from several different events. Be sure to write your monologue in the form of a play. Choice 2: Robert s Journey Where the Red Fern Grows chronicles Billy s maturity and personal growth that stems from the training of and deaths of Old Dan and Little Ann. Billy is not the first literary character to experience personal growth. Think of other films, plays, short stories, or novels that allow its main character to do so. Create a Powerpoint presentation that illustrates some of these characters and their personal journeys. In your presentation, include maps and objects that symbolize each character s life. Be prepared to explain why you selected each character, as well as how his/her personal journey affected him.