List of Where the Red Fern Grows characters

The following is a list of characters from the novel Where the Red Fern Grows.

Billy

Billy is a 10-year-old boy who has two sisters and lives in Oklahoma and is blessed with puppy love, (he wants a pair of Redbone Coonhounds). He wants them so much, that he gets sick from hunger and sleep deprivation. He is really determined to get them so he works and saves up all of his money. It takes him two years to do so, and by the time he has enough, he's 12. When he gets his dogs he doesn't know what to name him, so as he walks through the woods he finds a tree that have the two names Dan and Ann with a heart around it. the name Dan is more sloppy like a boys hand-writing s he decides to name the boy dog Old Dan, and the name Ann is more pretty and petite more like a girls hand-writing so he decides to name the girl dog Little Ann. Once he gets Old Dan and Little Ann, he puts them into the raccoon hunting business. He loves his family and his dogs very much. He has a strong bond between them and would do anything for them. Soon, he is determined to win a raccoon hunting competition and get the gold cup. He is the person in the beginning of the book. He has a strong heart and loves his dogs. At the end of the story, he is heartbroken when his dogs Little Ann and Old Dan die. He later is reminded of his childhood when he takes care of a stray dog he lets go with a name tag with the name, "Buddie".

Mama

Mama is Billy's mother. Similarly to Papa, she also will do just about anything to see Billy happy. Although his constant begging for the dogs starts to annoy her, she is heartbroken over his grief. When he finally gets them and starts hunting, she is constantly worried, and is scared for his safety. She is always thinking of what he loves which is hunting. She was always wanting to move to a town instead of living in the mountains. She is very protective about Billy and his sisters. What are some reason why you like his mom?

Papa

Papa is Billy's father. He knew getting two puppies for $50 was out of the question. When Billy is upset over not getting them, he buys him three steel traps to make him feel better (but he ends up catching Samie, the family cat, with them). He teaches him how to use them. He is very proud of Billy's determination and commitment to his dogs and hunting raccoons and of his development into a young man. He is the one who always calms Mama's fears about Billy's safety.

Grandpa

Grandpa is Billy's grandfather. He owns a shop that is well known in the Ozarks. When Billy finally saves $50, he helps him to get the dogs. He is astonished to the point of tears; he is so proud of Billy's hard work and dedication. He frequently helps him out, like when they made the scarecrow in front of the big sycamore tree to keep the raccoon from getting down out of it. Billy greatly respects and appreciates his advice and help. Grandpa goes will Billy and his father to the great coon hunt, he trips over a stick and sprains his ankle very badly.

Billy's sisters

Billy has three sisters who are in love with the dogs, mostly Little Ann, and they were very sad when they die.

Rubin Pritchard

Rubin Pritchard is the older brother of Rainie Pritchard. He has a very bad reputation; he is known for stealing, fighting, and causing trouble with Rainie. Rubin is two years older than Billy. He is a big boy with mean eyes. He bets Billy two dollars that Old Dan and Little Ann can't tree the ghost coon, one the Pritchards have attempted to catch many times and seems to always trick their dog, Old Blue. The latter shows up and Little Ann and Old Dan start attacking him up to make sure he does not try to steal their raccoon. In an attempt to save him Rubin runs at them with an axe. At first, Billy can't see what happened, but then he sees that he tripped and the axe plummeted into his stomach, killing him. After he is lying on the ground, Billy takes it out of him and is distraught at his death. Billy then runs back home and tells his parents immediately about the bad news. Rubin's family is very upset when they hear about the death of their son but does not show it when Billy's father goes to tell them. Billy feels so bad he can not sleep for days and days.

Rainie Pritchard

Rainie Pritchard is the younger brother of Rubin Pritchard. He is about Billy's age and known for causing trouble wherever he goes. He is a nervous boy, and is not liked by anyone. Billy says that he has the meanest disposition out of any boy he has ever known. He always wanted to make bets with other people. When his brother Rubin dies, he goes into a state of shock and their father tells Billy's that he will have to be brought to a doctor in town. Mama says he can't help being the way he is.

The Marshal of Tahlequah

The Marshal of Tahlequah is a minor character who rescues Billy after he gets in a fight with a group of rude children in the town of Tahlequah and he buys strawberry soda pop for Billy after saving him. In the movie, he also collects the prize money for the winner.

Old Man Hatfield

Old Man Hatfield is a neighbor of Billy's. His dog is having collie puppies and Billy's parents offer to get him one of them, but he refuses because he only wants Redbone Coonhounds.

Mr. Kyle

Mr. Kyle is one of the hunters in the beauty contest. He owns the dog that is the runner-up. Little Ann is the winner.

Mr. Benson

Mr. Benson is one of the hunters in the contest. He is the one that finds Billy's dogs. Then he finds Billy and tells him first that his dogs are covered in ice and this makes him upset because he thinks that they are dead but Mr. Benson says he's wrong; they are really alive.

Dr. Latham

Dr. Latham is one of the hunters in the contest. He helps Grandpa with his sprained ankle back at the campground. After the contest, he takes him to the hospital.

Old Blue

Rubin and Rainie Pritchard's Bluetick Coonhound. He is injured by Old Dan and Little Ann.

Samie

Samie is the family cat. He used to be friendly, however he ran away after accidentally being caught in the animal traps one too many times. He became nervous.

Buddie

Buddie is the stray dog Billy meets at the beginning of the book. He saves him from some other dogs, then feeds and washes him, then releases him so that he can hunt in the country. He, in turn, triggers a flashback to when Billy was a young boy living in the Ozarks.

Old Dan

Old Dan is one of Billy's Redbone Coonhounds who is very brave and loyal. He is very impulsive and a male. He's bigger and stronger than Little Ann, the braver out of the two hounds. He is also very determined. When he trees a raccoon (or any animal), he doesn't move away from it until he knows he's gotten it for Billy. He is the brawn in the team. He dies from injuries from a mountain lion attack.

Little Ann

Little Ann is one of Billy's Redbone Coonhounds who is smart and sweet. She wins a contest for being the best looking dog. She is patient and a female. She is also smarter than Old Dan. She also hunts raccoons and found the "ghost coon's" trick. She also won the beauty pageant for Billy and the silver cup. She is the brain in the team and can figure out almost all of the raccoons tricks. She is also very playful for a hound. At the end of the book, she dies of starvation from missing Old Dan. Did everything with Old Dan. Much more friendly than dan, considered a "pet" unlike Old Dan.

Mountain Lion

The mountain lion is the main antagonist of the book. He is first seen the night when Billy is taking his dogs home. He does not appear again until the climax, in which he attacks Billy and his dogs. Although Billy kills him with his ax, the mountain lion still ends up violently ripping out Old Dan's entrails, which eventually leads to his death.

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