List of Where the Red Fern Grows characters

This is a list of characters in Where the Red Fern Grows.

The Coleman Family

Billy

He is a 10 year old boy who is infected with puppy love (he really wants a dog) .

Mama

Mama is Billy's mom. Similar to Papa, Mama also will do just about anything to see Billy happy. Although Billy's constant begging for the dogs starts to annoy Mama, she is heartbroken over her son's grief. When Billy finally gets the dogs and starts hunting, Mama is constantly worried about him. She is always thinking that it is not dangerous at all that he doesn't care if Billy dies of what he loves which is hunting.

Papa

Papa is Billy's father. He is a farmer and will do just about anything to get Billy's dogs. When Billy is upset over not getting the dogs, Papa buys Billy three steel traps to make Billy feel better. He teaches Billy how to use the traps. Papa is very proud of Billy's determination and commitment to his dogs and hunting raccoons; he is proud of his son's 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. When Billy finally saves $50, Grandpa helps him to get the dogs. Grandpa is astonished to the point of tears; he is so proud of Billy's hard work and dedication. Grandpa frequently helps Billy out, like when he helps Billy to make the scarecrow in front of the big sycamore tree to keep the coon from getting down out of the tree. Billy greatly respects and appreciates his Grandpa's advice and help. Grandpa helped Billy cut down the tree.

Other characters

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 his younger brother, 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 cannot tree the ghost coon, a racoon the Pritchards have attempted to catch many times and seems to always trick their dog. His family's Bluetick Coonhound shows up and Little Ann and Old Dan start attacking him up to make sure he does not try to steal their coon. In an attempt to save his dog Rubin runs at Billy's dogs with an axe. He trips and the axe plummets into his stomach killing him. After Rubin is lying on the ground, Billy takes the axe out of him and is distraught at Rubin's death. Billy then runs back to his home and tells his parents immediately about the bad news. Rubin's family was very upset when they heard the death of their son. Billy felt so bad he could not sleep for days and days.

Rainie Pritchard

Rainie Pritchard is the younger brother of Rubin Pritchard. Rainie 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 wants to make bets. When his brother Rubin dies, Rainie goes into a state of shock and their father tells Billy's father that Rainie will have to be brought to a doctor in town.

The Sherrif of Talequah

The Sherrif of Talequah is a minor character who rescues Billy after getting in a fight with a group of rude children in the town of talequah. 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 Billy one of the pups, but Billy refuses because he only wants coon hounds.

Mr. Kyle

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

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 the rest of the hunters to tell them what he found - that the dogs are alive, but covered in ice.

Dr. Latham

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

Old Blue

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

Samie

Billy's old cat. It ran away after being accidentally caught in his animal trap one too many times.

Buddie

The stray dog that middle-aged Billy meets at the beginning of the book. Billy saves him from some other dogs, then feeds him and washes him. Buddie, in turn, triggers a flashback to when Billy was a young boy living in the Ozark Mountain Valley.

Old Dan

One of Billy's Redbone Coonhounds who is the fighter of the two dogs and dies at the end after being attacked by a Mountain Lion. He is also the tougher dog

Little Ann

One of Billy's Redbone Coonhounds who is smart, and trust worthy. She dies of sadness (because Old Dan dies). Little Ann is patient, and a female. She also hunted raccoons, and found the "ghost coon's" trick.

Mountain Lion

The main antagonist of the book. He is first seen the night when Billy is taking the dogs home. He does not appear again until the climax, in which he attacks Billy and the dogs. Although Billy kills him with his ax, the mountain lion still ends up dealing mortal blows to Old Dan.