Billy’s Grandfather / Grandpa Character Analysis in Where the Red Fern Grows

Billy’s paternal grandfather is a kind and scrappy old man who runs a small general store serving a remote Ozark mountain town. A spitfire of a man who loves his family and community, Grandpa was a skilled and seasoned raccoon hunter in his day. When Billy becomes obsessed with obtaining a pair of hounds of his own and using them to hunt raccoons, Grandpa sees an opportunity to relive his glory days and commits wholeheartedly to helping Billy realize his dreams. Grandpa is supportive of Billy through and through, helping him to order the hounds from a kennel in Kentucky, trap a raccoon whose hide can be used to train them, and even keeping track of the skins Billy brings to the general store to sell. Grandpa is so supportive of Billy’s hunting, in fact, that he sometimes even gets Billy into troublesome or tricky situations, such as when he encourages Billy to accept Rubin and Rainie Pritchard’s challenge to hunt the fabled “ghost coon” native to their part of the mountains, or when Grandpa enrolls Billy in a hunting competition which tests Little Ann and Old Dan as they’ve never been tested before. In spite of his occasional overenthusiasm, Grandpa’s heart is always in the right place—and his love for Billy, Ann, and Dan never wavers. From his grandfather, Billy learns important lessons about nature, masculinity, and perseverance.

Billy’s Grandfather / Grandpa Quotes in Where the Red Fern Grows

The Where the Red Fern Grows quotes below are all either spoken by Billy’s Grandfather / Grandpa or refer to Billy’s Grandfather / Grandpa. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

It was too much for my grandfather. He turned and walked away. I saw the glasses come off, and the old red handkerchief come out. I heard the good excuse of blowing his nose. He stood for several seconds with his back toward me. When he turned around, I noticed his eyes were moist.

In a quavering voice, he said, "Well, Son, it's your money. You worked for it, and you worked hard. You got it honestly, and you want some dogs. We're going to get those dogs. Be damned! Be damned!"

Related Characters: Billy Colman (speaker), Billy’s Grandfather / Grandpa (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 26

Explanation and Analysis:

Papa whacked him again and it was all over. […]

After the coon was killed, I walked over. Papa was trying to get the coon's paw from the trap. […] A sorrowful look came over Papa's face… […] "Billy," he said, "l want you to take a hammer and pull the nails from every one of those traps. […] I don't think this is very sportsmanlike.”

Related Characters: Billy Colman (speaker), Billy’s Father / Papa (speaker), Billy’s Grandfather / Grandpa

Page Number and Citation: 74

Explanation and Analysis:

Both of them started eating at the same time.

With an astonished look on his face, Grandpa exclaimed, “Well, I'll be darned. I never saw anything like that. Why, I never saw a hound that wouldn't eat. Did you train them to do that?"

"No, Grandpa,” I said. "They've always been that way. They won't take anything away from each other, and everything they do, they do it as one."

Related Characters: Billy Colman (speaker), Billy’s Grandfather / Grandpa (speaker), Old Dan, Little Ann

Page Number and Citation: 194

Explanation and Analysis:

“Please go just a little further," I begged. "I just know we'll hear them."

Still no one spoke or made a move to go on.

Stepping over to my father, I buried my face in his old mackinaw coat. Sobbing, I pleaded with him not to turn back. He patted my head. “Billy," he said, “a man could freeze to death in this storm, and besides, your dogs will give up and come in."

"That's what has me worried," I cried. 'They won't come in. They won't, Papa. Little Ann might, but not Old Dan. He'd die before he'd leave a coon in a tree."

Related Characters: Billy Colman (speaker), Billy’s Father / Papa (speaker), Billy’s Grandfather / Grandpa, Old Dan, Little Ann, The Judge

Page Number and Citation: 226

Explanation and Analysis:

Billy’s Grandfather / Grandpa Quotes in Where the Red Fern Grows

In a quavering voice, he said, "Well, Son, it's your money. You worked for it, and you worked hard. You got it honestly, and you want some dogs. We're going to get those dogs. Be damned! Be damned!"

Related Characters: Billy Colman (speaker), Billy’s Grandfather / Grandpa (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 26

Explanation and Analysis:

Papa whacked him again and it was all over. […]

Related Characters: Billy Colman (speaker), Billy’s Father / Papa (speaker), Billy’s Grandfather / Grandpa

Page Number and Citation: 74

Explanation and Analysis:

Both of them started eating at the same time.

With an astonished look on his face, Grandpa exclaimed, “Well, I'll be darned. I never saw anything like that. Why, I never saw a hound that wouldn't eat. Did you train them to do that?"

"No, Grandpa,” I said. "They've always been that way. They won't take anything away from each other, and everything they do, they do it as one."

Related Characters: Billy Colman (speaker), Billy’s Grandfather / Grandpa (speaker), Old Dan, Little Ann

Page Number and Citation: 194

Explanation and Analysis:

“Please go just a little further," I begged. "I just know we'll hear them."

Still no one spoke or made a move to go on.

"That's what has me worried," I cried. 'They won't come in. They won't, Papa. Little Ann might, but not Old Dan. He'd die before he'd leave a coon in a tree."

Related Characters: Billy Colman (speaker), Billy’s Father / Papa (speaker), Billy’s Grandfather / Grandpa, Old Dan, Little Ann, The Judge

Page Number and Citation: 226

Explanation and Analysis: