summary/ thoughts

[Eric]

Where the Red Fern Grows
At the very beginning of the story Billy (Wilson Rawls author) is walking down a path sometime in the 1960’s, where he finds a dog fight occurring including a hound and other breeds. Seeing this hound Wilson can’t help but recollect on a past time involving hounds of his own. The author sets up a scene that occurred back in the early 1900’s when he was around 12 years old. Living out in the country Billy couldn’t help but feel obligated to get a set of purebred coonhounds to call his own. Although he didn’t want anything else in the world the dogs unfortunately weren’t a realistic option for him, being that he comes from a hard working family with very little income.
Not willing to give up Billy did everything possible to save up for his hounds, and took any job offered in order to get some money. Finally after 2 long endless years he had saved up just enough for a pair of hound pups. After purchasing the pups he made his journey to go pick them up from the store. Almost instantaneously he falls in love with the pair of brother and sister hounds he worked so hard for. Billy makes his journey home with the pups and picks up a few souvenirs for his parents and sisters.
Once Billy got home no time was wasted while he quickly headed out to train the new hunting dogs. He names the boy pup Old Dan and the beautiful girl pup Little Ann. As they mature their personalities soon begin to show with Old Dan being very independent and confident, while Little Ann on the other hand is caring and smart. Not long after training the hounds Billy becomes known as one of the best coon hunters around bringing in the best furs out of anyone else.
Confident, Billy’s grandfather enters him into a coon hunting contest against the top hunters around. Determined to win the trophy Billy ends up coming out victorious along with Little Ann winning another award for the most attractive dog. With more experience than most adults they head out to go on another hunt, which he soon found would be their last. While camping the group is attacked by a mountain lion, with nothing to defend themselves Old Dan and Little Ann move in to protect Billy. After a long battle they come out victorious but Old Dan has been seriously injured far from home. Devastated by the loss of Old Dan, Little Ann becomes severely depressed and refuses to eat anything. Not long after Little Ann finally walks over to Old Dan’s grave and passes away right next to him and is buried there.
Heartbroken by the loss of his most prized possessions Billy can’t stand it and sees no hope in life. His parents inform him that all of the prize money and skins brought in by the dogs had brought in enough money to buy a house in town. This was something they’d always wanted in order to get a proper education and other benefits. Billy could care less about the good news and becomes really depressed. His parents end up moving anyways so he goes to stop by his hounds grave one last time, only this time it’s different. Right in between the 2 graves grew a little red fern that has been said that only an angel can plant one on a sacred place.
That’s the end of the story and where the books title comes from. This book really hits you in the feels, especially if you own a dog. It makes you feel more gratitude toward your pet as if they’re only here to give you happiness, and will make you recollect on all the fun activities and relationship you had. Until the pass away and then you can easily relate to Billy’s emotions and feel a connection towards each other. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone especially animal lovers because it’s filled with the relatable happy times and the sad times that occur in our lives.