Genre
Short story; literary fiction.
Setting and Context
The story is set in Kentucky, New York, Boston and Canada in the 1850s, at a time when slavery had yet to be abolished.
Narrator and Point of View
The story is narrated by an unnamed third-person narrator; the point of view shifts among characters but stays largely with Dick Owens.
Tone and Mood
The tone is satirical and comic; the mood is anxious.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Dick Owens is the protagonist; antagonists include Charity, Colonel Owens and Grandison.
Major Conflict
The major conflict in the story is that Dick Owens must release Grandison to a life of freedom despite the slave's seeming reluctance to abandon his masters.
Climax
The story reaches its climax when Grandison returns to Kentucky only to escape back to Canada with his family.
