In Cold Sassy Tree, the citizens of Cold Sassy typically characterize Grandpa Blakeslee as rude and gruff. The town likes to gossip about little things and big things alike, and Grandpa Blakeslee gives the town plenty of big things to gossip about. For example, someone at Will’s “survival party” said, “You want my opinion, Rucker’s been hoping to get shet a-Mattie Lou [his wife] ever since he laid eyes on the milliner.” Because Grandpa disobeyed the established societal norm, people think that he wanted to get rid of his wife because he was lusting after another woman. Smiley Snodgrass’ grandmother even goes as far as to say that she thinks that the only reason Grandpa Blakeslee married Miss Mattie Lou was to get all of the land that her