The Ransom of Red Chief Questions

Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.

  1. Why do Sam and Bill decide to perpetrate this crime? What makes the town of Summit a good target in their minds, and why Ebenezer specifically?
  2. Are the circumstances that Sam and Bill find themselves in something that Johnny is aware of? Does it ever occur to Johnny that he has been kidnapped, and is he behaving normally, or is he acting out for Bill and Sam?
  3. What roles does Johnny assume in his "role-play" and why?
  4. Why does Sam get to avoid the brunt of Johnny's imagination?
  5. Why does Bill recollect this misadventure as a "moment of temporary mental apparition"?