Content Warning: This section of the guide contains references to anti-Black violence.

The land around the town of Jefferson, Mississippi, was once largely owned by a man known as the Frenchman. Now that he and all his family are gone, the Varner family, headed by the aging patriarch Will Varner, own most of the old Frenchman’s land and are the premier family in Jefferson society. Will Varner has held and holds many jobs in Jefferson, including landlord, veterinarian, and Justice of the Peace, but now he leaves the running of the family business to his son Jody. One afternoon, a stranger walks into the general store, introduces himself as Ab Snopes, and convinces Jody to rent him a farm that has recently been vacated. After Ab leaves the store, another man, Tull, tells Jody about rumors that Ab may have deliberately burned down the barn of the last place he rented, though it couldn’t be proved.

That night at dinner, Jody tells his father Will about his interaction with Ab Snopes. He describes his plan to rent the farm to the Snopes family and then force them out before the money from the harvest comes in by threatening to expose Ab for the barn burning.