Up a Road Slowly projects a tone of warmth and innocence as it depicts a world where the positive aspects of life are emphasized and the ugly side of reality is usually suppressed. When Carlotta Berry leaves town to live with a relative, her pregnancy is a hushed event, and although it is understood, it is not discussed. No characters are portrayed as being truly evil, not even Brett Kingman; at worst, they are misguided. Even Aggie Kilpin, a victim of poverty, is beautiful in death, as Julie comments, because her body has been washed and the surface dirt cleansed away. Julie learns this symbolic wisdom from Aunt Cordelia; the teacher's mature outlook enables her to see through to Aggie's soul and disregard the dirt.

Uncle Haskell, a lying alcoholic and the pariah of the Bishop family because of his bad habits, is nonetheless described in...