Because of Winn-Dixie

Genre: Fiction
Publication Date: 2000

About the Author

Overview

Setting

Themes and Characters

Literary Qualities

Social Sensitivity

Topics and Discussions

Ideas for Reports and Papers

Related Titles/Adaptations

For Further Reference

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kate DiCamillo was born March 25, 1964, in Merion, Pennsylvania. At the age of five, her family moved to Florida because her doctors felt the warm climate might cure her chronic pneumonia. There, DiCamillo read such books as A Cricket in Times Square, The Twenty-One Balloons, The Secret Garden, The Yearling, Ribsy, Somebody Else's Shoes, and all the Louisa May Alcott books. She also lists authors Carson McCullers and Harper Lee as her heroes.

DiCamillo earned a bachelor of arts degree in English from the University of Florida, and after returning to the North to live in Minneapolis, Minnesota, she began working full time in a used bookstore. She received a McKnight Artist Fellowship for Writers in 1998, and during a very cold winter in Minnesota, DiCamillo says she began to get terribly homesick for Florida. In addition, the apartment building where she lived did not allow dogs and, for the first time in her life, DiCamillo was without a pet. In information posted on the Candlewick Press web site, she explains how her main character, India Opal Buloni, began to tell the story of Because of Winn-Dixie:

I was suffering from a serious case of 'dog withdrawal.'

One night, before I went to sleep, I heard this little girl's voice (with a Southern accent) say, "I have a dog named WinnDixie." When I woke up the next morning, the voice was still talking, and I started writing down what India Opal Buloni was telling me.

The author drew from her own life as she recorded what Opal whispered to her. DiCamillo's father left her family when she was very young, so she related well to Opal's grief over losing her mother. DiCamillo also drew on her love for the lifestyle she had experienced while living in a small town in Florida. She set Opal and WinnDixie right in the middle of a town where everyone knows everyone else.

Following a strict schedule, DiCamillo rose at four o'clock every morning to go to the computer to write before going off to work. As tough as it was, this dedication was rewarded when Candlewick Press purchased Because of Winn-Dixie and sent it out into the world where it garnered high reviews and was soon listed on the New York Times bestseller list. In addition, this "hymn of praise to dogs, friendship, and the South"—as DiCamillo describes her novel—captured a Parent's Choice Gold Award and "Best Book" designations by Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, and Offspring Magazine. Finally, Because of Winn-Dixie received the distinction of being named an honor book for the Newbery Award in 2001.

Candlewick Press released DiCamillo's The Tiger Rising in March 2001. While DiCamillo is no longer working full time at the used bookstore, she still maintains a strict writing schedule, adhering to a goal of two pages a day, five days a week. When asked in an interview on Kidsreads.com about the recent success of Because of Winn-Dixie, DiCamillo said:

I am busier now than I ever imagined I would be; but I feel blessed in that I have found what I am supposed to be doing with my life. It's wonderful to tell stories and have people listen to them. Hands down, the biggest thrill is to get a letter from a kid saying, "I loved your book. Will you write me another one?"

OVERVIEW

Because of Winn-Dixie is a story about a girl and her dog and about the search for what really matters in life. It is also a story about stories—stories of loss, love, and humor; stories about holding on and letting go. In the steamy humidity of small-town Florida, India Opal Buloni pursues her journey toward friendship, love, understanding, and acceptance.

New in town, Opal finds herself dwelling on her struggle to understand and accept why her mother left her, questioning why her father will not talk about her mother, and needing desperately to find a friend. She first finds this friendship in a dog she deems a "less fortunate" and names him after the place where they meet—Winn-Dixie. Because of this loveable canine's charm and devotion, Opal soon meets a series of other lonely town characters, each on his or her own journey to learn what the loner Gloria Dump names "the most important thing."

Winn-Dixie wraps his love around each character, brings Opal to them, and, with Opal's help, brings them all together. As a result, Opal learns valuable lessons about life and love, but it takes both heartbreak and painful confrontation to open the pathway toward healing before Opal discovers that letting go does not mean losing.

SETTING

The time setting of the novel is unclear, but these events could not have happened before Winn-Dixie grocery stores opened in the 1940s and probably did not occur until after the late 1960s when divorce was more commonly accepted in the South. For the physical locale, DiCamillo sets this charming story in Naomi, Florida, where everyone knows everyone—or at least, people think they know each other. The various settings in the novel emphasize this contrast between what appears to be real and what is real.

The town is populated with seemingly stereotypical characters: a lonely little girl; a preoccupied father; an aging southern belle; a witch in a haunted house; and a criminalized, simple-minded man, among others. DiCamillo plunks them all on the fringes of this small, Southern town and turns a loveable mongrel loose among them, using the "expected" friendliness to assist her characters and emphasize their problems. She focuses on those people who live on the edge of this friendliness, those who are outcast or alone for various reasons, and she uses her settings to emphasize the hurt and need caused by isolation, gossip, and snobbery. In so doing, she creates memorable, rather than stereotypical characters.

The settings within the town also require the reader to look more closely at the characters and their environs. Opal's father is the new preacher at the Open Arms Baptist Church in Naomi. But the church is not actually a church; it is a former Pick-It-Quick store where the congregation sits on lawn chairs. However, it is a friendly place. The members even welcome Winn-Dixie when he succeeds in catching one of the mice that populate the building.

Opal and the preacher move into the Friendly Corners Trailer Park, which is an all-adult residency. Opal, age ten, explains why she was allowed to live there, "because the preacher was a preacher and I was a good, quiet kid … 'an exception.'" The all-adult setting only intensifies Opal's feelings of being "an exception" and feeds her sense of loneliness.

As the story opens, DiCamillo immediately captures the reader's attention by creating an unusual meeting in a very common setting, a grocery store. Opal explains, "my daddy, the preacher, sent me to the store for a box of macaroni-and-cheese, some white rice, and two tomatoes and I came back with a dog." The setting for this meeting reinforces the theme of the odd and unusual which is prevalent in the text. Shoppers do not expect to meet dogs in grocery stores. This particular use of setting prepares the reader for the unusual characters that follow and sets the tone for the rest of the story. From start to finish, the contrasts between the expected and the unexpected keep the story moving.

Other venues in the story such as the library, the pet store, and Gloria Dump's backyard, offer more atypical settings for the discovery of answers to Opal's questions. Miss Franny, the librarian, turns out to be far more than the "sad and old and wrinkled" woman she appears to be. She has wonderful stories and magical candy to share. At the pet store, Opal discovers Otis's ability to mesmerize the animals with his music, which he never plays for people, and she also learns he is an ex-prisoner. Gloria Dump's backyard shelters ghosts under trees covered in bottles. These settings symbolize exactly what Opal is searching for: a library is a place where people go to find information and knowledge; the pet store is a place where love can be found; and Gloria Dump and her backyard offer the companionship and comfort that Opal seeks. The settings also enhance the intimate mood of the novel. The library is located in the personal setting of a house, the pet store is filled with soothing music, and Gloria Dump's secluded backyard shuts out the rest of the world. In each of these locations, DiCamillo creates a quiet place conducive to sharing and listening.

In addition, the hot, humid weather in Florida also aids the plot. The sudden thunderstorms expose Winn-Dixie's terrible fear and sets up the climactic scene between Opal and her father.

THEMES AND CHARACTERS

Through her characters and their relationships, DiCamillo poses several themes. Opal, as well as each of the other characters, is confronted with issues such as love, loss, and friendship. Brought together, the characters gain wisdom and valuable lessons about what it means to hold on, to let go, to listen, and to share. Ultimately, Opal discovers what is really important.

Opal is a frank, funny, lonely little girl who fears upsetting her father. But with Winn-Dixie at her side, she decides to ask him about her mother who left them. She then memorizes what her father tells her because, as she says, "I wanted to know those ten things inside and out. That way, if my mama ever came back, I could recognize her, and I would be able to grab her and hold on to her tight and not let her get away from me again."

Opal's need is not just to hold on to the memory of her mother, but to have her own fears calmed, to know that she is safe and loved. Because her father is so preoccupied with his work and his own hurt, he does not recognize the kind of reassurance his daughter desperately needs. As she watches him with Winn-Dixie during one of the dog's fits, Opal tells the reader, "I loved the preacher so much…. I loved him because he was going to forgive Winn-Dixie for being afraid. But most of all, I loved him for putting his arm around Winn-Dixie like that, like he was already trying to keep him safe."

Throughout the story, Opal expresses her loneliness and her need to have someone to hold on to. She talks to God about being lonely; she adopts Winn-Dixie because he does not "belong to anybody;" and she takes him everywhere because being "left behind probably made his heart feel empty." Opal relates to this because she feels the same way. Her need to hold on to her mother's memory is strong, and she searches for ways to do it: memorizing things about her, collecting stories she hopes one day to tell her, and trying to be good so that no one else will leave her.

Opal's new friends hold on to things, as well. Miss Franny holds on to her library and the Littmus Lozenge candy to remind her of the past because all her friends and family are dead. Otis keeps his music to himself for fear of being returned to jail. Gloria Dump hangs her empty whiskey bottles on a tree so she does not forget past mistakes. Amanda, holding on to the pain of losing her little brother, shuts herself off from other people. And, finally, the preacher holds in his emotions, fearful, too, of losing again if he loves too much.

But Winn-Dixie shows them the way to let go of their pain. DiCamillo uses the dog to teach the other characters what they must hold close. But, like the Littmus Lozenge with its blend of sweetness and sorrow, these people must first learn to accept that life holds both joy and pain and consists of both holding on and letting go. Miss Franny learns that she does not have to be lonely in her library full of books. She learns that sharing her stories can bring companionship. Otis, by sharing his music with others, gains self-confidence and friends. Amanda eases her sorrow over her brother's death by allowing other people to be her friends. Gloria, by sharing the wisdom she has gained, also gains friends and helps others discover what is really important. Opal learns about letting go when she loses Winn-Dixie. "I was supposed to hold on to him," she says. But Gloria Dump replies, "There ain't no way you can hold on to something that wants to go, you understand?"

Searching frantically for Winn-Dixie, Opal and her father come face to face with reality when the preacher says, "it's time to give up." In her desperation, Opal blames him for giving up on her mother, for letting her mother leave. Fortunately, Opal recognizes her father's hurt and fear in his response, and she also recognizes his very deep love for her, which was all she really needed to know. Despite his role as a catalyst, Winn-Dixie also discovers a new way to react to his own fears and, in the process, teaches Opal one more important lesson: letting go does not mean losing.

LITERARY QUALITIES

Because of Winn-Dixie is a quest story in which the structural and literary elements combine to create a sense of intimacy. Each character has an individual journey to make, but when they are brought together by Opal and Winn-Dixie, they are bound together by the answer to one central question: What is the most important thing?

DiCamillo uses the first-person point of view to allow Opal to speak directly to the reader. Opal carries the reader breathlessly through the first chapter with nonstop sentences made up of long phrases often joined by "and" and lacking punctuation. This breathless, confiding voice immediately involves the reader in the excitement of Opal's quest.

The intimate, conversational approach to narrative also allows DiCamillo to establish divisions between the beginning, the middle, and the end of the story. Opal interrupts her narrative in chapter 1 with "This is what happened." The chapters that follow introduce the reader to the three main characters (Opal, Winn-Dixie, and the preacher), set up their individual problems, and establish the central conflict of the story. Again, in chapter 6, Opal stops her tale and addresses the reader with "What happened was this." In these chapters, the reader meets and learns about the other characters who will have significant influences on Opal's quest. Finally, in the last chapter, DiCamillo allows Sweetie-Pie's dialogue to bridge the climax and the final scene, "Tell what happened," Sweetie-Pie said. "Tell about that dog." What follows spotlights the last and final lesson Opal will learn about holding on and letting go.

DiCamillo's technique of telling stories within the main story also calls attention to the individual characters and themes and furthers the intimacy between the reader and all the other characters. As each character is introduced into Opal's life, a new story is told, and in each, the author emphasizes the importance of sharing oneself and of listening to others. First, there is Winn-Dixie, who listens patiently while Opal tells him everything about her life. Miss Franny's story is given the same attention as Winn-Dixie and Opal sit patiently listening. Otis plays his music for the pet shop animals that stand still and listen as if mesmerized. Gloria Dump invites Opal to "tell me everything about yourself" and to emphasize the importance of this invitation, Opal says, "I had been waiting for a long time to tell some person everything about me…. I could feel her listening with all her heart, and it felt good."

The commonalities DiCamillo's characters share despite outward differences also draws the characters together. Each has lost something or someone they loved, and yet each has survived. That each survives after suffering such losses is important to Opal for three reasons: first, it reassures her that she is not alone in her pain; second, it teaches her that she will survive the loss; and, finally, it allows her to eventually recognize what is most important.

Through all the stories, DiCamillo emphasizes the truth that life, like the Littmus Lozenge candy, holds both the sweet and the sad. Each character struggles to accept this; each finds strength to do so in part through the friendships established. "Do you think everybody misses somebody?" Opal asks, and Gloria replies, "I believe, sometimes, that the whole world has an aching heart."

Biblical undertones in the text also relate to intimacy. Ruth, of the Old Testament, loved her mother-in-law Naomi and vowed to make her people, "my people," just as Opal makes the outcasts of Naomi her people. Like the Ten Commandments, Opal needs to know ten things about her mother and ten things about Winn-Dixie. Further suggestions of the Bible are found in Gloria Dump's admonishments to Opal not to judge others and to forgive.

DiCamillo also employs a specific technique in developing the character of the preacher. To Opal, and to the reader as well, the preacher is "the preacher" throughout most of the text until the final confrontational scene between him and Opal. That his title and not his name is used for address or reference sets him apart from the others, allowing the reader to experience the emotional distance that Opal herself is experiencing. But after the climactic scene where the issue of his emotional isolation is confronted, Opal refers to the preacher as "daddy," and the reader is allowed to better understand his initial emotional distance and to clearly ascertain his growth and change by the end of the story.

These techniques and approaches work together to strengthen the sense that this story is a shared intimacy—one in which the reader invests a strong emotional interest with the characters and their plights.

SOCIAL SENSITIVITY

Because of Winn-Dixie not only tells a delightful story, but also it addresses several socially sensitive and pertinent issues that many young people encounter today. The story includes references to alcoholism, prejudice, the elderly, death, single-parent families, and the importance of community.

Opal's mother is an alcoholic, as is Gloria Dump. However, the contrast between how the two women deal with alcoholism is clearly evident and used to aid Opal in finding solutions to her own problems. Opal's mother abandons her family, leaving Opal to struggle with self-doubts and insecurities. She remembers very little about her mother and searches for anything that will keep her mother alive to her, similarities between them, stories, "Just ten things, that's all," she tells her father. She also does this when she loses Winn-Dixie: "I memorized it so if I didn't find him, I would have some part of him to hold on to." Not knowing who to blame for her mother's departure, she unconsciously blames her father, widening the emotional distance between them. In contrast to Opal's mother, Gloria Dump remains to combat her alcohol problem. The whiskey bottles on the tree serve to remind her of her past, and she is honest with others about her drinking problem. This honesty provides Opal with the assurance that each person makes his or her own choices about dealing with problems, thus relieving Opal's concern that perhaps she was the reason her mother left.

DiCamillo paints an all-too-common picture of how prejudice affects group and individual relationships. Her characters are mostly social outcasts: Miss Franny, the elderly woman shut away inside her library and her memories; Otis, ostracized because he was arrested once for a nonviolent, petty offense; Amanda, perceived as cold and distant; and Gloria, known as the witch in town because she lives alone and keeps to herself. Opal learns valuable lessons about prejudice and gains invaluable friendships when she heeds Gloria Dump's advice not to judge people.

The isolation of the elderly is also addressed in the novel. Miss Franny and Gloria are both older women, isolated by those around them because of their perceived peculiarities or physical ailments. It is not until Opal dares to take the time to really notice them that their gifts are recognized.

Another issue explored in the novel is the single-parent family. The preacher struggles with his own pain and sense of abandonment as he attempts to perform his job and to be a father to Opal. Unfortunately, he is not aware of how his preoccupations with these other things are perceived by Opal, and alternately, Opal is not aware of what her father is experiencing. Becoming aware of the needs of everyone involved in a familial crisis, then attempting to change what needs to be changed is a challenge many single-parent families must confront.

All these issues emphasize one possible solution to these problems—the importance of community. DiCamillo builds a family unit for Opal, providing mentorship, friendship, companionship, and self-esteem by bringing together the individual characters. The problems are not completely abolished, but what is accomplished is a strengthening of courage, a feeling of belonging, and most importantly, a sense of hope.

TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

1. Why does Opal decide to claim Winn-Dixie as her dog? What is it about Winn-Dixie that people like? How does this decision affect her life and the lives of the other characters?
2. Why is Winn-Dixie afraid of thunderstorms? How does he react to them? How does this relate to one of the themes of the story?
3. List the ten things Opal learns about her mother. Relate these to other events or characters in the story. For instance, does Opal look like her mother?
4. Recount the stories told by Miss Franny, Otis, and Gloria. How do these stories help Opal?
5. Describe why Opal does not like the Dewberry boys. What causes her to change her mind?
6. Why does Gloria ask Opal to plant a tree? How does the tree's name relate to Opal?
7. Gloria is important to Opal for several reasons. Identify and discuss some of these.
8. Explain how the Littmus Lozenge relates to the story. What does it represent to each character? Is it a sad thing, a good thing? Explain.
9. What do you think would happen if DiCamillo wrote a sequel to this story?

IDEAS FOR REPORTS AND PAPERS

1. Identify family members or neighbors who seem isolated and lonely. Do an interview with that person, and write about what you learn. Then present your story as a gift to them.
2. Write a report on a community service that addresses the needs of the elderly, alcoholics, or single-parent families.
3. Write a paragraph based on a meeting in an unusual setting.
4. Research a "bottle-tree." Find out how many different cultural interpretations there may be.
5. Choose your favorite candy, and report the history and making of it.
6. The title of the novel suggests the theory of cause and effect. Study this theory, and write a report on one cause/effect that particularly interests you. This could relate to science, history, psychology, people, and/or relationships.
7. Miss Franny tells of the military service of her ancestor. Identify a veteran in your family. Interview that family member, then write a report on what you learn about veterans or the war in which that person fought.
8. Visit a local animal shelter or pet store. Report on what you find there.
9. Write ten things you remember about someone you miss.
10. Opal possesses good social skills. What are these skills? Research how children develop social skills and how the lack of these skills affects behavior.

RELATED TITLES/ADAPTATIONS

Because of Winn-Dixie is Kate DiCamillo's first book. Her second book, The Tiger Rising, also deals with relationships. Rob Horton, the main character, has recently lost his mother, moved to a new town, and discovers a caged tiger in the woods behind the motel where he lives. The story explores issues of death, grief, unexpressed emotions, and the importance of friendships. It is also available on cassette, published in 2001 and narrated by Dylan Baker for Bantam Books.

Readers interested in stories exploring the relationship between people and their dogs will find My Dog Skip, by Willie Mor ris, similar in tone to Because of Winn-Dixie. For those seeking stories about similar familial relationships, Joan Bauer's Hope Was Here and Rules of the Road both explore variations of this theme, one with a missing mother and the other with an absentee father. Toby, in Kimberly Willis Holt's book, When Zachary Beaver Came to Town, also seeks understanding after his mother leaves the family: like Opal Buloni, Toby is faced with finding a new definition of family and security within nontraditional structures.

More Books by This Author:
Because of Winn-Dixie, (novel) 2000
The Tiger Rising, (novel) 2001