70 pages • 2 hours read
Kate DiCamilloBecause of Winn-Dixie
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2000A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Essay Topics
How is the setting of Naomi, Florida, portrayed in the book? What does the setting tell us about the socio-economic background of Opal and her family?
How is loss portrayed in this book? How do grieving characters express and overcome their losses?
What does Winn-Dixie’s smile symbolize in the story? How does it change the circumstances of Opal’s life?
How does Opal view mothers? What does this say about her struggles, and her view of herself?
Animals play a prominent role in the text. What does a character’s relationship to animals say about their value, according to Opal?
Many characters have dueling reputations in this book—Otis is a music man and a criminal; Gloria is a witch and a kind gardener. How does Opal understand these dualities, and what is their impact on her view of the world?
How is alcohol addiction portrayed in the book? In what way does Gloria Dump offer an alternative perspective on how Opal should view the disease?
What does Opal learn about sorrow? How does it connect her to the other children in Naomi?
How is the Littmus Lozenge symbolic of the world, as Opal understands it?
What does Opal ultimately discover about loss, and grief? How does she come to terms with her mother’s disappearance?
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By Kate DiCamillo
