Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Because of Winn-Dixie, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Storytelling and Listening
Sadness, Happiness, and Growing Up
Family and Loss
Openness, Friendship, and Community
Summary
Analysis
Opal tells Gloria about how Otis got arrested, which makes Gloria laugh so hard she almost loses her false teeth. She says that sometimes things are so sad that they become funny, but she agrees with Opal that Otis is just lonely. Opal then shares that Amanda’s brother Carson drowned last year at five years old. Gloria remembers hearing about that and agrees that this is probably why Amanda is so “pinch-faced.” Opal asks if everyone misses someone, like she misses Mama. Gloria agrees and suggests that the world has an aching heart. Tired of thinking about sad things, Opal reads the next chapter of Gone with the Wind. As she reads about Scarlett going to a barbecue, she thinks about Otis wanting to play music.
Gloria’s reaction to hearing about Otis’s arrest reinforces the novel’s assertion that one can’t have happiness without some sadness; laughter is necessary when things are too sad. As Opal’s primary mentor at this point, it also falls to Gloria to confirm for Opal that everyone in the world is sad about something, even if it’s just something trivial. But despite this sadness, even Opal and Gloria have happiness in their lives in the form of reading Gone with the Wind out loud.
Themes
Opal slams the book shut and says that’s what they need to do: throw a party and invite Otis, Miss Franny, the preacher, and Sweetie Pie. She suggests they have the party in Gloria’s garden and serve peanut butter sandwiches, but Gloria insists that most people don’t like peanut butter that much. Opal says they could make egg salad sandwiches instead. She admits that she doesn’t know how to make egg salad since she doesn’t have a mama to teach her, but she wonders if Gloria could teach her. Gloria says maybe, but Opal knows she’s saying yes. Opal thanks Gloria and hugs her hard. Surprisingly, Gloria says that there’s one condition: Opal has to invite Stevie and Dunlap. Opal doesn’t like it, but she promises.
The party serves several purposes. First, it’s a way for Opal to inject sweetness into a summer that’s been sad for her in a variety of ways. It’s also a way for Opal to actively combine all her friendships and hopefully to create a community of people. In the best case scenario, some of the people at the party will become friends, thereby proving the novel’s point that making one friend opens a person up to making many more.
Themes
Opal starts inviting people immediately. The preacher agrees to come. Miss Franny is thrilled and suggests that Opal invite Amanda. Opal is surprised that Amanda nervously says yes. Later, Opal asks Stevie and Dunlap. Stevie says he’s not going to a party at a witch’s house, but Dunlap elbows his brother and tells Opal they’ll come. Opal insists that she doesn’t care if they come or not, but Dunlap smiles and says they’ll be there. Sweetie Pie is thrilled to get her invitation and asks what the theme is. She hugs Winn-Dixie and suggests they make it a dog theme. When Opal invites Otis, he says no—he doesn’t like parties. Opal promises to work for free for a week and assures Otis that he won’t have to talk to people. When Opal says that he can bring his guitar and play it at the party, Otis says that he might come after all. Opal thanks him.
Getting Otis to come to the party and have the experience of playing music for others—something Opal knows would help Otis to come out of his shell and feel more confident—is something worth fighting for, even if it means that Opal might have to wait longer for Winn-Dixie’s collar and leash by working for free. As she makes this choice, Opal starts to discover that sometimes, it’s more important to nurture one’s community than it is to try to hold onto an individual who seems to have no intention of going anywhere.
Themes
