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Chapter 4
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
Winn-Dixie hates being left alone. At first, Opal and the preacher leave him in the trailer when they go out, but Winn-Dixie destroys things while they’re gone. They try tying him up outside, but he just howls until Samuel starts howling too. Opal insists that Winn-Dixie is just lonely and feels empty when he’s alone. Finally, the preacher relents and allows Opal to bring Winn-Dixie along on their outings—the dog even goes to church with them. The Open Arms Baptist Church of Naomi isn’t a normal church; it’s in a building that used to be a Pick-It-Quick store, and the store’s motto is still visible on the floor tiles. There aren’t any pews either, so congregants bring their own foldup chairs. Since it’s so odd to begin with, Opal figures that Winn-Dixie will fit in.
Though bringing Winn-Dixie along certainly stops his bad behavior, Opal’s insistence that he feels empty when he’s alone is likely more a reflection of her than it is an accurate assessment of the dog’s emotional state. This suggests that describing Winn-Dixie is a way for Opal to begin processing her own emotions and feelings by projecting them onto him. Though it may feel scary or impossible to voice how alone she feels, it is possible to say that Winn-Dixie is lonely—and this practice may help Opal express her own emotions in the future.
Themes
The first time that Winn-Dixie comes to church, the preacher ties him up outside in the shade because the preacher informs Opal that dogs don’t belong in church. After some singing and praying, the preacher begins his sermon. However, before he can get a word in, Winn-Dixie starts howling. Everyone looks around, confused, until the preacher yells at Opal to fetch Winn-Dixie. She and Winn-Dixie settle in at the front, and Winn-Dixie smiles at the preacher. The preacher smiles back and resumes his sermon. Winn-Dixie listens attentively.
Allowing Winn-Dixie to sit in on the church service solidifies his place in the family. This helps Opal to feel less alone since now, there’s no place in Naomi where she has to go by herself—she has a friend everywhere she goes. The attention that Winn-Dixie pays the preacher also sets an example of how people should listen to others, per the novel. It’s important to listen attentively and quietly, as that helps the speaker feel validated and respected.
Themes
Disaster strikes when a mouse runs across the floor; the mice have been in the building since it was a Pick-It-Quick. Though the preacher often says he needs to do something about the mice, he never does—Opal knows he just can’t stand the thought of hurting a mouse. Winn-Dixie sees the mouse and begins to chase it. He barks, and the congregation claps and points—they all cheer when Winn-Dixie catches the mouse. Winn-Dixie presents the mouse to the preacher. It’s still alive, so Winn-Dixie puts a paw on the mouse’s tail and smiles at the preacher. The preacher asks everyone to pray for the mouse and then tosses it out the door.
Even if Opal sees the preacher as someone she can’t really get to know, her comment about his unwillingness to hurt mice suggests that they’re closer than she might like to think. Clearly, he’s a kind and giving man, so it’s possible that Opal just doesn’t see much of that attention directed at her—he may shower most of his kindness and attention on others because Opal reminds him too much of Mama. This makes it clear that it’s absolutely necessary be attentive and supportive of one’s family members to avoid making them feel as alone as Opal does.
Themes
Opal prays for Mama. She knows that Mama would love to hear the story of Winn-Dixie catching the mouse in church. She wants to be the one to tell Mama that story someday. Opal also tells God that she’s lonely in Naomi. The only kids at church are two brothers, Dunlap and Stevie; Amanda, who always looks like she’s smelled something bad; and Sweetie Pie Thomas, who’s only five. None of them want to be Opal’s friend, presumably because they believe that Opal is going to tell on them to the preacher whenever they do something wrong. Finally, Opal prays that the mouse landed on soft grass and didn’t get hurt.
Opal positions storytelling as a way for Mama to get to know her in the future. Though this is indeed an important thing that storytelling can do, it’s worth noting how much time and energy Opal regularly puts into collecting stories for Mama. Much of the time, it takes away from her enjoyment of what happened. On another note, Opal’s prayer about loneliness suggests that she may be more judgmental than she’d like to think. There’s no indication she’s really spoken to any of these other kids; these are just her first impressions—and she’s unwilling to look past them to make friends. However, her sentiments about the mouse suggest that she is, in fact, an empathetic person—she may just be afraid of others rejecting her.
Themes
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