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Copywork
About This Passage
This is the preacher's first really gentle speech in the whole book, and it is worth studying because it does not sound like a speech at all. Notice how he uses the same simple words over and over — 'we'll have to,' 'we have to,' 'make sure.' This is called repetition, and it makes the sentences sound like a quiet promise instead of a big announcement. Notice also that the preacher is not talking about how Winn-Dixie should change. He is talking about how THEY should change — they will keep an eye on him, they will make sure he stays safe. The preacher is taking responsibility for the dog instead of asking the dog to be different. Copying this passage teaches a writer how love sometimes sounds like a list of small practical promises rather than a big emotional declaration.
We'll have to keep an eye on him. We'll have to make sure he doesn't get out during the storm. He might run away. We have to make sure we keep him safe.
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
Retell the chapter. The preacher does something he has not done before in the book — he puts his arm around Winn-Dixie. Why is this such an important moment, even though it is so small?
Discussion Questions
- Winn-Dixie's fear of thunderstorms is called 'pathological' — meaning a fear so deep he cannot control it. Why does DiCamillo use such a serious word for a dog's behavior? What does the word teach Opal AND the reader?
- The preacher says they cannot punish Winn-Dixie for being afraid. He has to be protected, not corrected. What is this saying about the difference between a problem you can fix and a problem you have to live with?
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Vocabulary Builder
Item 1
describing a fear, behavior, or condition so extreme that it cannot be controlled by reason or willpower
Item 2
moving forward at high speed without stopping, like a heavy object that has gained momentum
Item 3
a heavy round ball used to knock down pins; here used to describe how Winn-Dixie crashes into the preacher
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Critical Thinking
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