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Copywork
About This Passage
These two short sentences contain one of the most quietly devastating moments in the book. Notice the small word 'too' in the first sentence. It tells us that Opal had ONE reason for holding Winn-Dixie tight (to comfort him during the thunderstorm) and now she is admitting there is a SECOND reason. The second reason is the one she does not say out loud — she does not want anyone she loves to run away again. The phrase 'run away' is doing big work here. It is the phrase that connects Winn-Dixie's fear to Opal's mother's leaving. By using the same words for both, DiCamillo lets the reader feel the connection without having to spell it out. Copying this passage teaches a writer how a small repeated phrase can carry a hidden grief.
I held on to him for another reason too. I held on to him tight so he wouldn't run away.
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
Retell the chapter. Why does Opal decide to read Gone with the Wind to Gloria? What does she want the reading to do?
Discussion Questions
- Miss Franny has 'fits' — small moments where her body shakes and she forgets what she was saying. The chapter does not tell us what causes these fits. Why do you think DiCamillo leaves the cause unexplained? What does the silence about it accomplish?
- Winn-Dixie sits up like a soldier when Miss Franny has a fit. Then he licks her hands when she comes back to herself. Where does Winn-Dixie's gentleness come from — instinct, training, or something else?
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Vocabulary Builder
Item 1
a sudden, brief loss of physical or mental control, often a medical condition that comes and goes
Item 2
to shake slightly, often from cold, fear, weakness, or strong emotion
Item 3
the inner sense of right and wrong that guides what you do
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Critical Thinking
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