Buloni and Winn

Dixie, her newly rescued dog. The setting is a grocery store.

help others in need and might be persuaded to offer Winn

-Dixie a home. Opal 

describes her father, the first of several times, as a turtle hiding inside its shell.

Dixie about family, her mother, and the Preacher. She compares Winn-Dixie to herself, both having lost family. Opal

asks the Preacher to tell her 

ten things about her mother, because she is now ten 

years old,

also describe Opal.

Open Arms Baptist Church, a very unusual church. Opal begins to think about

makes another unlikely friend, Gloria Dump. Gloria has poor vision and needs Opal to tell her everything about herself so she can “see” with her heart.

they planted) and that she will not be going anywhere.

thunderstorms, an important fact that will re-appear later in the story.

learning from your mistakes and not judging from the past. A “bottle” tree

in Gloria’s backyard symbolizes her mistakes and a way to keep the ghosts away.

and his experiences in the Civil War.

sweet tasting, also had a secret ingredient, sorrow. Those that had experienced sorrow could especially taste it in the lozenge. Amanda Wilkinson had a 

secret sorrow that Opal wonders about. Opal knows she has experienced sorrow. 

Amanda now that she knows her sorrow

to fall.

thinking of Otis’ sadness, Opal comes up with the idea of a party. 

-Dixie is missing. Opal is upset that she did not 

protect him from his fear and leaves the party with the Preacher to look for him.

that Winn-Dixie has left too. He tells Opal how much he loved her mother. The 

author reveals how much the Preacher truly cherishes Opal. The two decide to 

keep searching for Winn Dixie.

-Dixie hidden under the bed and never left the house at all. The party continues. Opal feels

great happiness.

“full all the way up”. A friendship begins with Dunlap Dewberry. The party continues as the guests sing together.