Dandelion Wine Study Guide

Structure of the novel

Dandelion Wine has been described as the first of Bradbury's nostalgic "autobiographical fantasies," in which he recreates the childhood memories of his hometown, Waukegan, in the form of a lyrical work, with realistic plots and settings touched with fantasy to represent the magic and wonders of childhood. Even with the focus on the bright days of summer, Bradbury, in his typical style, briefly explores the horrific side of these events. The primary example is when Douglas' initial joy at realizing he's alive is dampened by the counter-revelation that he will die someday, which parallels his similar gains of knowledge and losses of companions during his summer.

Fear and acceptance

For many of the characters in Dandelion Wine , their contentment depends on the level of acceptance of imperfect aspects of their lives that they cannot change. Douglas, for example, realizes that with the knowledge that he is alive also comes the gloomy fact that he also must die. This depresses him to the point of investing his emotions in a carnival machine (the Tarot Witch) when similar investment in humans seems to bring only misery. Eventually, he decides to continue living after Mr. Jonas cures his fever with bottled fresh air. He sums up his experience with a jar labeled RELISH in his grandma's kitchen. The relish of life is the reason he chose to live; it symbolizes the ecstatic and unexpected pleasures that counterbalance the occasional bitterness of life.

Similarly, Mrs. Bentley must learn to give up her fear of old age by accepting that her younger days are permanently gone and that the only thing that matters is the present. Her relinquishment of her childhood relics signifies her liberation from the past and acceptance of her current self.

Technology

Machines, while not the main theme or motif, do convey a side theme on how technology, no matter how well-crafted or intentioned, is no replacement for human interactions with nature and community, a common theme in Bradbury's works.

The first example of this is when Grandpa tells Bill that a tidy lawn is no compensation for the loss of the simple pleasure of mowing the grass and also the elimination of dandelions, "weeds" valuable in their own way. While Bill initially sees the invention of grass that stays the same length as a time saver, Grandpa embraces the longer and old-fashioned methods because they let him work with his hands and with nature, something a physical invention cannot emulate.

Leo Auffmann's story expands this point. Leo believes that his Happiness Machine will cure all ills, but the Machine does the reverse because he forgot to factor in our intrinsic human needs. Ironically, Leo’s attempt to let people experience their deepest dreams creates a profound sadness for what they will never have while losing focus on the irreplaceable treasures of the heart. At the end of the story, Leo discovers the true Happiness Machine is his loving family — the ultimate symbol of humanintimacy existing in their everyday lives.

The story of the Happiness Machine can also be contrasted with the“Time Machine,” an old man who nonetheless captivates the boys with his memories of historical events in a way no machine (such as the television) ever could.

Dandelions

Dandelions are a potent symbol of summer in the novel. While dandelions are only common growths in backyards and viewed by some as weeds, the Spauldings treat them as valuable possessions, converting them from simple plants into a medicine for winter. The making of dandelion wine thus reflects the pattern of Douglas' summer; events and things that would be seen as mundane by grown-ups gain magic and appreciation through his unbound imagination and thirst for adventure.