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DISCUSSION GUIDE© TCFHE. All rights reserved.
Based on the best-selling book,Because of Winn Dixie is theheartwarming “tail” of a younggirl (Annasophia Robb) whoselife is changed by a scruffy, fun-loving pooch she names Winn-Dixie. The special bond betweenthem works magic on her reserveddad (Jeff Daniels) and theeccentric townspeople they meetduring one unforgettable summer.
This discussion guide touches ontopics that children often dealwith at a young age and how todeal with loneliness, judgment,and the importance of friendship.
Each topic is complete withthought-provoking questions,related scriptures, and helpfullessons. To supplement thelessons, clips from the moviehave been chosen and are offeredas a visual aid. These clips areavailable for download atwww.foxfaith.com or may beshown through a specially madeDVD that you can request at thesame website. These clips and theguide, used in Sunday schoolclasses, other small groups, or byparents, will provide you with theopportunity to discuss situationsthat a child may experience asthey journey towards adulthood.
For more information and additional Church resourcematerial, go to www.foxfaith.com.
T
A
IAs a pastor or Bible study leader,
you’re very careful about the media
you recommend to your congre-
gation or discussion groups.
Fortunately, Because of Winn Dixie
is a film you can discuss without
reservation. Uplifting, family-friendly,
and heartwarming, Because of Winn
Dixie is a film for the entire family.
About The Film
Based on the perennial best seller,
Because of Winn-Dixie tells the story
of a lonely young girl who adopts
an orphaned dog that she names
Winn-Dixie (for the supermarket
where she found him). The bond
between the girl and her special
companion brings together the
people in a small Florida town and
heals her own troubled relationship
with her father – the local preacher.
Because of Winn Dixie has also attracted
good reviews. Christianity Today
said, “This is a sweet film, laced with
magic realism – and it tackles some
rather dark themes in a way that is
perfectly appropriate for young
children.” Plugged In called it “the
enduring story of mankind’s need
for unconditional love.”
The Discussion Guide
Because of Winn Dixie is a great film
for all ages. It provides many
opportunities to discuss problems
and concerns a family or individual
might face in their lifetime. The
film touches on several different
topics, making it ideal not only
as entertainment, but also as a
conversation starter. Loneliness,
friendship, judgment, and love –
these and other topics are addressed
Introduction • Outside, Opal grieves alone about
the loss of Winn-Dixie. Then, the
Dewberry boys come to find her.
At one time, they were very mean to
her. Why do you think the boys have
changed their attitudes? Do you think
it was easy for Opal to invite them
to the party? What might have
happened if she had excluded them?
Read Matthew 5:44. If someone is mean
to us, how should we treat them?
• Read I John 4:9-10. Why does God
want to have a relationship with us?
Find the scripture Philippians 4:6-8 in
the Bible. How does having Jesus as
our friend help us with our problems?
What happens when we pray?
Lesson to Learn:
Friendship is valuable. Studies show
it helps to keep us healthy and
happy. When Opal didn’t have any
friends, she was lonesome and
depressed. But, when she prayed for
a friend, God heard her prayer.
Although, He didn’t answer in a
typical way, He sent Winn-Dixie
who led her to find other friends.
Then, when trouble came, these
friendships were a resource and
comfort. Opal discovered that
because God answered her prayer
for friends, the empty place in her
heart “was full all the way up.”
Deep down, we all want someone
to know us, to want to spend time
with us and appreciate us for who
we are. God desires this from you.
He wants your friendship. He wants
you to seek him, to love him, and
to appreciate him. But this is not a
condition of his love. He loved us
first. 1 John 9-10 “This is how God
showed his love among us: He sent
his one and only Son into the world
that we might live through him. This
is love: not that we loved God, but
that He loved us and sent his Son
as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
There is nobody else that would do
this for us. Our heavenly father offers
friendship to us because He loves
us. Truly, God is man’s best friend.
He can forever fill that empty place
in our hearts “full all the way up.”
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These clips were specifically selected
to help you set the tone and furnish
context for your discussions or Bible
study. There are also suggested
scriptures for your group to study
in-depth, plus we’ve offered several
conversation-provoking questions
based on the different scenes.
This guide is an easy-to-use way to
jump-start interesting discussions
within your small group, and it works
without any of your members having
seen the film. However, it is
recommended that you announce
your intentions of using the film
clips ahead of time. For example,
the week before you intend to have
a clip-oriented discussion, you might
show the film trailer (included
with the clips) to your group or
congregation and let them know
that you will incorporate it into your
discussion the following week (or
the next time you meet). This will
allow your members the opportunity
to view the film themselves (rent or
purchase) if they so desire.
Discussions:
In an effort to help you reinforce
the themes and messages of Because
of Winn Dixie, we have chosen
in the movie, which is why we’ve
created this Leader’s Guide. With
this booklet, you or any other leader
can utilize the messages in Because
of Winn Dixie as a group discussion
tool. Grade school to high school,
singles’ groups, and other small
groups; there are a variety of people
in the church congregation that can
benefit from the lessons in Because
of Winn Dixie.
The lessons are supplemented by
clips from the movie you’ve either
received or downloaded online.
BBecause of . . . Friendship
PrayerOpal has just moved to a very small
town where her father, a single
parent and full-time preacher, is
trying to start a new church. Even
though Opal’s dad loves her, he is
too busy with his work to spend
much time with her. On this Sunday
morning as she sits alone in the new
church, she feels terribly sad because
she wants a friend. Opal’s grief
brings her to say a prayer where she
asks for friendship, even if it has to
be from the shaven Dewberry boys.
Questions:
• Several people – people she knows
well enough to describe, surround
opal. What is missing in these
relationships that cause Opal to be
sad, and feel like she needs a friend?
What kind of friendship is she
praying for? What characterizes a
friend? Think of some words that
describe a real friend.
• Not too long after she prays for a
friend, God answers her prayer in a
different way than she expected.
What was the answer? Have you
ever had a prayer answered
differently than you expected?
What was it? Why did she call
Winn-Dixie a friend and not the
other kids she had met in the town?
What did he do that the other kids
didn’t?
FriendsOpal and her dad return from the
search for Winn-Dixie who has run
off during the thunderstorm. When
they join the group, there are assur-
ances about Winn-Dixie; each person
in their own way offers comfort.
Later, when Opal grieves alone in
the yard, the Dewberry boys join
her. One offers his hand as they
return to the house. Then, as they
begin to sing, “Lay my burdens
down . . .” Winn-Dixie comes home.
The atmosphere changes as they
rejoice over his return.
Questions:
• When the friends greet Opal and
her dad as they return from the
search for Winn-Dixie, each one
offers comfort. What do they say to
make Opal feel better? What are
some of the ways they have demon-
strated their friendship? It has been
said that friendship doubles your
joys and halves your problems. What
happened to Opal when she was
surrounded by her friends?
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clips from the film that you can
show to your group. These clips
can be downloaded online at
www.foxfaith.com or shown
through a specially made DVD that
you can request at the same website.
The clips are followed up with
questions and scripture. These
questions should draw your group
members into a conversation about
what they have just seen. It is not
necessary to tackle these topics in
a row, or all in one night. If you
would prefer to just cover one or
two, feel free. It is all up to you.
First of all, you will introduce the
discussion by saying something like,
“Tonight we are going to talk about
the following topic (i.e. loneliness,
friendship, love, etc.) We have some
scenes from the movie, Because of
Winn Dixie that we are going to look
at and then analyze to see what we
can learn from them.”
Next, give a brief overview of the
film. Then, have your group
members read the provided Bible
verses. After that, play the clip(s)
you decide to use. Once the clip
plays, open the floor up for
discussion using the questions we
have provided, or use some of your
own. To finish, you can close the
sessions by giving the brief “Lesson
to Learn” provided at the end of the
topic.
NOTE: Since some of your group
members have likely not seen the
film, it is a good idea to provide
them with the context of the clip
before watching it. This can be
found in the text that precedes
the scripture reference for the
particular clip.
Please keep in mind that you do not
have to get through all the clips in
order to have a successful discussion.
Also, you do not need to sacrifice
a good conversation to finish the
scenes. Discussion times go best
when you allow freedom, but still
provide the framework that will
point to lessons in God’s word.
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If we can accept a new friend for
who they are today, then we
shouldn’t be persuaded to change
our minds, even if they have done
things in the past that are shameful.
Gloria has spent much of her
life being judged because of her
appearance and her past. Yet, Opal’s
view of Gloria was based only on
her love and friendship.
Remember, people can change. The
best part is that God forgives all of
us for our past mistakes when we
ask. So, who are we to be judgmental
of another individual? Instead of
criticizing someone else, we need
to look at our own behavior and
make sure that we are living the life
that God asks of us. A good start is
to love others like we love ourselves.
that moment. With continued
interaction, we learn more about
them to form the “picture” we see
of our new friend. But, if someone
tells us something negative about a
person before we have had an
opportunity to meet him or her,
we will base our perception on that
information first. In fact, we will
even look for “clues” that will
confirm the perception we now have
of that individual. This is why gossip
is so terrible. It puts ideas in our
minds that aren’t necessarily true.
Then, we continue to believe it
about a new acquaintance before
they even have a chance to show us
who they really are.
B
3
Because of . . . Loneliness
Do you want to be friends?Opal and Winn-Dixie are visiting
the library for the first time. There,
they have met Miss Frannie who is
the local librarian and a person who
likes to tell stories, if someone will
listen. As the two visitors finish
hearing her intriguing story, Miss
Frannie mentions that she doesn’t
have any family. Upon hearing this,
Opal comments that Miss Frannie
doesn’t have anyone in the whole
world. But, the librarian quickly
assures her that her library books
are the only company she needs.
Since Opal knows how it feels to be
alone, she asks Miss Frannie if she
would like to be friends with her
and Winn Dixie. Miss Frannie is
touched by the kind offer and
eagerly accepts.
Questions:
• When Opal first meets Miss
Frannie, the librarian seems content
to be alone. After all, she has her
books to keep her company. Yet,
Opal offers her friendship anyway.
Why do you think Opal does this,
even though Miss Frannie has just
told her that she’s very happy? Have
you ever felt lonely? How has that
helped you understand how others
may feel?
B
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Because of . . . Perception
BottlesFrustrated by the taunts of the
Dewberry boys, Opal tells Gloria
that she’s been teased about her new
friend Otis – a “criminal” who once
served time in jail. Opal has never
had this information about Otis
before now, and she is troubled with
the news. Gloria, who has been
called a “witch” by the Dewberry
brothers, takes this opportunity to
show Opal that she, too, has had a
troubled past.
Questions:
• When Opal and Gloria visit the
huge tree in the backyard, Opal
learns that the bottles represent the
hard life Gloria has had in the past;
one that has been full of temptations
and difficulties. What was Opal’s
perception of Gloria before she
learned this new information? Did
it change how she felt about Gloria?
Why not?
• Gloria tells Opal that she should
judge Otis by the beautiful music
he makes and the way he treats the
animals with kindness, rather than
by the news she has just heard. Why
do you think Opal would agree with
that thought when she hears it from
Gloria? Why does Gloria feel so
strongly about the idea of looking
at a person, like Otis, for who they
are today rather than judging them
on their past? Read Romans 14:10.
What does the verse say about
judging others?
• The Dewberry boys seem to enjoy
passing on information that is
negative about other people. Earlier,
they warned Opal that Gloria was
a witch before Opal had even met
her. Then, they told Opal that her
friend Otis was a criminal. How
does gossip affect how we view other
people? Read Proverbs 16:28. What
does the Bible say about gossip?
Lesson to Learn:
When we meet someone for the first
time, we base our idea of who they
are on the information we gather at
5
• Read 1 John 4:19. Because God
loves us, what do you think he wants
us to do when we meet someone
new? Read I John 13:34-35. Jesus
placed great value on relationships.
He often talked about befriending
people and how to relate to friends.
What are some of the things we can
do to show someone that we want
to be their friend?
Lesson to Learn:
Loneliness is a difficult thing to
experience. It can happen to children
as well as adults. With Opal, she is
lonely for a variety of reasons: a
move to a new town, a grieving
father who has withdrawn emo-
tionally from her, and the loss of
her mother at an early age. Miss
Frannie, on the other hand, has
isolated herself from personal rela-
tionships by choice – not marrying
and retreating into a world of books,
rather than people. But, what each
of these two people have in common
is a deep need for human contact.
As individuals, it is important for us
to recognize loneliness in the people
we encounter in our lives. It is also
our responsibility to help eliminate
loneliness by initiating friendships
and maintaining those relationships
through loving actions. It isn’t always
convenient or easy to reach out to
others – to listen, to spend time –
but it is a way of demonstrating
God’s love.
• Miss Frannie seems eager to accept
Opal’s offer of friendship. Why do
you think Miss Frannie was so
excited to have a friend, when just
a few minutes earlier she talked
about never needing a husband or
a family? If Miss Frannie actually
wanted to have a friend,
why didn’t she mention
the idea to Opal herself?
Why do you think
people don’t always say
what they are truly
feeling inside?
• Opal wants Miss Frannie to be her
friend and she tells her so. Because
Opal is so direct, Miss Frannie
doesn’t have to wonder if Opal is
her friend. They both know they
are friends from the beginning.
Because they know this, what kind
of effect do you think it has on their
relationship? Think of some words
that describe the feelings you have
in a true friendship.
The Bible shows many examples
of the importance of love and
friendships. For instance, in John
13:34-35 we are given a command-
ment to love others as Jesus Christ
has loved us. In John 3:16, we see
how God reached out to us through
his son, Jesus – the greatest act of
love. As Christians, it is critical that
we allow God’s love to flow through
us to a hurting world. It can happen
one-on-one with someone who
needs a friend.
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