Wow, I absolutely loved this book. I can tell that it is realistic fiction because the characters seem so down-to-earth along with having normal human "quirks". One of my favorite passages that I believe reflects a quality of outstanding literature is the following, "I looked at the tree and then I looked up at the sky. 'Mama' I said, just like she was standing right beside me, 'I know ten things about you, and that's not enough, that's not near enough. But Daddy is going to tell me more; I know he will, now that he knows you're not coming back. He misses you and I miss you, but my heart doesn't feel empty anymore. It's full all the way up. I'll still think about you, I promise. But probably not as much as I did this summer.'" (p. 178) I thought that this passage tied up loose ends about how I felt about Opal's family situation. Her attitude was always so positive, even though bad things happened to her and other's around her she was always able to move on and see the beauty in situations and people even when other people wouldn't have seen anything else but trouble or a waste of time. Also I believe that Winn-Dixie is a symbol for this. She saw hope in him when everyone else saw an ugly and mangy dog. I believe that this is a recurrent theme throughout the book. For example she saw character in Gloria where others saw someone who seemed strange. She also saw something in Otis when others might have seen a criminal.