Bradbury being one of my favorite authors, i decided to take this book, which i've been told might be hard to understand for some, on as the one i would read and in turn report on. But, i've taken the road as a lowly procrastinator, and like many freshmen before me, am scrambling to do a report on a book i didn't quite understand, the night before it's due date; for a college prep english class. My original approach was going to be a graphic organizer, but after a short time, i realized that that wasn't the smartest thing for someone in my situation to try and accomplish. How could someone who doesn't comprehend this book, besides using spark notes, tell a class of thirty or so people exactly what it's about, using a visual aid? any help would be appreciated...

Hi Genevieve, and welcome to the board.

My honest answer is: read the actual book! It's not the longest book in the world, and it doesn't have any complicated plot twists. It's really a collection of episodes. If you read it quickly, without thinking about it too much, you will find you absorb it quite easily. And THEN you can think about what you've read.

However, I accept your practical predicament, and the potential difficulty of doing a visual presentation. So here's a suggestion:

If you go to my website (the address is at the bottom of this message), you will find that I have recently posted several articles relating Bradbury's real life in Waukegan to the fictional Green Town. You are welcome to borrow any of the images there for your presentation. You could, for example, show photos of the real Ravine, and accompany it with some text describing the Ravine in Dandelion Wine.

Good luck!

don't worry, presently i feel a bit ashamed for not being able to understand it, and plan to re-read it as soon as this mess of a report is over...i think what confused me the most was i didn't see the transitions from one event to another, and therfore i didn't know what exactly i was reading...
thankyou for the link, as it was very helpful. being a native to waukegan, i think that would be a great way to tell people about the book, because i remember powell park, and the other scenes.

Hi, all...

I feel a bit awkward admitting this here, but Dandelion Wine was the whole reason I joined this site. I hadn't considered myself a sci-fi fan (or reader) before Mr. Bradbury, though I occasionally indulged in and greatly enjoyed fantasy works. But I was bored with my normal reading fare and Dandelion Wine literally jumped out at me from the library shelves. It was sticking out 2 inches more than the other titles in the Sci-Fi section (for which I'd barely spared a glance previously), and I reluctantly picked it up. Needless to say, it is now one of my favorites, and it touched me deeply. Beautiful writing, with poignant scenes aplenty...(The Happy Machine's demise? I cheered! Helen Loomis and William Forrester? I wept.) This book is full of insights that children bordering on adolescence---who haven't yet been corrupted by the world and its cynicism---are privvy to...and I was blessed to have found it. Hooray for Bradbury! It's his only work I've read so far, but I'm happy to report I'm a third of the way into Farewell Summer now. Thanks for having this site for me to gush!

Most memorable moments in Dandelion Wine: One of my all time favorite books!!!

1. Opening symphony conductor, Douglas Spaulding in his grandparents' cupola. "Wake up! Ready?" The sun rises...

2. Technology encroaches, grandpa Spaulding wants his grass cut by a push mower (I actually bought one because of this passage!: http://blog.syracuse.com/at-ho...008/08/reelmower.jpg

3. Doug and Tom rolling down the hill, stained by fox grapes, split lip for Doug, "I'm alive!" What a realization!

4. John Huff, the best friend a kid could have (what a magnificent introduction to this section of the book. If a teacher is giving examples of descriptive writing, what a perfect passage to offer. "Statues!"

5. Mrs. Bentley and all of her stuff. The opera cane of Mr. Bentley had rested against the wall for all of those years, until...

6. Grandma Spaulding calls everyone to her room--one last time!

7. Of course, "The Time Machine!" It was there all the time, right in Leo's front room, kitchen, and children's bedrooms!

8. Summer Running and Mr. Sanderson's Shoe Emporium, with "gazelles, antelope." "Thanks, Mr. Sanderson!"

9. The fears of all young people await as evening falls, the Ravine beckons, and the Lonely One stalks the shadows. "Douglas. Douglas Spaulding, when you get home you are going to get it! Douglas...!?!"

10. The Tarrot Witch is set free and Doug and Tom are true heroes of Green Town.

11. One of the great oral reading opportunities for all teachers gr. 7-12, Colonel Freeleigh and the boys share time on things long past: Ching Ling Soo, The Great Buffalo Herd, and that magnificent name "Shiloh!" Doug discovers The Colonel seated and eternally quiet. The phone, sounding of a window closing a final time in Mexico!

12. Mr. Jonas, "Junk! Junk! No, not Junk" The freshest air from the Antilles! Now, breathe deep, Doug. It's old Jonas, a friend!"

13. Aunt Rose vs. Grandma Spaulding in the great cook off. Ultimately, with bags pack and readied for her, enough was enough for family and boarders: "Rose! Good-bye!"

14. From his Grandparents' cupola, Douglas puts the last day of the Summer 1928 to rest. Darkness settles on Green Town, the street lights blink on, and Douglas Spaulding has much to look forward to when he awakens (a changed youth), and a whole autumn awaits...

WVG: "Gush" on!
(Others: Yes, by all means read the book!)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: fjp451,

fjp---

Amen, and yesyesyes to all your passages! If I may add a couple more beautiful things:

(Helen Loomis to William Forrester) "...the average man runs helter-skelter the moment he finds anything like a brain in a lady. You've probably met quite a few brainy ones who hid it most successfully from you. You'll have to pry around a bit to find the odd beetle. Lift a few boards."

(Tom to Doug) "A good night's sleep, or a ten-minute bawl, or a pint of chocolate ice-cream, or all three together, is good medicine, Doug."


More musings later...hubby home and kids hungry. *grin*

This message has been edited. Last edited by: WestVirginiaGirl,

Some of us have been lucky enough to see some of the posted passages acted on stage with the author sitting in the audience. One must then increase their impact ten fold.

quote:

Originally posted by jkt:
Some of us have been lucky enough to see some of the posted passages acted on stage...

...which reminds me that anyone NOT able to see it on stage can still get SOME of the DW theatrical experience from the Colonial Radio Theatre audio production of Bradbury's play. (Caution: the plot of the play has some significant twists that are NOT found in the novel!)

As one of the unlucky who haven't seen any theatrical renderings, I appreciate the link, philnic! Also, thanks for the heads-up on the plot twists not found in DW...always good to be forewarned. Thanks again!

You might also read the magisterial study by professors Eller and Touponce, Ray Bradbury: The Life of Fiction. Not the whole book, but perhaps the section on how Dandelion Wine was created, and how it differs from Farewell Summer, which is a closely related work.

If you can't find this book, a useful part of it is available on Google Books preview.

WestVirginiaGirl: how right you are about Sam Forrester and Helen Loomis. I think that's the episode that has also been published as "The Swan" - Bradbury's most beautiful love story. Unless it's "The Laurel and Hardy Love Affair".

Oh Frank, your fourteen memories of the book bring back marvellous memories for me too - it is a wonderful book! My second favourite of Ray's. Every chapter a classic.

But of course I love it - I lived it, didn't I?

quote:

Originally posted by douglasSP:

WestVirginiaGirl: how right you are about Sam Forrester and Helen Loomis. I think that's the episode that has also been published as "The Swan" - Bradbury's most beautiful love story. Unless it's "The Laurel and Hardy Love Affair".

Thank you so much for this! I have been off this site for awhile and did not see your reply in a timely manner...my apologies. I will indeed look it up. Thanks again!

The Summer of 1928 comes to mind:
http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/...xid=rss-nation-yahoo