Dandelion Wine
by Ray Bradbury
I’ve never read a Ray Bradbury story before, but The Halloween Tree movie was a staple in my childhood every October. I knew how poetic his words could be, but I was unprepared for the poignancy of his storytelling. Dandelion Wine brought tears to my eyes on multiple occasions, and it immediately earned a place on my bookshelf in the sentimental section.
Depending on your point of view, Dandelion Wine is either a fantasy or an Americana story. I’m in the latter camp, but it’s probably because I don’t read a lot of fantasy novels. The story centers around a young boy during the last summer before he comes of age. In his small town, there are scandals, mysteries, competitions against the neighbors’ lawns, rocking chairs on porches, youths longing to be older, and old folks longing for their youth. At times, Bradbury will exaggerate, but more literal readers might interpret those elements of the story as containing magic. For me, they were merely touching, but I’m sure whichever version you like, it’ll be a very enjoyable read.
The boy’s family makes dandelion wine in their cellar, and when they drink the liquid, everyone is cheerful, and the world has no wrongs. When the last bottle is drunken, the summer ends. (This is not a spoiler, this is what happens every year in that family.) Sure, it could be magical dandelion wine, but I choose to believe it’s symbolic of a family’s enjoyment during the summer season, and in particular, this last season before the protagonist grows up.
I recommend this very touching read, especially for those who enjoy coming of age stories. Check out my favorite passage below to see if it moves you:
“Suppose you tell me why you need a new pair of sneakers. Can you do that?”
“Well…”
It was because they felt the way it feels every summer when you take off your shoes for the first time and run in the grass. They felt like it feels sticking your feet out of the hot covers in wintertime to let the cold wind from the open window blow on them suddenly and you let them stay out a long time until you pull them back in under the covers to feel them, like packed snow. The tennis shoes felt like it always feels the first time every year wading in the slow waters of the creek and seeing your feet below, half an inch further downstream, with refraction, than the real part of you above the water.
“Dad,” said Douglas, “it’s hard to explain.”
[…]
The magic was always in the new pair of shoes. The magic night might die by the first of September, but now in late June there was still plenty of magic, and shoes like these could jump you over trees and rivers and houses. And if you wanted, they could jump you over fences and sidewalks and dogs.
“Don’t you see?” said Douglas. “I just can’t wear last year’s pair.”
For last year’s pair were dead inside. They had been fine when he started them out, last year. But by the end of summer, every year, you always found out, you always knew, you couldn’t really jump over rivers and trees and houses in them, and they were dead. But this was a new year, a new pair, and he felt that this time, with this new pair of shoes, he could do anything, anything at all.
Be sure and check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of Ray Bradbury's novel Fahrenheit 451 here!
Depending on your point of view, Dandelion Wine is either a fantasy or an Americana story. I’m in the latter camp, but it’s probably because I don’t read a lot of fantasy novels. The story centers around a young boy during the last summer before he comes of age. In his small town, there are scandals, mysteries, competitions against the neighbors’ lawns, rocking chairs on porches, youths longing to be older, and old folks longing for their youth. At times, Bradbury will exaggerate, but more literal readers might interpret those elements of the story as containing magic. For me, they were merely touching, but I’m sure whichever version you like, it’ll be a very enjoyable read.
The boy’s family makes dandelion wine in their cellar, and when they drink the liquid, everyone is cheerful, and the world has no wrongs. When the last bottle is drunken, the summer ends. (This is not a spoiler, this is what happens every year in that family.) Sure, it could be magical dandelion wine, but I choose to believe it’s symbolic of a family’s enjoyment during the summer season, and in particular, this last season before the protagonist grows up.
I recommend this very touching read, especially for those who enjoy coming of age stories. Check out my favorite passage below to see if it moves you:
“Suppose you tell me why you need a new pair of sneakers. Can you do that?”
“Well…”
It was because they felt the way it feels every summer when you take off your shoes for the first time and run in the grass. They felt like it feels sticking your feet out of the hot covers in wintertime to let the cold wind from the open window blow on them suddenly and you let them stay out a long time until you pull them back in under the covers to feel them, like packed snow. The tennis shoes felt like it always feels the first time every year wading in the slow waters of the creek and seeing your feet below, half an inch further downstream, with refraction, than the real part of you above the water.
“Dad,” said Douglas, “it’s hard to explain.”
[…]
The magic was always in the new pair of shoes. The magic night might die by the first of September, but now in late June there was still plenty of magic, and shoes like these could jump you over trees and rivers and houses. And if you wanted, they could jump you over fences and sidewalks and dogs.
“Don’t you see?” said Douglas. “I just can’t wear last year’s pair.”
For last year’s pair were dead inside. They had been fine when he started them out, last year. But by the end of summer, every year, you always found out, you always knew, you couldn’t really jump over rivers and trees and houses in them, and they were dead. But this was a new year, a new pair, and he felt that this time, with this new pair of shoes, he could do anything, anything at all.
Be sure and check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of Ray Bradbury's novel Fahrenheit 451 here!