Movie Write-up: Because of Winn-Dixie - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages... The two most predominant themes are the themes of friendship and change. However, other themes such as family relationships, role of religion, social interactions among others are also depicted within the plot of the movie. This paper seeks to deconstruct this movie from a sociological perspective. One of the most predominant themes in "Because of Winn-Dixie" is the theme of change. Most of the characters in the movie undergo different changes because of interaction with Opal and her new and special friend Winn-Dixie. Winn-Dixie provides the medium for change for everyone who had an encounter with the two friends. Opal’s father, a mobile preacher, changes his attitude towards family relationships when he is forced to protect Winn-Dixie, at least to exercise his fatherhood roles to her daughter. It can be learned that situations forcing exercise of family roles can act as changing factors as we are forced by social situations to expedite our social and family duties. The dog (Winn-Dixie) served as a socialization factor in which, many members of the society were able to interact. Otherwise, Opal, Mrs. Franny, Mr. Alfred, Otis, and other characters would not have socially interacted were it not for Winn-Dixie. According to the theory of symbolic interaction, people do not merely react to other people’s actions but respond in response to the meaning attached to those actions. Emphasis is attached to meaning behind the action rather than the action itself. The perfect example is envisioned in the reaction of the Opals mother to her family. She left the family because she disliked being referred to as a preacher’s wife. The reaction had more symbolic meaning than practical aspect. The preacher reacted to the disappearance of her daughter’s best friend, Winn-Dixie, and feels obligated to tell her more about her mother. According to the theory of symbolic interaction, he responded to the loss of her daughter due to the underlying meaning and not the practical aspect of it. However, the dog later returns to the party after the thunderstorm. The society has many interconnected strings that bind together social norms, traditions, customs, as well as social institutions. The movie "Because of Winn-Dixie" is practically based on structural functionalism ideology. In the beginning, Opal’s family structure is compromised due to missing links between the parents as well as parent child interaction. The society is depicted as a forgotten society where everyone cares for himself or herself. However, the entrance of Opal and her best friend Winn-Dixie changes the societal structure. They befriend everyone and in fact go all the way to organizing a reunion party for the friends she had made. Through making friends with members of the society, social interaction barriers are broken and the society becomes functional one again. According to Malinowski's argument, the society is a buildup of many functional nuclear family set-ups. Once Opal reconstructs her family set up, then the general society followed suit.  According to social conflict theory, the members of the society have different and conflicting needs, ideologies, and attitude towards life. This was highlighted as the primary cause of social disorder. This movie is constructed on the fundamentals of conflict theory. Indeed, the movie begins with a conflict between Opal and her father, who is insensitive to her needs as a daughter. Opal’ ...Download file to see next pagesRead More