Part 1 of Essay
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury, a collection of poignant vignettes about one summer in the life of 12-year old Douglas Spaulding, is a powerful mirror into childhood, growing up, and life in general. Bradbury, generally considered one of the Grand Masters of science fiction, did not in fact write science fiction. While his ....

Part 2 of Essay
.... to the depth and character of Dandelion Wine: life and death, heaven and hell, and the past and the future. The themes of life and death become entwined with raw fantasy in Dandelion Wine. One of the first experiences of young Douglas Spaulding is to realize that the pure, unbridled energy, emotion, and fantasy of the summer make him truly alive. (Bradford 69) The pure, unadulterated fantasy of life and joy in Dandelion Wine gives a more than magical feeling to the book and leaves the reader wishing that he or s ....