Stereotypes in Dandelion Wine
The novel Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury is remarkable because of his use of early twentieth century stereotypes by indirect characterization. ... Since Dandelion Wine was set in an “idyllic yet somewhat fragile midwestern town”, (Heller 246) these stereotypes of a patriarchal society are promoted. ... Michael Stanton considers Dandelion Wine a depiction of a small-town American utopia of the past with green lawns, shady streets, and friendly neighbors (2). ... Ray Bradbury often creates a variation of tradition and contemporary aspects in Dandelion Wine: Perhaps Bradbury can be seen as representative of a whole generation of middle class Americans who have found themselves alternately attracted to the security of an idealized, timeless, and static past (as current nostalgia vogue illustrate) and the exciting, yet threatening and disruptive future world of progress and change. (Stupple 8) Ray Bradbury’s tradition would be the characters while the plot of Dandelion Wine gives the novel a contemporary perspective. The characters, which most exemplify early twentieth century stereotypes, are females. ... In one chapter of Dandelion Wine Douglas, the protagonist of the novel, stayed out too long with his friends. ... In Dandelion Wine this woman is Elmira Brown.