"Dandelion Wine" by Ray Bradbury.

Motifs: In the beginning of the book, Douglass cuts himself on a rock and watches his blood trickle out of him. This is the first time he ever really thought about it, and the first time he ever realized that he is alive. He feels pain and feels happiness and realizes that life is a wonderful thing. His senses are more real and he is more aware of how he breathes, bleeds and feels the …

…die happy. Although he realizes death is not something as bad as he thought it was going to be, he still thinks that he can escape it. He comes down with a horrible fever and is on the brink of death but is saved by a friend of his who gives him bottled air. Once he comes close to death, he realizes that it really is inescapable and is able to end the summer wiser.