“I’m interested in how innocence fares when it collides with hard reality.” – Geoffrey S. Fletcher
(The Age of Innocence) Charlotte’s web by Elwyn Brooks White
I have heard of Charlotte’s web when I was younger. I never read it but did see the film when I was younger. I loved the film so much back then. It was a completely different experience reading the book. In a lifetime, there are not a lot of stories that ignite your imagination so they change how we see the world. Charlotte’s web is one of those stories. I was completely engulfed in the book and read it in one go. It was easy to read with simple language use. The theme is universal and timeless, you can really read the love and friendship between Fern, Wilbur and also Charlotte. You also see a way of how we should treat each other with kindness. I can identify myself with Wilbur back when I was younger I was a dedicated, still am, friend. Who would do anything for her friends.
Fern, a warm-hearted girl, saves a little pig, Wilbur, from her father’s axe. If Fern had not done this Wilbur would have died. Wilbur was a runt this was the reason why it had to die. We all have felt like a runt some time in our lives. We are discovering life with all its ups, downs and risks. According Appleyard :”It appears that both younger and older children remember the parts of the plot structure that relate directly to the action.” (n.d. p. 10). Wilbur is loving and shows ignorance throughout the story. At the end of the book his innocence collides with the hard reality when his friend, Charlotte, dies. He knows how to bribe the rat to help safe Charlotte’s daughters. This is the main thing you remember from the story Wilbur had to forcefully grow up. The novel is suitable for younger children from the age of ten to thirteen. The events in the book are for readers who are nearing the end of Erikson’s stage four of psychosocial development, industry vs inferiority.
We discussed in the book club that there were no obvious parent roles in the story. At the beginning Fern’s parents are mentioned briefly other then that they are not mentioned. The parents of Wilbur are also not mentioned during the whole storyline. We also discussed that Charlotte loved Wilbur dearly as Fern did too. As mentioned in the book “Fern loved Wilbur more than anything.” ( White, 1952, p. 8). You could feel the love for Wilbur from the both of them throughout the book. Wilbur also loved Fern and Charlotte dearly. At the end of the book Wilbur even mentioned that he loved Charlotte’s children dearly. It was just not the same as with Charlotte. It is a Shame that Charlotte had to die at the end. It is very sad and many people will cry when reading it. It is hart breaking that the friendship between Wilbur and Charlotte is ended abruptly like this.
The story shows us that we all can be amazing in our own ways. It also reminds us of our innocent childhood and that we always have to remain humble. It was nice talk I could take a moment out of my life to dream back to the innocent old days. Charlotte’s web made this possible for me.
Word count without quotes: 514 words
Literature 