Do You Remember?

This is the beginning of a new series for me that I am calling 'Do You Remember?' These articles will be all about works of children's literature that you might have read as a child, young person or even as an adult. The first one that I am going to summarize and review is one of the greats in my opinion 'Charlotte's Web' by E.B. White. For me it was a good experience re-reading these books as an adult for there are lessons for even us to learn again.

To begin this is the story of a spider named Charlotte and a pig name Wilbur. It all starts with a little girl named Fern, who one morning comes down the stairs and sees her father with an ax, and she asks him what he plans to do and he tells her that a 'runt' pig was born and that he had to kill it before something else happens to the little pig, and the story begins. Fern is desperately against this and asks her father if she can keep the little pig and raise it and her father grants his permission to do this. Fern cares for the little pig as if it were one of her dolls.

One day when Wilbur is out in his pigpen and seems to be very bored he meets a rat named Templeton. Templeton show Wilbur that there are two boards loose over there and he suggests that Wilbur goes through them and do some exploring of the farm. This worked for a little while but Wilbur still feels lonely for Fern always visits but she has school. There is one night Wilbur hears a small, tiny voice saying "I will be your friend." The next morning Wilbur will meet the owner of the tiny voice who is Charlotte.

The further adventures of Wilbur and Charlotte really starts to gain momentum when she 'writes' descriptive words in her web about Wilbur so that he can stay alive and not be butchered sometime in the future. The first phrase is 'Some Pig' that starts everyone believing that Wilbur is some sort of miracle pig. The next one is 'Terrific' that is followed by 'Radiant' and lastly 'Humble'. For Charlotte to do the 'writing' she sends Templeton off to the dump pile and where ever to hunt for words that could describe Wilbur on the farm and then when the family goes to the State Fair.

Wilbur learns a lot for a pig with how to make friends that are in his environment and to say 'Hi." and even when the time comes to say 'Good-bye." to a friend and keep promises that he has made to such a friend.

Charlotte's Web' is a story of learning about living your life and then accepting what happens good and bad as Wilbur does. He did this when he first met Charlotte and then when he cared for her egg sac and her children those who left and those who stayed behind.

Garth Williams, the artist, who drew the pictures for 'Charlotte's Web' is also the one who drew the illustrations for other children's novels like the 'Little House' series, as well as for other children's books too. He uses pencil sketches to depict the various events of Wilbur's life from the writings in the webs to how Fern cares for him as a baby and then at the fair, and also when he sees Charlotte's children leave as well as the ones that stay. Garth drew the pictures to show how the characters showed emotions in a way that they were friendly even Templeton, the rat.

'Charlotte's Web' is quite the book to be read by children and adults alike for there are many perspectives that could be missed when children read it for the first time and then as adults, as in the beginning an adult would know why Mr. Arable had to go out to kill the 'runt' a child wouldn't know why for sure. Another instance was when Charlotte was always becoming very tired especially at the end and preparing her egg sac and then to die trying to get Wilbur to understand. 'Charlotte's Web' written by E.B. White is a piece of literature for all ages that teaches life skills and ideas of living life.

There are many lessons that one may and can learn from this story, as Wilbur learns that some 'people' will not look at you the same way as you see them. Wilbur also learns about what could happen to him, and told by an elder that one must learn to accept what comes in living life. Wilbur also learns about what makes himself special along with what makes others special as well. One must learn what and where one belongs whether it be a web, a pig sty, a stall or a house. There is one line in the book that seems to sum up what living is all about (on page 164) "We're born, we live a little while, we die." Charlotte is explaining what a friend Wilbur has been to her. 'Charlotte's Web' is a story of friendship in many ways both human and animal, and we can all learn a lot from each of us. I know the animals in this story took on many characteristics of humans to illustrate these characteristics that we should show and share with one another that is also a story of caring for others.