Charlotte's Web. I read this novel for the first time in the third grade (along with Pippi Longstocking, and Bridge to Terabithia). Reading it again for my Children's Literature course made me feel like an eight-year-old all over again.
Wilbur the pig was born the runt of the litter, and was going to be killed until Fern stopped her father with her cries of injustice against the tiny. Once Fern's family was unable to care for Wilbur any longer, he was sent to live at the Zuckerman farm, Fern's Aunt and Uncle. There, Wilbur learns that he only has until Christmas before he's turned into dinner.
Cue Charlotte, a spider who befriends Wilbur, and vows to ensure that nothing terrible of dinner sort should happen to the pig. Fern knew that Wilbur was something special, and Charlotte ensures that the rest of the world knows that Wilbur is "Some Pig" too.
Charlotte's Web is a beautiful, simple story about love, life, death, and friendship that stays with you until the end of time. My heart broke when I read it the first time, and it broke again, even though there was a fairly happy ending. It reminds us that though we lose those we care about, we can never lose their memory, or how we feel about them.
No comments:
Post a Comment