The journey in "Charlotte's Web" neatly slips into both the "Loss of Innocence" archetype and the "The Task" archetype. Though you readers (If there are any besides my English teacher [Hello there] ) most certainly don't really care, let us elaborate. (Hooray).
During the course of the book, Wilbur grows from an inexperienced, scared, naive little runt into a pig who knows much more about life and the world outside the pen. Charlotte was constantly teaching him new thinngs, new vocabulary, new ideas. And wilbur also experienced both death and birth, which are both important experiences.
Also during "Charlotte's Web" is the main plotline: Save Wilbur from becoming breakfast. Everyone pitches into this idea, both voluntarily and grudgingly. The old sheep persuades Templeton to get newspaper clippings and go to the fair, Charlotte writes words in her web, and all the other animals provide general encouragement from the sidelines.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Elated Lawsuit Authoritarians.......(Take 2)
Page 43 - "Don't blink, life might go by."
Page 60 - "People never stop rushing."
Page 80 - "Wilbur did nothing - Charlotte wrote the message."
When Charlotte writes (Or should I say, weaves) the words "Some pig" into her web, everyone freaks out, gets all excited, and rushes to see Wilbur. They all agree he is a very special, fine specimen of Sus Scrofa Domesticus, but what did Wilbur do? He doesn't weave webs, he doesn't walk around on his hind legs, he isn't an expert truffle hunter. Charlotte weaved the word into her web, shouldn't she be extra-special?
This is what E.B. White is trying to tell us - In today's world, people rush so much, and get so caught up with major details or what they heard from their friend who heard from her boyfriend's mom who heard from this guy on the street. They then proceed to miss something important, or something crucial. They skip over the small details in their rush to spread this rumor or that story, and they fail to grasp the whole concept. People automatically believe what's written in front of them, and are rushing so much that they don't stop to correct their error.
Time for some pasta. Postscriptum - To all those foodie readers, check out rainbow cookies.
Page 60 - "People never stop rushing."
Page 80 - "Wilbur did nothing - Charlotte wrote the message."
When Charlotte writes (Or should I say, weaves) the words "Some pig" into her web, everyone freaks out, gets all excited, and rushes to see Wilbur. They all agree he is a very special, fine specimen of Sus Scrofa Domesticus, but what did Wilbur do? He doesn't weave webs, he doesn't walk around on his hind legs, he isn't an expert truffle hunter. Charlotte weaved the word into her web, shouldn't she be extra-special?
This is what E.B. White is trying to tell us - In today's world, people rush so much, and get so caught up with major details or what they heard from their friend who heard from her boyfriend's mom who heard from this guy on the street. They then proceed to miss something important, or something crucial. They skip over the small details in their rush to spread this rumor or that story, and they fail to grasp the whole concept. People automatically believe what's written in front of them, and are rushing so much that they don't stop to correct their error.
Time for some pasta. Postscriptum - To all those foodie readers, check out rainbow cookies.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Salisbury T. Whitman (Because I felt like writing)
Salisbury T. Whitman creaked out of bed on the left side, groped around for his favorite cane, and shuffled over to the bathroom. He got dressed in brown pants and a white shirt with a blue tie, and proceeded to the kitchen by way of the back staircase. Upon reaching the kitchen, he made himself a caramel macchiato and stumbled out into the living room and sank into his overstuffed armchair.
Mr. Whitman, known to his friends as Whit, never believed in doing anything the same way twice, including having the same name. Salisbury was his original name, but he liked change, almost too much. He was quite sprightly for sixty-four, and liked to go for a walk every day, but of course on different routes. He would often see curtains sweep closed and mothers speed up with their strollers, as he was known as the odd old codger down the road by many. In fact there were only two families that knew him well, Ms. Lawrence across the road (Who he always sent flowers), and Mr. and Mrs. Hansen and their two boys, Elliot and Christopher, who always wanted him to tell them tales of action and adventure and flying carpets.
This particular morning, there was an unexpected knock on the door. He straggled over to the door and was met with a delightful surprise. Girl Scouts were there, and they had Thin Mints, which he loved. He paid for his cookies and went back to the armchair, but not without snagging a few cookies for the trip there, however short it may be. He sighed contentedly, although there was something troubling on his mind. He was running out of things to do each day. He looked through the living room into the kitchen, where he could spy the cookies coaxing him to eat a few more. He wished he could share them with someone, but he had already gone to both the Hansen's and Ms. Lawrence's house for tea last week. He sighed again.
Now this doesn't occur normally, and if it does occur it has something to do with saving the worls or losing weight, but Mr. Salisbury T.Whitman had a revelation. He was sick of being alone. He wanted to adopt a child.
Mr. Whitman, known to his friends as Whit, never believed in doing anything the same way twice, including having the same name. Salisbury was his original name, but he liked change, almost too much. He was quite sprightly for sixty-four, and liked to go for a walk every day, but of course on different routes. He would often see curtains sweep closed and mothers speed up with their strollers, as he was known as the odd old codger down the road by many. In fact there were only two families that knew him well, Ms. Lawrence across the road (Who he always sent flowers), and Mr. and Mrs. Hansen and their two boys, Elliot and Christopher, who always wanted him to tell them tales of action and adventure and flying carpets.
This particular morning, there was an unexpected knock on the door. He straggled over to the door and was met with a delightful surprise. Girl Scouts were there, and they had Thin Mints, which he loved. He paid for his cookies and went back to the armchair, but not without snagging a few cookies for the trip there, however short it may be. He sighed contentedly, although there was something troubling on his mind. He was running out of things to do each day. He looked through the living room into the kitchen, where he could spy the cookies coaxing him to eat a few more. He wished he could share them with someone, but he had already gone to both the Hansen's and Ms. Lawrence's house for tea last week. He sighed again.
Now this doesn't occur normally, and if it does occur it has something to do with saving the worls or losing weight, but Mr. Salisbury T.Whitman had a revelation. He was sick of being alone. He wanted to adopt a child.
Elated Lawsuit Authoritarians...........(Take One)
Page 104 - "Charlotte is turning into Wilbur's guardian more and more."
During the course of "Charlotte's Web", Charlotte teaches Wilbur vocabulary and the ways of the world. She also turns into an almost motherly figure as well, as she sings a lullaby to him and teaches him about being a spider. Wilbur looks up to her in turn, asking permission to get up for a snack and asking her for a bedtime story. Wilbur sees Charlotte almost like another Fern, in the way that Fern was always watching over him and protecting him from harm. Charlotte is constantly protecting Wilbur, whether it's from axe-swinging farmers hungry for bacon, overpowering loneliness, or old, grouchy sheep. Charlotte also finds a way to incorporate all the barn animals into her plans to save Wilbur, having Templeton find new words to weave, having the sheep persuade Templeton to find new words to weave, or having the (Goose's? Geeses? Geese? Goose?) rotten egg dissuade Avery from knocking "That ol' spider" out of her web.
(applause)
Whew. I'm gonna go get some mac 'n' cheese.
During the course of "Charlotte's Web", Charlotte teaches Wilbur vocabulary and the ways of the world. She also turns into an almost motherly figure as well, as she sings a lullaby to him and teaches him about being a spider. Wilbur looks up to her in turn, asking permission to get up for a snack and asking her for a bedtime story. Wilbur sees Charlotte almost like another Fern, in the way that Fern was always watching over him and protecting him from harm. Charlotte is constantly protecting Wilbur, whether it's from axe-swinging farmers hungry for bacon, overpowering loneliness, or old, grouchy sheep. Charlotte also finds a way to incorporate all the barn animals into her plans to save Wilbur, having Templeton find new words to weave, having the sheep persuade Templeton to find new words to weave, or having the (Goose's? Geeses? Geese? Goose?) rotten egg dissuade Avery from knocking "That ol' spider" out of her web.
(applause)
Whew. I'm gonna go get some mac 'n' cheese.
Friday, September 17, 2010
The Man........the Myth.......the Legend.
So. Here I am. A man with no plan. And, of course, a blog. Technically, I'm supposed to be writing an entry about Charlotte's web today, but that's not gonna happen. More likely I'm going to be writing about food, or music, or how I can't find a good bubble tea anywhere.
Anyways, here's my blog, here's my first entry, here's my cue to exit.
Anyways, here's my blog, here's my first entry, here's my cue to exit.
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