While it may seem easy to write for children, it is actually difficult because the writer must be familiar enough with his or her audience to write with confidence. White accomplished this by keeping things simple. In doing so, Charlotte's Web not only appeals to children but adults as well. White also sticks to the principles of composition as well. He follows the principle of using one tense throughout the story and choosing a suitable design and sticking with it. The design in Charlotte's Web is the structure of a children's story and it is crucial that White remains true to this design. Strunk writes, "in most cases planning must be a deliberate prelude to writing" (Strunk 15). Readers can know that White saw down beforehand and decided that he was to write a children's book and followed through on it. In addition, White also employs the principle of using "definite, specific, and concrete language" (Strunk 21). This principle is also significant for White's audience. The language is so specific that readers can almost see the farm animals as well as the setting in the novel. These principles make the story come alive for the readers and encourage them to continue reading.

There are several cases where White Takes liberties and does follow the advice put forth in The Elements of Style. Many of these are directly related...

While the reader is aware that someone is narrating, he or she does not know who it is and that is of no importance to the overall story. Because the story is fiction, poetic license does come into play because if a story is good, readers will not care if the author used orthodox spelling or overused figures of speech. There is an incredible amount of room for authors when it comes to approaching style. While certain basic rules should not be overlooked, White demonstrates how fiction can be engaging and extremely successful without following all of the guidelines set forth in The Elements of Style. What we can learn from White's novel and Strunk's guidelines is that many stories can carry their own weight but they do so because they do not abandon certain elements of style. The trick is making it look easy, which is exactly what White does in Charlotte's Web. White did not follow every principle but he did make sure he followed the right ones.
Works Cited

Strunk, William. The Elements of Style. 3rd Ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co. Inc. 1979.

White, E.B. Charlotte's Web. New…