Charlotte's Web in Growing Up,

Charlotte's Web In growing up, children are often robbed of not only their innocence, but also of their capacity to learn, dream and fantasize. The sad product of our society is often fully grown individuals who function only at one level of consciousness; the rational. This unfortunate state of affairs is to some explicated by E.B. White's Charlotte's Web.

White clearly illustrates two very different worlds: that of Fern and her animal friends, and that of the grown-ups around them, mostly represented by Fern's parents, and to some extent by her uncle and aunt. The uncle and aunt however also serve as the connection between these two juxtaposed worlds: they provide Wilbur with a home, and Fern with the opportunity to visit him. Fern's parents represents the world of rational utility.

Pigs, for example, are meant for eating, or at most for taking to the fair so that they can win prizes. Spiders, if they are very beautiful, can be collected to look at or at worst should be killed and banished from the home. A farm is a place to that sustains the lives of the people on it, with all animals made to serve this purpose as well. Only human beings are capable of friendships and anything other than serving the life of beings higher than themselves.

Fern's viewpoint does not adhere to this philosophy at all. She is instrumental in saving Wilbur's life when he is born, begging her father to give the pig to her. When the pig is sold to her uncle, she is allowed to visit him as often as humanly possible. In contrast to her parents, Fern sees the animals (and insects) as her friends, and communicates with them.

The adults' reaction to these communications, when she tells them about it, is indicative of their general attitude towards Fern's rich world of friendship. When Fern tells her family about the conversations between Wilbur, Charlotte and herself, her mother immediately jumps to the conclusion that she may have a mental problem and should see a doctor. Her father is somewhat more lenient and ascribes it to imagination. Neither parent however recognizes that Fern may be telling the truth, until Charlotte begins spinning words on her web.

While Fern's uncle and aunt provide her with the opportunity to form friendships with the animals in their barn, they nevertheless also adhere to the utilitarian view of farm living. Farm animals are born and raised to serve human life, and not to provide friendship. Hence, Wilbur is fattened to become the Christmas feast. Fern is deeply involved in this life and death struggle, while the adults have no inkling of what is happening. When Charlotte spins words in her web, Wilbur is on his way to salvation.

Still, the uncle and aunt, as well as the other adults, regard this as a miracle rather than an indication of actual intelligence in the animals. Wilbur is once again used for human gain when he is taken to the fair. Here the roles are reversed, and Charlotte dies, with the difference that Wilbur can do nothing to save her. Her children survive however to carry her legacy throughout the world, while three remain with Wilbur to remind him of their friendship for the rest of his life.

Fern's role in Wilbur's life diminishes with the growth.