Charlotte’s Web – One pig at a time
Thursday morning, for some reason, I was thinking of the pig Wilbur in the children’s story Charlotte’s Web written by E. B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams. Many readers will recall that Wilbur, the pig, is scheduled to be slaughtered until Charlotte, the spider, plants positive messages about Wilbur in her web. Eventually Wilbur is entered in the county fair and despite the fact that he wins no prizes at the fair, he becomes too well known for the farmer to kill him. Charlottes is worn out and dies, but Wilbur returns to the farm and protects Charlotte’s egg sac. When the new spiders are born the three smallest spiders whom Wilbur names Joy, Nellie, and Aranea stay. Adults and children have loved this story since it was first published in October of 1952. There is something in most of us which can empathize with those we perceive unable to take care of themselves.
Wilbur is symbolic for all those we deem helpless and innocent. Wilbur has done nothing to deserve his fate of being scheduled for slaughter other than being born a pig in a society where the majority of people condone the eating of pork. Charlotte symbolizes the unlikely person who comes to the aid of a helpless, innocent one.
The story requires that we suspend much of what we know or believe. For example we can suspend:
There are those who are innocent and deserve our empathic compassion and those who do not.
Charlotte is an exceptional spider. We do not need to change what our view of or what our relationship is with spiders. Killing spiders is a good thing.
Everything has a purpose and the purpose of the pig is to provide substance for we humans. After all, for those of us who not believe that pork is unclean and an abomination. Isiah 66:17 states: English Standard Version
“Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one in the midst, eating pig’s flesh and the abomination and mice, shall come to an end together, declares the LORD.”
Subliminal or gentle, positive messages do not work as well as more direct, forceful (even violent) messages. It would have been better if the author had given Charlotte the equivalent of an AK 47 or , at the very least, a miniature 45 pistol.
Only like-minded people or those in the same community or group can solve the problem of that group or community.
Oh my! This very brief, “children’s” story challenges us to move well past our comfort zone and, yet, even Mr. Trump, radical extremists, or other naysayers are not likely to criticize this story or insist that it be banned. Most of us will somehow intuit that in this alternate reality of Charlotte, Wilbur, the other farm animals, and even the runt children of Charlotte is possible – at least in this make believe world. For a few minutes we are transported beyond the world of violence, homelessness, prisons, and, yes even the slaughter of the human pigs. We are transported beyond the seemingly justifiable celebration of the mother over the Florida execution of Oscar Ray Bolin who was convicted of the brutal murder of her daughter 30 years ago. The mother is reported to have said about the execution, “I’m kind of excited about it…I’m about to experience something wonderful. I’ve anticipated this , and I feel very upbeat about it.” (St Petersburg edition of the Tampa Tribune’s article by Geoff Fox “30 years after killings Bolin to be executed.”). We are transported beyond presidential campaign news, botched VA claims benefit processing, nuclear bombs, beheadings, and “natural” disasters to a world where the impossible is possible.
Personally I need the alternative reality of stories like Charlotte’s Web just as I need the reminder of 2-year old Charlie and all the other two-year-olds who remind me that a gentle, loving approach to change is realistic – that the Charlotte’s can change the world one pig at a time!
Written January 7, 2016
Thursday morning, for some reason, I was thinking of the pig Wilbur in the children’s story Charlotte’s Web written by E. B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams. Many readers will recall that Wilbur, the pig, is scheduled to be slaughtered until Charlotte, the spider, plants positive messages about Wilbur in her web. Eventually Wilbur is entered in the county fair and despite the fact that he wins no prizes at the fair, he becomes too well known for the farmer to kill him. Charlottes is worn out and dies, but Wilbur returns to the farm and protects Charlotte’s egg sac. When the new spiders are born the three smallest spiders whom Wilbur names Joy, Nellie, and Aranea stay. Adults and children have loved this story since it was first published in October of 1952. There is something in most of us which can empathize with those we perceive unable to take care of themselves.
Wilbur is symbolic for all those we deem helpless and innocent. Wilbur has done nothing to deserve his fate of being scheduled for slaughter other than being born a pig in a society where the majority of people condone the eating of pork. Charlotte symbolizes the unlikely person who comes to the aid of a helpless, innocent one.
The story requires that we suspend much of what we know or believe. For example we can suspend:
There are those who are innocent and deserve our empathic compassion and those who do not.
Charlotte is an exceptional spider. We do not need to change what our view of or what our relationship is with spiders. Killing spiders is a good thing.
Everything has a purpose and the purpose of the pig is to provide substance for we humans. After all, for those of us who not believe that pork is unclean and an abomination. Isiah 66:17 states: English Standard Version
“Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one in the midst, eating pig’s flesh and the abomination and mice, shall come to an end together, declares the LORD.”
Subliminal or gentle, positive messages do not work as well as more direct, forceful (even violent) messages. It would have been better if the author had given Charlotte the equivalent of an AK 47 or , at the very least, a miniature 45 pistol.
Only like-minded people or those in the same community or group can solve the problem of that group or community.
Oh my! This very brief, “children’s” story challenges us to move well past our comfort zone and, yet, even Mr. Trump, radical extremists, or other naysayers are not likely to criticize this story or insist that it be banned. Most of us will somehow intuit that in this alternate reality of Charlotte, Wilbur, the other farm animals, and even the runt children of Charlotte is possible – at least in this make believe world. For a few minutes we are transported beyond the world of violence, homelessness, prisons, and, yes even the slaughter of the human pigs. We are transported beyond the seemingly justifiable celebration of the mother over the Florida execution of Oscar Ray Bolin who was convicted of the brutal murder of her daughter 30 years ago. The mother is reported to have said about the execution, “I’m kind of excited about it…I’m about to experience something wonderful. I’ve anticipated this , and I feel very upbeat about it.” (St Petersburg edition of the Tampa Tribune’s article by Geoff Fox “30 years after killings Bolin to be executed.”). We are transported beyond presidential campaign news, botched VA claims benefit processing, nuclear bombs, beheadings, and “natural” disasters to a world where the impossible is possible.
Personally I need the alternative reality of stories like Charlotte’s Web just as I need the reminder of 2-year old Charlie and all the other two-year-olds who remind me that a gentle, loving approach to change is realistic – that the Charlotte’s can change the world one pig at a time!
Written January 7, 2016
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