This is about a love, friendship novel. Charlotte’s Web is one of the most popular books written by E. B. White, and it was published in 1952 by Harper & Brothers. The book evokes positive emotions and influences the audience in spite of its seeming simplicity. At the same time, the book raises such themes as friendship, which is one of the central themes of the book.
In such a way, the author apparently attempts to draw the attention of the audience to relations of people and revives the importance of friendship in the life of people, though the book shows it through animals, which are main characters of “Charlotte’s Web” but their relations resemble those of humans. It description of a spider named Charlotte how to save a pig Wilbur from slaughter. Charlotte successes, but she is also aging .
After reading Chapter 6 of A Critical Handbook of Children’s Literature, I know that the type of plot in Charlotte’s Web is progressive plot, and the other two considerations about plot are coincidence and sentimentality. “The plots of Charlotte’s Web, Weedflower, and 90 Miles to Havana, with their central climaxes followed quickly by denouement, are called progressive plots. ”(Lukens et al 159). The story which is progressive plot is it always starts with exposition, moves to conflict, rising action, climax and ends of the book. In Charlotte’s Web, the book opens with the salvation of a runt pig by Fern.
Wilbur only lives with Fern few weeks then he sold to uncle Zuckerman, he made a friend who is spider Charlotte after he comes, these are the opening description of the novel. The story enters another stage when Wilbur knows that he is going to be killed and eaten at Christmas, and turns to Charlotte for help. Charlotte has the idea of writing words in her web extolling Wilbur’s excellence “some pig,” “terrific,” “radiant,” and eventually “humble” (White) reasoning that if she can make Wilbur sufficiently famous, he will not be killed. Humble” has successes save Wilbur and wins the prize; the story slowly reached a climax here. “In a day or two I’ll be dead. I haven’t even strength enough to climb down into crate”, said Charlotte (White 165). The story goes to climax until to the end, it is sadness.
Wilbur brings back Charlotte’s eggs that she had laid at the fair before dying, when the eggs hatch at Zuckerman’s farm, most of them leave but there are three going to stay to continue the friendship of their mother and Wilbur. The teller of oral tales knows that once the climax comes, he may lose his audience; he must end the story quickly and conclusively. ” (Lukens et al 159) White is also ends the story so quickly just after the climax. There are two other considerations about plot, and the first one is coincidence. The coincidence is commonly used in a plot, but often will work to the plot a special effect. “In literature, however where the truths of human nature and human existence are explored, reliance on coincidence to resolve conflict weakens plot. (Lukens et al 161) The use of coincidence can expand the story leads to the characters. “Please don’t kill it” (White 2) when Mr. Arable wants to kill the pig, her daughter come out and stops it. This is the first coincidence that White uses for leads out the characters, and the second coincidence White uses for leads out the characters is when Wilbur feels alone in barn, Charlotte is coming out. The use of coincidence can make people’s expectations are met.
When people read a literary work on the development of the drama of the story as well as the fate of the characters change, people tend to have certain expectations and expectations. They would expect a happy ending. The realization of these expectations, are largely relying on that use of coincidence to complete. “Furthermore, if charlotte had by incredible coincidence eventually lived as long as Wilbur, she would have defied the natural laws of a spider’s life cycle. (Lukens et al 161) White does not use coincidence of Charlotte’s death but she uses of the coincidence of Charlotte’s eggs. Use of coincidence can be implied theme, convey the author’s thoughts. Charlotte had laid the eggs at the fair before dying, this is a coincidence too. White uses this coincidence because she knows that reader will be so sad when Charlotte dies, White wants gives the reader consolation so she uses this coincidence that Charlotte’s daughter can continue the friendship Wilbur.
The other consideration about plot is sentimentality. “Charlotte’s web does not resort to sentimentality. ” (Lukens et al 161) White doesn’t want to write Charlotte sentimentality because that would be destroyed credibility. This is a book about friendship; it is about love and protection, adventure and miracle, and life and death. “Here he or she comes to know loneliness, friendship, sacrifice, tact, patience, loyalty, and maternity; negative traits as selfishness, avarice, and gluttony; and finally death and continuity. (Lukens et al 162) White does not want to win the sentimental, but would like to tell readers what is friendship, and even animal friendship. “Our response to each situation in white’s story is legitimately roused, never exaggerated or superficial, and therefore unsentimental. ”(Lukens et al 161) This tells what style of White’s writing in Charlotte’s Web. These are the three points about the notion of the plot in Charlotte’s Web. The type of plot in Charlotte’s Web is progressive plot, and the other two considerations about plot are coincidence and sentimentality.
Charlotte’s Web is an endearing and beautifully tender story about the joy, sharing, and sacrifice that is inherent in any true friendship. It is a wonderfully spun tale which mixes reality and fantasy to transport readers young and old to a world where innocence, beauty, and friendships are tested and confirmed through the characters trials on the Mr. Arables and Zuckermans farm.
Work Cited:
Lukens, Rebecca J. et al. A Critical Handbook of Children’s Literature. Boston, MA: Pearson. 2012. Print. White, E. B. Charlotte’s Web. New York: Harper Collins. 1980. Print.
