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Essay / Didacticism and teaching of animal literature and Charlotte's Web
Since the birth of Aesop's Fables, born more than two thousand years ago, "animal literature" has been used as an educational tool. That is, when a certain piece of literature centers around an animal, there is usually some moral, emotional, or ethical lesson to be learned. The method varies, as sometimes the animal exists realistically and other times the animal is anthropomorphic and teaches directly through words. Using animals as a teaching tool is necessary in many ways, because they act as symbols and totems for our actual moral values and teach them in a way that human characters could not. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get the original essay In Charlotte's Web, the titular Charlotte is a spider who uses her knowledge of the world to help Wilbur the Pig throughout his life (and sometimes, save it). Her position as a motherly, knowledgeable figure, however, is different from many other animal stories: she does not teach through her experiences in the novel but rather directly through words. She already has the knowledge to help Wilbur and talk about the complexities of life. She acts as his first true companion and teaches him about the life and nature of spiders, as only a spider can, in addition to establishing his credibility and intelligence. She said, “I must say what is true. I'm not entirely happy with my diet of flies and insects, but that's what I'm made of... Thousands and thousands of years ago, we spiders laid eggs for flies and insects” (White 39). Her use of “we” to refer to the spider family indicates the close relationship she has with her people. This makes Charlotte a trustworthy teacher and a member of the spider species, especially since the first thing she says is "I must say what is true", directly telling us that what she says is credible. Charlotte's position as a reliable and friendly character is a necessary framework for her later teachings, as we now know that her later philosophical statements are based on intelligent background. A reader, especially a younger one in this novel's target audience, would likely be impressed by the intelligence Charlotte displays given her lifestyle habits and would be interested in her ideas later. Charlotte also asserts her intelligence by saying, “I live by my mind. I must be sharp and intelligent, lest I go hungry” (40). We learn that, by her very nature, Charlotte is a witty character, capable of making claims that can be believed or at least considered true. Her subsequent explanation of how her eating habits help save the world around her from being infested with insects (40), as well as her later mention of the activities at Queensborough Bridge (60), reinforce the fact that Charlotte has a strong world experience and knowledge that extends far and wide. beyond the limited domain of the barn in which she lives. When Wilbur announces that he is to be killed for Christmas meat, the ensuing panic leads him to call his only close friend for help. It is of course not possible for a human to replace an animal in this position; only an animal can help him since humans (who are his enemies at this point) are there together to make him eat. Only Fern, the girl, can be considered an ally, but she transcends the human group because she can speak to animals, and is therefore from the startthe only human who does not side with their reasoning or their desires. For the second time in the novel, Wilbur must now be saved. Both times he is saved by a transcendent figure: Fern, the girl who can talk to animals, and now Charlotte, the animal who can communicate with humans through writing on the web (80). The animals' discussions parallel human concerns and desires, so When Charlotte talks to Wilbur about something, the reader can understand it as the solution to the problems man poses for animals, and therefore the solution on how to act with them.them. She later said of Templeton's possible reluctance to help save Wilbur: "I'm not sure Templeton will be willing to help. You know how he is: he always looks out for himself, without ever thinking about others” (89). In saying this, Charlotte recognized several things at once. On the one hand, she alludes to her own altruism in helping Wilbur, that is, "thinking of the other", but also to Templeton the rat who did not do it. Here she criticizes people who do not take into account the desires of “others” (animals) and act selfishly. She further criticizes humans in other areas, for example by objecting to the nature of their busy, hectic lives (60). Again, a reader may be inclined to see Charlotte's opinions on people as a reflection of someone who has experienced the situation that way: someone who lives day after day in a hurry, or with inconsiderate people, would certainly have a more informed vision. opinions on these questions. A spider, which lives calmly and outside of hectic human life, offers a view outside the realm of human existence that allows us to reflect on ourselves and question our own lives. Charlotte's comment could only have been made by a country animal outside of hectic and inconsiderate human life. Additionally, Charlotte has strong opinions on the concepts of life and death. His opinions are quite philosophical; at one point she says "after all, what is a life anyway?" We are born, we live a little, we die. A spider's life can't help but be a disaster, with everything trapping and eating flies. By helping you, maybe I was trying to make my life a little better. God knows everyone’s life can handle a little of that” (164). Charlotte's vast knowledge and intelligent mind are less important than the friendship she has with a pig. Charlotte says that camaraderie and friendship are the most important things to cherish instead of intelligence or other efforts. As an animal with a short life and repetitive lifestyle, the friendship she has with Wilbur is the most important thing to her. So, in our short lives (according to Charlotte, the length of any life is just "a little"), it is very important to find friends with whom to spend the life we have. Wilbur then follows this advice and quickly becomes friends with three of Charlotte's daughters after her death (182). Although it may seem counterintuitive to rely on a spider's advice to answer profound questions like "What is most important in my life?" ”, he does in this case, it makes sense. Charlotte's range of experience is immense, in a way, but her existence is short and limited only to the barn in which she lives. For many of us, we have a wealth of knowledge that extends far beyond where we live, but we do not have the opportunity to experience the full extent of that knowledge. Charlotte says: “Do you know how long it took the men to build [the Queensborough Bridge]? Eight years..