"Charlotte is truly the ideal role model of unconditional love in Charlotte's Web." Do you agree with this quotation? Support your answer with close evidence from the novel.

CAE203 Introduction to Children’s Literature Essay Assignment

“Charlotte is truly the ideal role model of unconditional love in Charlotte’s Web.” Do you agree with this quotation? Support your answer with close evidence from the novel.

In fantasy like Charlotte’s Web, the animals are true to their natures, yet similar to people. They think and worry and love and hurt and laugh and needle one another as people do. In Charlotte’s Web, human truths of friendship and love are revealed. I strongly agree with the statement that Charlotte is truly the ideal role model of unconditional love and will support my stand by highlighting Charlotte’s selfless acts, contrasting her with Templeton, showing why he is the complete opposite of her, comparing her with other models of love such as Fern, Mrs. Arable and the goose and lastly, proving that Wilbur’s change is a result of her unconditional love.

We know Charlotte’s nature very well. She was Wilbur's best friend and saviour; beautiful and intelligent. As White put it, “It's not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer. Charlotte was both.” She is not only motherly, but hardworking, and her web words prove it. She is the same wise and selfless character at the end of the story that she was at the beginning, which makes her the ideal model of unconditional love.

In Wilbur’s first conversation with Charlotte, Wilbur's discovery of how Charlotte survives impedes their new friendship, “Charlotte is fierce, brutal, scheming, bloodthirsty- everything I don't like. How can I learn to like her, even though she is pretty and, of course, clever?” The friendship looked questionable. But White reassures us by saying “she has a kind heart, and she was to prove loyal to the very end.” The development of what seemed like an impossible relationship reveals and defines unconditional love.

Charlotte’s profound love for Wilbur was first demonstrated when she showed appreciation for Wilbur. Wilbur has the attitude that he is ordinary; Charlotte's point of view is that he is a very special pig- “Wilbur blushed, ‘But I'm not terrific, Charlotte. I'm just about average for a pig.’ ‘You're terrific as far as I'm concerned,’ replied Charlotte, sweetly, ‘and that's what counts. You're my best friend, and I think you're sensational.’” This clearly underlines the uniqueness of Charlotte’s love.

Charlotte has encouraged, protected, and mothered Wilbur, bargained and sacrificed for him, and Wilbur the grateful receiver, realizes that “Friendship is one of the most satisfying things in the world.” It is, essentially, her actions that prove to be a testament for her unconditional love.

In “Bad News”, when Wilbur hears he is being fattened for slaughter, he wails. However, Charlotte asserts calmly, “I am going to save you.” Charlotte is driven to save him, “...I am not going to let you die, Wilbur’” and assured that Charlotte can perform miracle, Wilbur calms down to be patient, trusting and humble.

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Moreover, to keep Wilbur from worrying, Charlotte is able make him think she is in the process of implementing a plan to save him, when in actuality, it is not yet developed- “Having promised Wilbur that she would save his life, she was determined to keep her promise...and she felt sure that if she thought long enough about Wilbur's problem, an idea would come to her mind. Finally, one morning toward the middle of July, the idea came.”

Charlotte’s selflessness- working late at night to finish a new word, expending her last energies for her friend- is evidence of her unconditional love, once again. In addition, her congratulatory words in Charlotte’s web make Wilbur an exemplary pig; he decides that if he is called “radiant”, he must act radiant, and in his way he becomes radiant. Within the web of the title, Charlotte contrives a publicity stunt to ensure the survival of Wilbur. By advertising his noble qualities, she turns him into a celebrity and Wilbur and the farm flourish in the ensuing fame at the County Fair.

Wilbur’s innocence and dependence on Charlotte are clear when he pleads for a story or a song, for a last bedtime bite, a last drink of milk, and calls out the series of quite goodnights to Charlotte. The motherly and loving Charlotte sacrifices her sleep; telling Wilbur to, “Go along to bed… Sleep is important.” She also sings him a lullaby when he asked.

Most importantly, Charlotte does not expect anything in return for all the sacrifices she has made. She explains to Charlotte, “You have been my friend… That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what’s a life anyway?” Her humble response to her noble acts demonstrates unconditional love.

While she accepts the inevitability of death, she does not accept the prospect of passive waiting. Charlotte chooses instead to fill her days with order and purpose. Charlotte wants to become more than a spider; she is also concerned with saving the lives of her loved ones. Despite making a commitment to save Wilbur's life, she has a responsibility to save her strength for her future children.

In stark contrast to Charlotte is Templeton. Although he is an agent of salvation for Charlotte, Wilbur and the eggs, his self-interest lies in Wilbur’s feeding trough. He is cynical and callous- “Let him die. I should worry.” He is surly, sneaky, and ill-tempered, pleased at other’s discomfort. He is self-centred and gluttonous, going to the Fair only to scavenge in the garbage and litter.

Accompanying his actions are his predictable sarcasm and ill-tempered outbursts as he grips to Wilbur is sneering tones. He crawls into Wilbur’s crate as a stowaway and grumbles, “Kindly remember that I’m hiding down here in this crate and I don’t want to be stepped on, or kicked in the face, or pummelled, or crushed in any way, or squashed, or buffeted about, or bruised, or lacerated, or scarred, or biffed. Just watch what you’re doing, Mr. Radiant.”

Templeton boasts about every grudging action and every carefully bought favour; he even pretends his motives are kind when he bites Wilbur’s tail or saves the rotten egg. Complaining, “What do you think I am, anyway, a rat-of-all-work?” Templeton resentfully orders the directors’ meeting to break up because meetings bore him. He grumbles at his commission- finding words for the web; he is not spending all his time rushing over to the dump after “advertising material.” He characterizes himself by what he says, showing himself to be cynical and selfish, resenting any intrusion on his own pursuits.

The animals carefully watch his furtive actions since they neither like nor thrust Templeton. The old sheep enlists Templeton’s help in finding words, saying that the rat can be persuaded only by appeals to his “baser instincts, of which he has plenty.” The goose also indicated that the rat “had no morals, no conscience, no scruples, no consideration, no higher feeling, no friendliness, no anything.” Comparing Charlotte to Templeton, we can immediately brand Templeton as devoid of love.

We can also compare Charlotte with other models of love such as Fern, Mrs. Arable and the goose, of whom can be said to possess motherly love- Fern to Wilbur, Mrs. Arable to Fern and the goose to her goslings.

Fern is sweet-natured with a strong sense of justice. She is Wilbur's special friend. She has the same appreciation of Wilbur as Charlotte- “Fern couldn’t take her eyes off the tiny pig. ‘Oh,’ she whispered. ‘Oh, look at him! He’s absolutely perfect.’” She is outraged and is out of control when she hears her father is going to kill the runt, “‘Control myself,’ yelled Fern. ‘This is a matter of life and death, and you talk about controlling myself’” Wilbur, the runt of the litter, owes his life to the intervention of Fern. Eager to protect Wilbur, she questioned, “If I had been very small at birth, would you have killed me?” After saving Wilbur, she passionately cherished him with bottle and doll’s pram. When he is weaned and transferred to the barn, Fern’s tender vigilance follows along as well. Although she had an intense love for Wilbur that absorbs her for a time, we find that later on, in the story, she has other preoccupations. She loves the Ferris wheel and the freedom of the Fair and roams the Fair with a boy she befriends- Avery.

Mrs. Arable is a loving and protective mother. She is concerned with what she perceives as Fern's lack of emotional growth. Her concern and love for fern is seen when she sees Dr. Dorian in her eagerness to help her daughter. The goose, on the contrary, is portrayed as excitable, gossipy and friendly. She was another mother-figure, but did not show love in the way the others did. When she gives birth to her goslings, she said, “Luck had nothing to do with this, said the goose. It was good management and hard work.” From these three models, we can clearly state for a fact that Charlotte has shown an impeccable amount of love, incomparable to any of them.

Finally, Wilbur’s change in character in the novel will conclude in supporting my argument that Charlotte is seen as the ideal model for unconditional love. Not only does Charlotte help Wilbur live, she helps him to emotionally grow up and influences Wilbur to be selfless as well.

Throughout the story, Wilbur's first concern is for his comfort and safety. Tiny, dependent Wilbur has almost no life of his own at the opening, except to amuse himself like a toddler, finding the mud moist and warm and pleasantly oozy. When he goes to live in the barn, he is bored, unable to dream up anything exciting to do. After Wilbur makes a friend, life becomes more exciting and he becomes confident enough to try spinning a web. Cheerfully, he tries and fails and humbly admits that Charlotte is brighter and more clever. When faced with the fact that he might lose his life, he cries out, “I don’t want to die! Save me, somebody! Save me!”

With Charlotte’s help, Wilbur changes. The experience of receiving selfless friendship makes him able to give selfless friendship. Slowly, as we watch this change occurring, Wilbur is altered by his part in the action, by his receiving so much. Now he is the same Wilbur, and yet, no the same. To his early qualities of humility and naiveté are added dependability and steadfastness, sacrifice and purpose. Even Wilbur’s vocabulary matures. When first he hears the bad news, he is a panicky child- “I can’t be quiet,” screamed Wilbur, racing up and down. “I don’t want to die, Is it true… Charlotte? Is it true they are going to kill me when the cold weather comes?”

By the end of a summer of maturing, Wilbur responds to news that his dearest friend will die, and he knows that he must save the egg sac. His vocabulary changed to adult words, and his tone changed to a reasonable persuasion- “Listen to me! ...Charlotte… has only a short time to live. She cannot accompany us home, because of her condition. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary that I take her egg sac with me. I can’t reach it, and I can’t climb. You are the only one that can get it. There’s not a second to be lost… Please, please, please, Templeton, climb up and get the egg sac.”

Wilbur does not scream; he uses “please” liberally. His desperation does not arise from his own need, but from the need of another. Charlotte had once said to the screaming Wilbur that he was carrying on childishly; the new Wilbur tells Templeton to “stop acting like a spoilt child.” Wilbur, who once planned his day around his slops, can now, out of deep concern for Charlotte, promise solemnly the Templeton may eat first and take his choice of all the goodies in the trough. His motive for action is selfless concern.

Happy and confident, he honestly admires Charlotte’s peach-coloured egg sac and gazes lovingly into the faces of the crowd. He looks both grateful and humble. During winter Wilbur warms the egg sac with his breath in the cold barn. By the end of the story, it is Wilbur who offers the first mature greeting, a cheerful Hello! for the baby spiders. The change is significant and it occurs slowly. Little by little events have moulded a self-centred child into responsible maturity.

Wilbur’s protection of Charlotte’s egg sac, his sacrifice of first turn at the slops, and his devotion to Charlotte’s babies- giving without any need to stay even or to pay back shows us that true love is reciprocal. Charlotte’s unconditional love has touched Wilbur so much so that he possesses this quality of love as well. We read, “Wilbur never forgot Charlotte. Although he loved her children and grandchildren dearly, none of the new spiders ever quite took her place in his heart" and this is an indication of real, unconditional love that is irreplaceable.

Comparing and contrasting Charlotte with the other characters in Charlotte’s Web has shown that the degree of Charlotte’s love is incomparable and irreplaceable. She is indeed the ideal role model of unconditional love.