Growing Up in Charlotte's Web

Annotations from page 9, 15, 49, 156, 173

            Throughout Charlotte’s Web, Fern grows up.  In the beginning Fern saves Wilbur’s life.  Fern convinces her dad not to kill Wilbur just because he is a runt.  She takes care of him even feeding him with a bottle.  She treats him as if he were her baby and as time passes during the story she becomes less of a mother to Wilbur and more like a girl of her age.  In the beginning she treats Wilbur as her baby doll and as girls grow up they lose interest in dolls.  At the fair she wants to be with Henry Fussy instead of being with Wilbur as he gets his appreciation medal.   A few weeks after the fair, all she could think about was being at the top of the Ferris wheel with Henry Fussy. 

            Throughout the book E.B. White tries to teach the reader lessons.  Some lessons are harder to find than others.  One of those lessons is that people and animals grow up.  I think that it is natural that Fern grew up and spent less time with Wilbur.  When Mrs. Arable goes to see Dr. Dorian it shows that Mrs. Arable cares for Fern and sets an example for Fern.  Taking care of Wilbur will teach Fern the responsibility of being a parent.  Wilbur also shows signs of growing up.  In the beginning when Fern wasn’t there to take care of him he adapted to Charlotte being his mother. In the end when Fern wasn’t there at all and Charlotte was dying Wilbur grew up and took care of Charlotte’s egg sac.  When the eggs hatched he took care of the babies and replaced the attention he used to get from Fern with the attention he gave to Charlotte’s babies.  When most of them flew away he didn’t understand why but because he had matured he didn’t cry.  Growing up happens to all living things, it is best to accept the fact, learn from those who took care of us and try to be the best mature person you can.