Archetypes Post

     I think Charlotte is a mentor archetype.Charlotte shows all the signs of being the mentor archetype. the mentor archetype is  someone who assists the hero in some way, and symbolizes wisdom, knowledge, and experience.
     Charlotte obviously helps wilbur, in several ways. most clearly she helps him by saving his life. She spins webs that say how cool he is, and the farmers see it and decide not to kill him because they think its a miracle. But she also helps him mature as a person. she is there to guide him toward the more grown up path, like when she calms wilbur when he is freaking out about the idea of him dying.
     Charlotte symbolizes wisdom, experience and knowledge. she symbolizes wisdom by always being wise, calm, and collected. even when she knows she will die, she is calm and accepting. she symbolizes experience by the fact that she knows more about things then wilbur, because she is experienced. she symbolizes knowledge by knowing so much and so many little facts, from leg sections on a spider to the queensborough bridge.
     she can be called a hero archetype as well, but i think charlotte is more a mentor then a hero. she acts that way in order to teach wilbur how to be the hero, and towards the end wilbur acts more heroic.

Connecting Annotations Response

     I've noticed that all the characters are very un-caring about death. They tend to be very blunt when saying they, or someone else is about to die.
     Like when the old sheep walks up to Wilbur and tells him he will be turned in to pork. he does not care that Wilbur will be very hurt. he is just telling Wilbur how it is. they tell the truth without worrying about other's feelings. like when charlotte says to wilbur she's about to die, very calmly. and when the goose accepts the fact that his egg is dead.
     I think E.b. White is telling us that what comes comes and we must except it. Death is a part of the world, just like everything else. In fact a lot of the story is Wilbur learning to cope with what comes. In the end he excepts Charlotte's death, and the circle of life continues in Charlotte's children.

Charlottes web response.

 

"I just realized that there are no evil characters in this book."

     There are no evil characters in this book. For instance the Zuckermans are going to kill Wilbur. but they're portrayed as a nice family. Mr Zuckerman is a decent, jolly man. Mrs Zuckerman is a kind, mother-like woman. the Arable parents, who sold wilbur off in full knowledge that he would eventually be killed, are even nicer. Mr Arable is very patient and wise. Mrs Arable is caring and a little overbearing, but not evil.

     Templeton is the most evil character. he is cruel and greedy and uncaring. but he doesn't directly do anything bad to the protagonist, Wilbur. In fact he helps save his life several times. In most other books he would be the antagonist and would do everything he can to hurt Wilbur. But E.B. White made him just another character, and even like able because of his extreme evilness. He is so irritable, and uncaring of others, its funny.

     There isn't really any antagonist, either. what they're protecting Wilbur against is the fact he will be killed for ham around christmas, not really any person. just an idea. Mr Zuckerman is the one who'll do the deed, but he is not really that connected to it in the book.

     Maybe E.B. White is saying that everyone has a role in life. The Zuckermans are people who kill pigs, among other things. that is how they live. it's not evil what they do, just a way of life. The Arables sell pigs. it's what they do. everything and everybody have a role in the circle of life.