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Power Of Language In Charlotte's Web

1616 Words7 Pages
In the novel “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White, Wilbur is saved by a spider named Charlotte who unconventionally spins words in her web to help save Wilbur from the frightening reality of becoming dinner someday. Wilbur’s life is saved through the power of language of two female figures, first Fern and then Charlotte. Fern, who becomes a mother figure to Wilbur uses the power of language to persuade her father into not killing him. Fern uses the power of language to both resist the normative power and destroy inadequacy when she persuades her father to not kill a runty piglet who was just born, and again when she gives Wilbur his name. Fern is constructed first as a strong female character who resists the norms of her society, however, after saving and mothering Wilbur she begins to conform to norms such as gaining an interest in boys, which contradicts her earlier characterization, and now characterizes her as a motherly, feminine figure. Charlotte who also saves Wilbur’s life through the power of language resists the norms of killing animals for food and destroys Wilbur’s inadequacy. Charlotte is characterized as a selfless motherly figure because she nobly works hard to destroy Wilbur’s inadequacy and succeeds but gets no recognition. However, Wilbur is the complete opposite of Charlotte. Wilbur is first characterized as a needy, immature and selfish child. However, his characterization develops when Charlotte passes away as Wilbur matures and devotes his time to care for
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