Fern Arable, a character in the book Charlotte's Web, was a young girl that, I feel, is very similar to the way I was as a young girl. One of the greatest joys of reading a book is to be able to feel that one is walking in the shoes of one of the story's characters. In many ways Fern and I are chums, kindred spirits if you will. You see, we have many things in common. Both Fern and I grew up in a family that raised animals and we both loved many of the same things: sitting quietly, watching the ones we love, swinging on large swings, going to the fair, caring for baby dolls, blueberry pie, and raising animals. One of the most striking similarities is that we both had imaginary conversations with animals, although, who is to say that they were imaginary? Yes, in many ways Fern and I are like two peas in a pod and I believe that if we had been next door neighbors as young girls we would have been the best of friends. Therefore, to understand Fern better, perhaps it would be helpful to compare Fern's girlhood and my own childhood and to think about how I acted similarly or differently as a child. I would encourage my reader to do likewise with their own childhood.
A girl of many strong emotions, Fern is like a mother hen when it comes to the ones she loves. She protects them with “ruffled feathers” and a fierceness that even a strong farmer cannot stand up against. Her father certainly was not able to when it came to ridding the farm of one particular runt pig. When told that a tiny baby pig would be killed because of the labor required to care for him, she not only defended him but took him under her own “wing” and cared for him. She thought long and hard about what would be an appropriate name for such an endearing creature. Once she had thought of the right name, Wilbur, the name was quick to come from her mouth. She even allowed it to slip out instead of the proper answer when asked a question by her teacher in school, Oh, if only I didn't relate to Fern quite so closely when it comes to what we allow out of our mouths. I, like her, have been accused of what is commonly known as a Freudian slip, meaning that although one means to answer one thing something else comes forth because that second thing was what was really in the forefront of the speakers mind.
When separated from her little darling she thought about him without ceasing. When with her adored pet she treated him, along with her dollies, like the Queen of Sheba, rolling them in her little pram around the country side. There are many aspects of Fern's love for animals that a reader can relate to. Like Fern, once an animal became dear to me as it could often be found amongst my baby dolls. It was not an unusual things for my parents to find me holding a kitten dressed in some of my most precious dolly clothes. For example there was the cat Peanut that got dressed up in baby pajamas and carried on his back every where that I was allowed to take him. I was also known to spend excessive amounts of time with a particular animal such as the dog that, beginning at the crack of dawn, I played with and trained for hours. Also, there was the parakeet, Perry, that sat on my shoulder singing with me for hours as I practiced my piano and harp lessons. There were other examples of unusual fondness for animals in my child hood. For example the the lizard that was snatched from a cat and became an aquarium friend for over a year or the many frogs that made their way into the aquarium. Between the cats and dogs and the wild animals that became little pets there were also the farm animals. There were the horses and the sheep. The horses were ridden quite often in the summer time. The sheep were never ridden on purpose but sometimes found themselves underneath a human body when in the process of being rounded up.
Perhaps if I looked into the life of Fern Arable beyond the limits of Charlotte's Web using my imagination I might find that she had many animals and that she loved many things about the farm and the animals raised there. Perhaps there were more pigs raised in the future by this sensitive young girl or perhaps the next year she raised a sheep or a cow. That is the beauty of a fictional character, I am able to imagine what the character's life is like outside the boundaries of the book. For example, I can imagine that Fern may have had some of the pets that I had as a young girl. Or perhaps I can dream about her having some of the pets I would have liked to have owned myself. These are simply examples of where one's imagination can go when given the launching pad of a good book.
One of the admirable qualities in Fern is her peacefulness. Although she enjoys the company of other children her true delight was to sit quietly among the animals and to use her imagination with them. She even went as far as to watch Wilbur when he did nothing more than sleep. It seems that she had a very mature side in a way. Although she enjoyed romping and playing with her brother, such as when they swung on the swing at the Zuckerman farm, she didn't need to have constant activity and to be entertained. My quiet time consisted of less time in a barnyard and more time in the woods. I could often be found in my old dress up clothes making grand adventures inside my head while sitting silently on an old stump or laying beside my old faithful dog amidst a grassy meadow.
This is, in large, because there are many seasons and stages in childhood and what may have been true when I was eight may not have been true when I was nine. For my own childhood it is truly hard to say whether I was peaceful or not. There were stages when I preferred to be alone quietly but there were other stages where all I wanted was to be active and surrounded by friends.
As the story progresses Fern is less interested in Wilbur and more interested in other children, specifically a boy named Henry Huffy. When Fern went to the fair she could be found, for much of her time there, with Henry. They rode the ferris wheel together and could be found holding hands amidst the hub of the midway. Like Fern, I also began to change in my tastes in companionship. I had many friends, particularly in my mid teens when I became interested in acting and made many close friends by participating in dramas together. For Fern there was Henry, for me there was a variety of good friends.
The fact that Fern was less interested in the pig must have come as quite a relief to Mrs. Arable who had been quite worried about her daughter. However, it is doubtful that there was any reason to worry about her. For Fern being a part of the every day life of the Zuckerman's barn cellar was what she wanted to do and was a natural part of her childhood. At first I felt sad that Fern no longer had an interest in Wilbur like she did at the beginning of the book. However I know that for my own childhood nothing could last forever. No animal, no matter how dear, was ever the center of attention forever. There comes a time in a child's life where the things that once were so important lose their appeal and new activities are at hand.
In reading “Charlotte's Web” we are introduced to many characters and although there are many eyes that the reader sees through, the reader originally sees through the eyes of Fern Arable. As a reader one knows what Fern is feeling and sees her inner thoughts as she saves Wilbur's life. It is only after she has raised him and he is able to feed and take care of himself that we see through the eyes of Wilbur himself. At the end of the book Fern no longer takes such an interest in Wilbur and the farm animals but by saving Wilbur's life her mark has been left forever. Fern Arable, a remarkable character, is one with whom many little children, including myself when I was a small girl, can relate to. She has a love for and a tenderness towards animals, she has a strong will and a way of getting what she wants, she also has a good imagination and a quiet, peaceful personality. Yes, I believe that Fern and I would make good friends. I hope that my reader can also relate to this amazing yet quiet character.
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