I just finished re-reading "Charlotte's Web" (fourth time now) by E. B. White and each reading reveals a remarkable depth and sophistication (although the writing is as clear as an unmuddied lake - as an azure sky sans cumuli). However, I'm not so sure this book, originally published in 1952, could be published today. We've dumbed down education (c'mon admit it) to the point so Jill and Johnny won't be too taxed (or inspired to learn more: perhaps another way one could put it). I don't mean to be cynical: but we can't be sure too much educatin' and homework won't be so stressful and harmful that the prescription drugs they take before the school day even begins won't work any longer to produce the obedient, relaxed and non- disruptive little adults the big adults need so they won't get so annoyed. But the jist of my post is best illustrated by the following excerpt from "Charlotte's Web" itself.
In the chapter entitled Loneliness, Wilbur, our porcine protagonist, prone to histrionics, doesn't seem to have a friend on the farm whose willing to have some fun and play with him. He tries several farm animals, all with their own thin excuses. Next, in an attempt to enlist one of the lambs for some play, here's the ensuing conversation:
See what I mean? I had a hard time with that myself - which required several re-readings. Of course, I'm stuffed - but I'm not making any excuses."Will you please play with me?" he asked.
"Certainly not," said the lamb. "In the first place, I cannot get into your pen, as I am not old enough to jump over the fence. In the second place, I am not interested in pigs. Pigs mean less than nothing to me."
"What do you mean less than nothing?" replied Wilbur. "I don't think there is any such thing as less than nothing. Nothing is the absolute limit of nothingness. It's the lowest you can go. It's the end of the line. How can something be less than nothing? If there were something that was less than nothing, than nothing would not be nothing, it would be something - even though it's just a very little bit of something. But if nothing is nothing, then nothing has nothing that is less than it is."
"Oh, be quiet!" said the lamb. "Go play by yourself! I don't play with pigs."
Charlotte's Web is a wonderful book that explores heady themes like friendship, loyalty, cooperation, fear, pain, disillusionment - even death - and finally, hope. It's a book to be read by children and adults. But the major book selling websites such as Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com recommend "Charlotte's Web" for the the 9-12 year old reading set; which, considering that the principal human protagonist, Fern, is eight years old, seems ludicrous. The overall sentence structure in the books itself suggests a primary adudience of 8-to-9 year olds with a healthy dosing of the 'under eight read-to-me's as well' crowd (the fact that adults enjoy reading this immensely entertaining book is testament to the power of the beautiful, yet simple and straightforward wording combined with those heady themes).
But the fact that so many academics deem the language and concepts beyond an eight or nine year old is the main reason I think that this fantastic - no, make that great - book would never see the newly-minted light of day in 2009 America. Thank goodness we will always have the consolation that "Charlotte's Web" has sold hundreds of millions of copies and will never be out of print. It has earned the title of 'best-selling children's paperback of all time.' Perhaps there's hope for the young ones afterall? As Charlotte herself might have said I don't tolerate ignorance in my own family and I certainly won't tolerate it in yours.