Appreciation on Movie Charlotte’s Web

Summary: On the small farm at the small village, what happens everyday cannot be more ordinary, until one day a kind-hearted girl saved the life of a thin pig, and then a kind-hearted spider changed the pig’s fate of being killed for pork by waving webs with letters on it? After that, even after the spider’s death, villagers also changed in a little way. They care more about others. The animals on the farm used to hate spiders so much, but now they respect and love spiders. You can make a miracle even though you are plain and ordinary. You can make others believe that you are beautiful even though you appear ugly.

It is a movie without mighty scenes or superstars. Neither does it have complex plot. But it moved me to tears. I watched it for 3 times yet still find it touching and instructive.

The movie Charlotte’s Web is based on the famous novel of the same name written by E. B. White. It is an animated cartoon with live action. The story happened on a small farm where several families lived, some cattle and poultries. The scene was picturesque and peaceful, so was the people’s life there. Fenn is a little girl. She loves animals. On a night with a sounder storm, she went out of her house and saw her father picking up a little pig. When asked why he was doing that, he said a mother pig can only feed 8 puppies at the same time, so the ninth one is thin and weak, and he wanted to abandon it. Fenn took the pig, held it in arms, and said that she would take care of the pig. She named it Welber. She sleeps with it, bath it, sing songs to it, and say goodbye to it every night. Her parents don’t agree with her about keeping a pig at house, but Fenn wouldn’t listen until it was really too big to keep at house. She agreed to keep the pig at their neighbor’s place, where many other animals lived. Sheep, cows, ducks, horse, and a snobbish, hard-hearted mouse named Templeton. At the beginning, Fenn came to see Welber everyday, told him stories and said good night to him. Later, Fenn’s mother didn’t want her to talk to a pig everyday and abandoned her to see Welber. Welber felt lonely. He said “goodnight, goodnight” sadly, hoping Fenn would come to say goodnight to him. A voice suddenly occurred “good night”. It was not Fenn. When Welber asked who was there, the voice said she would talk to him in the morning and asked him to sleep right now. Welber felt that somebody cares him and soon felt better, and then he fell asleep.

In the next morning, Welber found that it was a spider at the door who talked to him the night before. He never saw a spider before and thought the spider, whose name was Charlotte, was beautiful. The other animals said spiders are bad and would drink blood, he didn’t believe though, and made friends with Charlotte. After he had made a friend, he do not feel lonely any more, he was happy. He would play in muddy puddles. He was strange in other animals’ eyes, for he takes no responsibility. But later they found him lovely, innocent, friendly and began to like him. One day, Charlotte was talking about snow with Welber, and described how beautiful snow was. But Templeton unpurposely told Welber that he would be killed because people wanted pork. A pig burn in spring will never see the snowflakes in winter. Welber was sad and silent. This rose Charlotte’s sympathy. She said she would let Welber see the beautiful snow. But what could a small and fragile spider do to stop human’s desire? She believed that once a promise is made, it is to be kept.

One nigh when she was waving her web, she came up with an idea. She cut some lines and linked others together. She worked all night. On the web there were little drops of water shinning in the dark. In the morning people surprisingly saw the web at the door clearly said “some pig”. It attracted lots of people and was printed on the front-page of newspapers. Then Charlotte waved “terrific pig”, “radiant pig” and there came more and more people.

But people’s memories are short. When people went away, farmers were thinking again about killing Welber. Nothing would stop them unless miracle happens.

Soon there was an “animal competition”. Fenn tugged his father to let Welber take part in. Everybody knows only a first prize can guarantee Welber’s freedom from death. Charlotte insisted on coming and help, even though she was going to lay eggs. At the morning, when Welber saw the letters “humble pig” on the web, he doubted he doesn’t worth that. But Charlotte said, “I’m always telling exactly what I saw in you.” People gave Welber first prize without any doubt. When the competition holder gave Welber the prize, he said, “There are miracles in our life everyday. The web, and the letters. This is an extraordinary pig. It’s really “some pig”. Welber returned to his place only to find Charlotte lying there, pale and ashen. She laid eggs and worked all night to wave the web. She was deadly exhausted. She told Welber she’s going to die. Welber was astonished and poignant, while Charlotte said it’s just natural. Welber said it was Charlotte who was always giving and making contribution. Charlotte said she did nothing. Because of you, I became beautiful in others’ eyes. Because you are willing to be friends with me, other animals no longer find me ugly and devil.” She said goodbye. Her eyes were gentle and beautiful. You can never imagine they were eyes of a spider’s. Then, her eyes closed slowly.

When Welber got back to the farm, all of other animals cheered for his victory. But Welber was silent. Some asked where Charlotte is. They sensed something. Welber looked at the broken web on the door with faint letters on it, got on his knees and lowered his head. Other animals just followed, so did Templeton.

Welber brought her eggs back. They took turns to look after the eggs; even the hardest hearted Templeton also joined their team. The Christmas was around the corner. Fenn and her family were enjoying happy moments. Welber was welcoming the first snow in his life. Charlotte’s promise was finally kept. Next spring, little spiders came out. They sang and flied with long, thin and shinning thread hanging in the air. Everyone was thrilled. The horse used to hate spiders so much. But now, with so many little spiders on his face, he just stood still and kept telling himself that, “spiders are nice, spiders are kind, spiders won’t hurt me.” Finally they went away even though Welber tried to keep them. He looked into the sky, said sadly to her, “you can’t go. There is something I want to tell you and somebody I want to talk about.” However, three of them stayed at the door. They talked and laughed. Welber said, “It was your mother’s gate, a noble gate.”

There are all quite and peaceful country scenes in the movie, simple yet happy life, kind, sincere people and animals. But the emotion has been expressed so naturally, in a way that moved me mostly. When the animals played together, it was also very interesting and lovely.

Charlotte has gone, but she left so much. That’s really the miracle of friendship. A little creature should have such strength to make so much difference. After her death, the villagers began to care more about others. Everyone would believe spiders are beautiful, of course including me.

The theme song is called Ordinary Miracle. I love the lyric. My dear reader, I know that I haven’t have expressed successfully because of my lack of vocabulary. Hopefully the lyric can help you.

It’s not that unusual

When everything is beautiful

It’s just another ordinary miracle today

The sky knows when its time to snow

Don’t need to teach a seed to grow

It’s just another ordinary miracle today

Life is like a gift they say

Wrapped up for you everyday

Open up and find a way

To give some of your own

Isn’t it remarkable?

Like every time a rain drop falls

It’s just another ordinary miracle today

Birds and winter have their fling

But always make it home by spring

It’s just another ordinary miracle today

When you wake up everyday

Please don’t throw your dreams away

Hold them close to your heart

Cause we’re all a part of the ordinary miracle

Do you want to see a miracle?

It seems so exceptional

That things just work out after all

It’s just another ordinary miracle today

Sun comes up and shines so bright

And disappears again at night

It’s just another ordinary miracle today