Everything Is Connected

Charlotte’s Web – page 75 – Templeton is connected to Wilbur.

            “Then he remembered that the rat had been useful in saving Charlotte’s life, and that Charlotte was trying to save his life”. This is Wilbur’s train of though as he is eating his lunch. Templeton, Charlotte, Wilbur; all while eating food which is necessary to survive. Templeton is always doing chores for charlotte and I always wonder why, but then I always remind myself that Templeton needs Wilbur to survive. If Wilbur’s gone, then Wilbur’s food is gone. Templeton wouldn’t have much to eat.

            Templeton isn’t a good rat. He never looks out for anyone but himself, he’s lazy, and he is kind of creepy. The thing that intrigues me the most, however, is that he never admits he’s wrong. He may agree with the opposite ideas, but he won’t expose himself to the weakness that being wrong brings.

            Being a rat, I guess he decides to do whats right a little cleverer then average. He indirectly helps Wilbur by helping Charlotte, and in the long run, helps himself. This is what I mean; everything Templeton does is connected to whatever Charlotte does which affects what Wilbur does. It goes past that too, Wilbur to Fern, Fern to her mother, her mother to her father, on and on and on.

            It is mind blowing to think about how almost everything you do is connecting to something else. For example you could really hate this blog, and not continue reading it, and in doing so find some other, better blog and read that or you could really love this blog, become obsessed, never do anything else but read it, and eventually lose all sleep.

            This stretches from the confines of the book, where every character intertwines, to what you do with your day, to how that affects others. There really isn’t an end to it, which is what makes it so interesting! And even when it ends, it always connects back to the beginning.

            After Wilbur says “Then he remembered that the rat had been useful in saving Charlotte’s life, and that Charlotte was trying to save his life” he says “so he left the whole noodle instead of half”. This is actually really sad. Wilbur was only thinking about one point, but he didn’t realize how much Templeton was doing for him. It’s really an unjust reward, a noodle. Yet, the sad thing is, is that most of us never get recognition, let alone a reward for the good (or bad) effects we have on people’s life and world. Don’t we deserve more?

            I know that through out the book, Templeton helps Charlotte save Wilbur, and is always complaining about it. Yet, you have to think about it, he must feel very under-appreciated. All anyone ever talks about him, is what a horrible rat he is, when in truth, he is a helpful one. I think Templeton learned that you can look out for yourself, and help others at the same time. It’s a little over done, but I think it’s a really important balance to strike and understand, and Templeton has achieved that.