Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Some thoughts throughout my reading: 

https://soundcloud.com/alexakinney16/

Characters and their Archetypes
-Uncle Vernon-Bully
-Aunt Petunia-Bully
-Dudley-Bully
-Harry Potter-Main hero
-Dumbledore-Mentor
-Professor McGonagall-Mentor
-Hagrid-Mentor
-Professor Quirrell-Villian
-Draco Malfoy-Villian
-Ron Weasley-Companion, hero
-Fred Weasley-Companion
-George Weasley-Companion
-Percy Weasley
-Mrs. Weasley-Motherly figure
-Hermione Granger-Companion, hero
-Neville Longbottom-Supportive friend, companion
-Professor Snape-Initially thought of as villian, proved not to be
-Voldemort-Villian

Found Poem

Do tears not yet spilled wait in
small lakes?

All my missing
gets jumbled up
inside of
me.

Every word is a doorway
something you
could fall
right up
into
a meeting,
one often cancelled.

A dream never flies away
but it can be destroyed
or eaten,
are they invisible rivers
that run
towards sadness?

This Same Sky

Through the reading of this collection of poems I have learned that there is no one way to write a poem, poems can be written about anything and poetry has the ability to convey emotion that no other form of writing possesses.

The Meaning of Simplicity
I found this poem to be rather poignant, leaving me with much to think about. I really loved the lines "Every word is a doorway to a meeting, one often cancelled, and that's when a word is true: when it insists on the meeting." It is truly beautiful, something that needs to read out loud, and I am still at this point trying to make sense of it all. To me it means that words invite the opportunity to be discussed and lingered on. Words should be spoken about and appreciated in ways that they currently are not. That, after all, is what we are supposed to do when we read poetry: be with the words. This poem gave me a lens to read the rest of the poems with; an eye for a meeting with a word. 

The Question Mark
This poem is simple yet intriguing. I have never questioned the idea of a question mark, but this poet evoked that questioning. The question mark is personified through these words, leaving the reader to empathize with it. This would be a fun poem to use with students because it makes them really think about small things, and may inspire some poems of a similar idea: writing about a period, a letter, a number. Questions to me can be stressful because they are the unknown. Unknown things, questions, lead me to wonder and hope and dream, all things a poet should do. 

Monkeys
I love the view evoked in this poem; that who are we to decide monkeys don't talk because we can't understand them. The reverse of that is introduced, when speaking about how the monkeys are probably unaware of what we are saying, and may feel similarly. This poem is useful to really delve into the idea of questioning the status quo. Why is it that cars drive on the right side of the street? Why can't we understand other animals? There are so many questions that could be asked and pondered in the form of poetry. I think this author is trying to get readers to understand that our perspective isn't the only one, and we need to consider others. This widened perspective helps us to be more understanding people.

"A dream never flies away but it can be destroyed or eaten."
This is just one line of the poem Why There Are No Cats  in the Forest, but it was the line that stuck out to be the most. I looked at it in isolation and at first thought of it as a negative thing, looking at the words eaten and destroyed. Upon second look I found the positive, dreams are not something that just become out of our reach suddenly, we have to work at not accomplishing them. It is a line that inspires me to think more about how my dreams aren't just leaving me beyond my control. 

The Sky is Vast
I was drawn to this poem because it appears to me like a small story. But this poem does not just detail the events of the tiny cloud, but helps readers to learn a lesson. When reading this poem I learn the lesson of "two is better than one", or something along those lines. Alone, the tiny cloud is scared, but when merged with it's mother it is happy and safe. Merging together with others can help you to be strong and beat even the hardest tasks. This poem allows this message to be conveyed in a very lovely and lighthearted way. 

Under This Sky
I love this poem because it is comparing two very different places to one another, yet showing how similar they can be. They might have their intense differences but life and love and dreams can be found in both of them. Despite how different people may think they are from others, there is truly not that much difference in life. We may have "fancier" things or "nicer" things, but when it comes down to it at the end of the day we are all people who are longing for the same thing in life: love. 

Locomotion, Part 2

Characters

Lonnie
-fighter
-thinker
-dreamer
-a great older brother
-strong
-smart
-lover
-sympathetic
-scared but hiding it

Lili
-young
-scared
-hopeful
-quiet
-caring
-naive

Miss Edna
-caring
-tough, yet gentle
-sign of hope

My Thoughts

I am not someone who generally reads poetry, and I do not necessarily go out of my way to read it. Throughout my childhood I had the picture of poetry as always having to rhyme, Dr. Seuss and nursery rhymes seemed to sum it up for me. Writing poetry was far from enjoyable, because finding the rhymes were just too hard. As I got older, I realized that rhyming wasn't as important, but reading poetry was not an exciting activity because it involved figuring out a meaning that a teacher had pre-determined. Throughout the past year I have come to feel differently, realizing that there is no one way to read or write poetry. I find this book to perpetuate this feeling, as poems are written for a variety of reasons and in a variety of forms. I think that giving this book to students who are having difficulty with poetry could be inspiring. It could also be used for students who are going through difficult times, like Locomotion, as a form of therapy.

This book displayed so many incredible emotions through the eyes of a child. Emotions, I surely have never truly experienced. It was amazing how these were all portrayed through poetry, and it seems that the poems even made the reading a more emotional experience. I was immediately hooked, and trying to figure out what plagued the life of Lonnie. Through their brief introductions, I was able to learn an incredible amount about Miss Edna and Lili. I was visualizing them in my mind, this kind but tough older woman, and this timid little girl. While Lonnie's teacher is only described briefly, it is easy to deduce that she is one of his biggest cheerleaders, giving him the opportunity to express himself in a way he never thought possible. Despite all of his hardships, Lonnie is able to see the bright light in the future, through his poems.

Locomotion

Locomotion

Change in life,
Not sure what to do,
Where is everyone?
Are they going to come back?

Someone new,
Somewhere new,
She may be nice,
but he I am alone.

Where is Lili?
Will we ever be together?
Wondering,
wishing,
hoping,
waiting,
but most of all,
praying.

Mama,
I miss you,
Daddy,
Where are you?
Smoke,
burning,
so much light,
but mostly

Darkness.

Find the light,
find the hope

Poetry.

Love,
light,
LaTenya.

Someday,
I'll finally find
a home.

House of the Scorpion!

Here are my thoughts on this weeks book via video:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7u1771qgsdakb3q/Video%20Apr%2008%2C%205%2038%2026%20PM.mov

Chains

While reading this text I made a lot of connections to texts I read as a child. One of these texts is the American Girls series about Addy. Addy is also a young slave who is trying to get to freedom. She is trying to protect her siblings, but unlike Isabel, Addy's mom is still alive, but they both have in common that they had to leave their fathers behind after being sold. Addy is luckily able to reunite with her family at some point, while at this point Isabel's reunion with Ruth has not transpired.

As a child I attended events around these books and this character, and was able to relate to Isabel at one point because, I too, had made a cornhusk doll. It is absolutely heartbreaking when she loses Ruth's doll, and she describes it as if she's lost everything. Even though it seems small to us, to her it was all she had. I wonder if this is how people who were affected by Hurricane Sandy felt.



There are many quotes throughout this text that really struck me. Here are a few:

I can't imagine what it would feel like to be sold, and it is upsetting to here it described as feeling like a chipped bowl. It makes me feel some of the pain Isabel must have felt, but of course I can never know what it would feel like to be sold. The way Isabel describes her feelings gives the reader a sense of what it might be like to be a slave. The description of her feelings shows the strong person she is, but also her moments of weakness. She is seen as someone we can relate to, as she is not just strong but human. 

Isabel's faith in God allows her to keep going when times are tough. This shows the importance of religion in her life.

Isabel continues to reveal her feelings in many ways.

I once again, cannot imagine what it must feel like to lose your mother and be sold around to different people. She is continuously lied to and things are taken away from her. As she leaves she grabs seeds of her mothers, in hopes to keep something of her mothers. This shows that Isabel is hopeful and has great ties to her family.

Things I was thinking:

Martin's Big Words

One of the coolest and most interesting facets of this text are the pictures. They offer a unique view of the subject and enhance understanding of the book.

The pictures, while they are not real, they look very realistic. They give the reader the sense that they are actually a part of the book. The spirituality that surrounded Martin Luther King Jr. is present throughout the book. In the front and the back of the book are double pages of stained glass windows which reflect Martin's minister background. He is also pictured at the pulpit preaching as an adult, and reading the bible as a child. The white only water fountain pictured below in conjunction with the quote "You are as good as anyone" allows readers to evoke feelings about this subject.






As mentioned above there are also quotes on most pages that are from either Martin or sometimes his mother. This text is obvious not fiction, but the narrative style of writing allows it more accessible to the reader. It provides the information in a succinct way which allows the reader to learn without being overwhelmed.

This text is perfect for students in the intermediate grades because it allows them to learn while being exposed to a story. By using this in the classroom students can be shown that it is okay to read picture books even as an older child. It will make these types of texts accessible, and show students below grade level that it is possible to read interesting nonfiction texts at their level.

In addition to the interesting facts in the story, there is a timeline at the end as well as additional resources to look into on the topic. These text resources allow students to learn more about the topic and further their learning.

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key

As I began reading this book I immediately started to make connections to people I know and students I might have had in my class. I noticed how I kept making these connections, and also how I kept feeling as if a child was talking to me, since Gantos' writes just like I imagine a child with ADHD thinks. I kept seeing the same types of ideas pop up, so I made a wordle of some of the more popular ones.

Obviously, I made a lot of connections to the text, as that word appeared the  most times in my list. I think this is because, as a teacher, I have seen many students with hyperactivity and attention issues. I recognize the pain I've seen in them, in Joey. Throughout most of the beginning of the book I resented Mrs. Maxy because it seemed as if she did not understand Joey and how to help him. This is very possible, and is very realistic because many teachers are not sure what to with students who have ADHD. I don't think she entirely changed her ways, but became more compassionate towards Joey as the book went on. She still isn't sure how to deal with him, but she sees that he truly is a good kid who deserves her attention and love.

Another thing I struggled with, as a teacher, was how Joey just seemed to be shuffled around, with no one becoming truly accountable for him. Of course, this was told through the eyes of a child so I am not sure how  true his account is, but as a reader I really feel for Joey because he is just being put in one room after another, and even moved to another school. It does not seem as if Joey has any friends either, or at least other kids that he relates to. Despite his attention and hyperactivity issues, Joey is a very perceptive child. At one point he says, "And he was good for it too because he wasn't on free breakfast and free lunch, so I knew he had food money on him." (pg. 33) Joey is very aware of the economic disconnect between him and many others at his school, and he is also aware of how different his home life is.

As I read I constantly was aware of Joey's home life and asked a lot of questions like: Where is mom? What happened to grandma? Why did mom suddenly come back? Where is dad? Why are mom and dad no longer together? Why did grandma leave? Many of these questions were answered, some were not, but they seemed to be the same questions that Joey himself was asking. It seems like Joey's mom does want the best for him, but isn't always sure what that is. I wondered a lot about her alcoholism, and how that would be perceived for a child. I am sure that because I am an adult I picked up on it a lot faster than most children would. It's obviously an issue in their relationships, and although Joey can't state it himself, he is very aware of it.

In general, I look at Joey's actions and see a kid who wants to do the right thing and who wants to be loved. This is evidenced by statements like: "Okay," I agreed. I love being agreeable. I loved the nurse and I thought she did a lot of special things so I told her in a whisper I snuck in to the gifted and talented speech." (pg. 70-71) Of course I still love my grandma even after all the awful stuff she did to me, which is scary that you can love someone who is no nice. I guess that is what getting better will do to a person: make you forgive people who have been mean to you. (pg. 145) Joey clearly cannot control his behavior because of his ADHD, but it does not mean that he is a bad kid at all. He has good intentions, he is just not able to show them all the time. He does not have anyone who is consistently loving in his life (besides perhaps the nurse) and so he truly craves it.

Joey goes through hardships that many children also go through, so I feel that this book is great for children to relate to. Additionally, kids who haven't experienced this stuff can learn to understand life through another set of eyes. I personally have never had experience with ADHD, but as I read I could feel Joey's pain and frustration, and could see many people I know him.

I want to end with my favorite quote from the book, which kind of echoes my own feelings:

She was real nice. She put her arms around me and squeezed me good. "You give me hope, Joey," she said. "If you can do it, then maybe Harold can too, someday." 

And it was amazing to me that she said what she did because I never thought someone would ever point to me and say that I gave them hope that someday their kid would be like me. When she told me that, I stood real still and looked her in the eye like Mom taught me. "Are you sure about that?" I asked. 

"Ever since the party," she said. "When you blew out the candle for his wish, he has been looking for you."

I looked over at Harold and he was just blowing little bubbles out of his mouth and i didn't think he would ever get better. But because I got better I wanted him to get better too.

Then she said the nicest thing a non-family member has ever said to me. She said, "You know, Joey, the medication has helped you settle down, but you have been a good kid all along. You are naturally good, I hope you know that about yourself. You have a good heart." (pg. 153)

Ella Enchanted, An After Thought

After some discussion in class, I felt it was important to add on some of the stereotypes that might have been perpetuated in this Cinderella tale versus others.

Esperanza Rising

This was the first time I have ever read Esperanza Rising, and I found it to be an incredible book. Esperanza is such an amazing character and was a pleasure to watch grow and change throughout the book. I decided to try some new notebook strategies that really examined how she was feeling and what her beliefs were.

First, I tried out this cultural x-ray, to see what it was that Esperanza loved and valued. I realized though that these changed a lot through the book, so I also decided to do a timeline of her feelings.

Esperanza was definitely not a static character, she showed immense amounts of change and growth both in mind and in character. As seen in the x-ray she really did value her family and loved that very much. That was why it was so difficult when her father died for her to accept her new lifestyle. However, it was that same love for her family that manifested itself in a new way when her mother got sick. Esperanza became determined to do whatever she had to do to help her get better. That meant working in the fields, something I am sure she never thought she would ever do. She worked for practically nothing, to help sustain the family and to bring Abuelita to her mother. This showed how much she grew up throughout the book, that she was willing to give completely of herself, and to truly embrace her new lifestyle. I found it interesting that I described Esperanza as happy both in the beginning of the book and at the end. Despite all of the changes that she went through, she was able to find happiness in the end. Her life was flipped upside down, and I am not sure I would have dealt with things much different than she did. She really had to experience something completely new, something she did not feel she deserved. Even her mother, who appeared to be the strong one, was not able to sustain her strength through all that they had to go through. Esperanza was forced to grow up throughout this story, doing things she never had before. She had to care for children, work in the fields, cook, clean and even live a completely different lifestyle. The privilege and power she had experienced throughout her entire life were wiped away from her in the blink of an eye. This story could really be used a lesson to all of how to overcome adversity, in many different ways. 

Overall, after reading this book I found that I was struck with so many emotions as a reader. I felt the heartbreak that Esperanza felt with the loss of her father. I felt the sacrifice that her mother made to move her family away instead of a live a life where they all would have been miserable. At times I did not like Esperanza, when she would get upset over not having all the material things she had before, or say rude things to Miguel. However, when I take a step back I realize that I do not know how I would react if everything I am used to was taken away from me. While I do not lead a life of as much privilege as Esperanza had, I do enjoy many luxuries that I would be upset to live without. This book really made me look at myself after looking at the characters. I think that books like this are important for students (and adults) to take part in, because the emotions characters experience are very real and allow you to really feel as if you are part of the story at times. 

After reading I have a few questions lingering in my mind. I am not hyper-aware of cultural practices in Mexico, but this seems to align with what I have read in history books previously. However, I am aware that not all of the information is always completely accurate. So I am left to wonder, how culturally accurate is this book? Would people of Mexican descent feel they could relate to it? Do Esperanza's struggles paint Mexicans in a negative/positive light, depending on what part of the book you might focus?

Ella Enchanted: An Observation, Connection, Question and Surprise

From very early on in the book I noticed that Dame Olga really seemed to be taken with Sir Peter which made me begin to wonder if they would get married eventually. As time went on I continued to notice this, but felt privy to information as a reader that Sir Peter did not have. Dame Olga seemed to talk about him constantly and have ulterior motives. She saw Sir Peter's desire to send Ella off with her children as his affection for her, but in reality it was just him trying to get rid of Ella and make her into the more sophisticated child he thought she should be. Of course, ultimately Dame Olga did marry Sir Peter, although he chose to ignore her obsession by traveling. 

Like Ella my father traveled frequently throughout my childhood. I spent much of my time with my mother and my siblings. However, unlike Ella and Sir Peter, I have always had a fairly good relationship with my father. Even though I would go many days to a week without seeing him, he still seemed to take great interest in my life and my doings. I wonder what it must have felt like to Ella to not have this relationship with her father. Her close relationship with her mother and Mandy seemed to make up for it, but I still wonder if she felt more longing for her father than she let on. She never directly addresses this issue, but seems to foster a lot of resentment towards her father. 

To be honest, I did not originally realize that this was supposed to be a Cinderella story. I noticed the similarities with the step-mother and step-sisters, as well as having to become a servant, however the more feminist approach to this book hid some of the other aspects to me. I really appreciated the new spin on this tale, and was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. As a Cinderella lover, I never have thought much about the idea of the perpetuation of gender stereotypes, but I was able to see it in a new light. I am not completely rejecting the Disney type story, but I fully appreciate the idea of giving it a more modern gender spin. I wonder why Levine decided to do this story. Whether she was a feminist herself, or was bothered by the stereotypes emitted in very many fairy-tales? I also wonder why she decided to keep the romance at the end, instead of maybe having Ella lead a happy, independent life. 

I was a little shocked by the twist to the story. I do not recall ever reading a story in which the fairy godmother did not perform all sorts of magic for the goddaughter. I really enjoyed this twist to the story and felt that while obviously being fantasy, it made it more believable. It also made Ella a more likable character because she was forced to persist and overcome adversity without having someone just do everything for her. 

The Wringer: A New Book

To be honest, when I started this book I was not sure I liked it. It seemed very dark and I was rather confused about exactly what was going on. That opinion quickly changed, and I grew to love this book: consequently recommending it to many of my 5th graders!

Right from the very beginning of the book (before the first official page) I was making predictions about the content. Using the cover and the first passage I was able to predict what "wringers" were and that the character speaking would do anything in his power to stay away from being one. Right from the start this passage gave the book a very ominous tone. I could almost feel the impending doom, and felt myself constantly wondering how this story would end up.

I spent much of my time reading focusing on Palmer as a character because he seemed to constantly confuse me. He seemed to have a constant desire to fit in with others, which I was glad he was ultimately able to escape from. He seemed to struggle with his desire to fit in with the boys, but to not be a wringer. I found it to be interesting that after getting "the treatment" he wasn't interested in healing. He also seems to struggle with his relationship with Dorothy; subscribing to the idea of calling her "fish face", but also alluding to the idea that he has a deeper type of relationship with her. He seems to discard her as a friend, but his comments about her and his desire to have her notice him seem to prevail. Palmer also seems to be a very caring and sympathetic character, despite his need to be liked. As a young boy he describes thinking of the wringers as putting the pigeons out of their misery, rather than harming them. He also is wondering why they do not go about this in a different way, realizing that this is rather inhumane. Additionally, his struggles with the entire process involving the pigeons seems to be rather multifaceted. At times he is interested in pretending it does not happen, even though it seems to overtake his life (ie: the smell). However, knowing that because of the pigeons he has the equipment to play on at the park he thanks the pigeons for that ability whenever he goes. His attachment to Nipper once he comes along also continues this idea of Palmer being caring and sympathetic. Despite the fact that he knows he could get in trouble for taking care of Nipper, he also knows he can't leave him in the cold. Ultimately it is Nipper who helps him to abandon the idea of constantly needing to be liked, and fitting in. It is also Nipper that brings him and Dorothy back together. Nipper and Dorothy seem to go together; when Nipper leaves for an extended period of time it is also when Dorothy says hurtful words to Palmer. He seems to associate them both together, and feels additional hurt because of this. I think that when Palmer starts to realize how crazy his relationship with the boys is in when Dorothy makes a very sarcastic comment about all the things they do (p. 120-121). At this point I predicted that Palmer would start to shy away from them, and of course he did. The lengths that Palmer is willing to go to for Nipper are quite incredible, showing that he values friendship and loyalty. He does things that are completely out of character at school, such as spitting on the floor and doing other things to get into trouble. Palmer finally comes to the realization that he does not like who he has become and changes his ways. This is his ultimate testament to Nipper.

This story is an incredible coming of age story that I found to be riveting and fascinating. This is the kind of text that I never would have picked up as a child, but I am so glad I have been given the chance to read it today.

Charlotte's Web, Many Years Later

As a child reading Charlotte's Web I enjoyed the storyline, particularly the relationships developed between Wilbur and Fern and Wilbur and Charlotte. These are some of the same things I find myself enjoying as an adult reader. As an educator focused on the literacy aspect I found myself reading for purposes I never would have imagined as a child.

One of the first things that I focused on quite naturally as a reader was the characters in the text. First and foremost, I was struck by the tenderness and compassion of Fern. She immediately jumped in to save Wilbur and treated him with such kindness, nurturing him as if he was a real child. The act of her bottle feeding him and running home to play with him showed this kind side. I also noted the way that Fern's tenderness and compassion were shared with her father. When first meeting Mr. Arable it appears as if he is quite the opposite of his daughter. However, Fern's emotional response to the possible death of Wilbur evokes a new side of Mr. Arable. This reveals what kind of a character he is,  showing that he is quite empathetic. This sets the tone of how Mr. Arable is portrayed through much of the rest of the book. One particular instance that really struck me with Mr. Arable is when Mrs. Arable is very upset about the way Fern is acting. She is so worried when Fern says she talks to animals, and Mr. Arable simply responds with "Maybe our ears aren't as sharp as Fern's." This shocked me a little bit because Mr. Arable always seemed to mean business, but this reinforces the idea of his kind and emphathetic personality. I identified slightly with Mr. Arable at this point in the text, wondering myself if animals really do talk, and we just aren't listening.

Right off the bat it is possible to notice how White portrays Wilbur in such a personal way. He is not just a pig, but an essential character in the book that anyone would be hard-pressed to not fall in love with. Wilbur's thoughts and feelings are portrayed in the same way that any other character's are. He almost feels human. Once Wilbur moves to the farm it is heartbreaking to experience his loneliness along with him. When he finally hears Charlotte's voice there is a definite sense of foreshadowing to his development of a new friend. The animals reaction to his call for his friend the next morning is not the most kind. It really made me wonder if their relationship would remain static or begin to change along with the storyline. Of course as time went on I learned that it was the latter.

I was immediately drawn to the way Charlotte is portrayed by herself versus how Charlotte is portrayed by Wilbur. Upon first meeting Charlotte demonstrates through her thoughts and actions that she is pretty, intelligent and talented. Wilbur thinks of Charlotte as blood-thirsty, brutal and fierce. It is interesting to see how Wilbur's thoughts change about Charlotte throughout the text.

Templeton, while not being a main character, is given the opportunity to grow and change. Initally Templeton is described as immoral, inscrupulous, incosiderate, indecent, unfriendly, ruthless and without conscience. While he never completely leaves this description, he does show his good side in regards to Charlotte and Wilbur. While he does not seem to experience a complete change of heart, he finds a common ground with Wilbur on which they are able to strike a deal. While I think this deal intially is what helps him to do good, there may be some good sentiments behind it that are hidden behind his constant need to show he does not care for anyone else.

I find it interesting the emotional appeal Charlotte has as a character. To many spiders are simply evil, something we run away from and kill at any costs. However, it is hard to find someone who reads this book and does not feel heartbroken when Charlotte dies. She is a kind, loving character, not the malicious, scary spider we see in real life. I love the way White highlights the good things that spiders do, particularly when talking about the wonders of making a web. The reference to the Queensborough Bridge is highly relevant to many of the students I work with today, and creates an interesting perspective around this arduous yet fairly quick task of making a web.

Upon finishing reading and looking back, signs of Charlotte's impending motherhood are apparent early on in the book. A conversation occurs between Charlotte and Wilbur on pages 64 and 65 that reminds me of many a conversation I have had with my own mother. Wilbur bargains with Charlotte about getting food and drink, testing how far he can go. While she gives just a little bit she ultimately knows he is procrastinating and sends him to bed, but not before saying good night. Additionally, Wilbur is not someone who really thinks very much of himself, but through Charlotte's Web he finally starts to see himself as something. When she writes the the word "terrific" he feels terrific. When she writes the word "radiant" he feels and acts radiant. While literally saving Wilbur's life, it seems as if she figuratively saves his life as well. Before Charlotte came along Wilbur would often feel lonely and withdrawn, as if he didn't really matter to anything or anyone. The words of Charlotte's web, as well as her kind demeanor changed Wilbur's mind, and the minds of the Arable's, Zuckerman's and the farm animals. Charlotte only continued to further her character when she chose to accompany Wilbur to the fair, despite her ailing health. Charlotte breaks character, if only for a moment when she declares that for once she needs to do something for herself; make her egg sac. However, while this is portrayed as a selfish act on Charlotte's behalf, it's perhaps the most selfless thing she ever did. The legacy she left behind only continued to foster Wilbur. While Charlotte's character remains rather static, Wilbur's continues to evolve. However, Wilbur's character would never undergo this evolution without the help of Charlotte. When Charlotte's work was over, she smiled and waved goodbye, dying on her own. This is perhaps the emotional climax of this book, and one that as an adult still brings me to tears. It's almost as if even though Charlotte was always surrounding by others, she was really, truly alone.
/
Lastly, while reading this book again I had a revelation about Fern. When you first start reading this book you expect Fern to be a main character. However, the relationship that truly evolves is not between Fern and Wilbur but between Wilbur and Charlotte. Often, I feel that people dismiss Fern's character pretty quickly into this novel. I have come now to see Fern's character and storyline as a "coming of age" story. Fern grows from this young child who is so emotionally distraught over a pig, to a mature young girl, all over the course of a few months. This transformation is mostly in thanks to Wilbur, although he does nothing himself to foster it. Fern, while typically on the back burner, is perhaps one of the most important characters of all.

Re-reading this novel as an adult really grew my ideas around it. I think it is important for educators to participate in this practice in order to grow as readers, and to help their students grow.