Charlotte’s Web:An Initiation Novel To Cater To Children’s Taste

E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web is a warm and humorous initiation novel that caters to children’s taste. Compared with other children’s literature writers, White has created more realistic worlds in his works for children. He describes the imperfectness of the real world, dreams and pursuits, the circle of life, love and sacrifice, care and loneliness, all of which are seldom seen in traditional children’s literature which often endeavors to exhibit goodness or is characterized by a playful tone. White uses the means of imagination, adopts simple but picturesque and musical language, and creates childish plots to attract children readers. These ways not only cater to the taste and the cognitive style of children, but also make children understand the meaning of initiation in a relaxing atmoshpere. This thesis studies Charlotte’s Web as an initiation novel. It first explains the initiation themes of the novel, then analyzes the ways the author addresses the themes to cater to children’s taste, and finally reveals the educational significance the novel has for children.This thesis consists of five chapters. Chapter One firstly offers a simple introduction to E. B. White and his three fantasies, then gives a literature review of important researches on Charlotte’s Web, and finally explains the focus and structure of the thesis.Chapter Two analyzes the initiation themes of Charlotte’s Web in detail. The novel has fully addressed such initiation themes as physical growth, the realization of life as a circle and the attitude towards love and sacrifice.Chapter Three, with the help of some theories of Reception Aesthetics, analyzes how the novel expresses its initiation themes to cater to children’s taste. This novel is set in an imaginary "secondary world". It tells a magic and sweet initiation story to children readers in simple, humorous, picturesque and musical language. In the discussion of the serious initaition themes, White creates childish plots to make the work cater to children’s taste better.Chapter Four reveals the eductional function of the novel. Through this novel, children can learn to overcome difficulties by themselves, to understand and forgive others, to care and help others, and to cooperate and coexist with others.Chapter Five offers a conclusion of the thesis. That is, all the writing strategies White uses in Charlotte’s Web help to make the initiation themes in the novel more understandable and acceptable to children, thus enhancing the educational significance of the novel.Charlotte’s Web is an invaluable work in the history of children’s literature. It not only cultivates children emotionally but also helps them achieve a profound understanding of themselves and the world. This work has influencd several generations with its unique attraction, and is thus worthy of critical attention.