Charlotte's Web "Expanding" entry

 I feel like all of the animals judge Wilbur and patronize him. I think this stems from the fact that Wilbur is not accepted into the community because he is new, and different from all of the other animals.  I mean the other barn members exclusive behavior and defensive mannerisms make me question their maturity.  In some ways, I see the barn as a clique in a school because of their elitist outlook, and how offended they are when someone is different from them. Wilbur has a vivacious appetite for life and adventure, while the other animals are content with living in captivity, and naively believing that the extent of the world’s opportunities is limited. All of the other animals refuse to play with Wilbur because he is "less than nothing" and not a valued member of the community. I am assuming that the Goose leads all of the animals, and that the barn is a hierarchy that manipulates the opinions of each individual.  This can be seen in our society as well because the civilization often judges one and other harshly based on first impressions and age, blindly labeling and grouping people together. I think that people do this, especially students, because they have low self-esteem and comfort themselves by looking down upon other people. I feel like there is so much derision in the population because mankind as a whole struggles with identity, and who we truly are. This confusion is evinced in our mockery and judgment to others. Could it be possible that the other animals have their own issues about who they are? The Sheep’s rude demeanor towards Wilbur when she reveals to the pig that he is going to be slaughtered by Christmas-time, could be because she herself is fearful of dying. It is a plausible idea, considering she is an old sheep; she could very well be worried and anxious that she would be forgotten if she died because there was no importance attached to her life.  Maybe our stature as individuals represents our ability to better ourselves, and have faith in our decisions. Charlotte sees other people’s flaws as part of their personality, like Wilbur’s constant need for affection. Acceptance could be a sign of self-awareness. In our world, and in the book, maybe we need to get to know ourselves better before evaluating our peers.