Is doing what’s expected always the right thing? I feel like a big theme in Charlotte’s Web is tradition of our daily lives, and how we carry out our duties. A kind of mix between sexism and discrimination, this book portrays a world where everyone plays it safe, and silently lives their lives as others have planned them out to be.
An example of this, on page 133, is when Mr. Zuckerman wants to look at the tractors, while Mrs. Zuckerman wants to look at a deep freeze (or a refrigerator). Back in the 1950s, it was a woman’s job to tend to the home, and a man’s to bring home the pay. I guess there’s no big problem with doing what you’re supposed to, but I can’t help but wonder if it gets boring and awful sometimes! For example, I try to do well in school and stuff, but when it comes to not J-walking or not talking back, it’s hard! Having to do what your ‘assigned’ to do takes away the whole ‘finding yourself’ part of life! We’re not all meant to be the same, because then the world would never progress. Do some people simply do what they’re supposed to because they think that is who they are?
In the book Carpe Diem, the main character Vassar plays her parents game of ‘education all the time’ for basically her whole youth, but she never (until shipped to Cambodia for the summer) rebels against that by finally letting loose and allowing herself to have emotions. She used to trick herself into thinking she’s happy. How can we live like that? Is it sometimes easier to do what people expect? On page 124 of Charlotte's Web, the old sheep tells Wilbur to put up a fuss when he is being forced into his cage, because that is what is every ‘normal’ pig does. When he does struggle, Mr. Zuckerman says "Nothing wrong with this pig." So by doing a small thing ‘normal’, everything is ok with us? I feel like there is so much more to an animal/person than one thing! Just because I am a righty doesn't mean I am normal! It seems like if we ever do the slightest bit wrong, it is blown out of proportion. Is that why people always stick to the rules? Because they are afraid that one ‘wrong’ thing they do will get blown up? If this is the case, would it be better to fully be crazy so people will expect you to be crazy (and not make a big deal out of nothing)?
In our lives now, the people that are different are both celebrated and scorned. If someone follows the rules, some people take it as good, others as bad. Typically the people not born in ‘my generation‘ take it as bad, while the ones around my age take it as ‘cool’. Maybe people born in the 50s-70s (or about) are so used to tradition that they have a harder time accepting being more unique, while people born after then try to follow their own rhythm more. I guess doing what you’re supposed to can suck and make you not be truly who you are, but in the 1950s, tradition was what mattered, and so that’s what people did to try to be themselves while being similar to everyone else.
