Entry #6

Original note: Bridge to Terabithia and Charlotte's Web have a lot of things in common.


I didn't notice it a first, but after reading a couple of pages of Bridge to Terabitha, I realized that Jess was almost exactly like Wilbur, and Leslie was almost like Charlotte. It all started when Leslie began to join the boys at recess, and every day she would win them at running. Jess believed that running wasn't fun anymore, and it was all Leslie's fault. Jess from then on he disliked her. Not only beacuse she took the fun out of running, but because he knew that he would never be the best runner of the forth and fifth graders. When Wilbur first met Charlotte, Charlotte did not give a good impression as well. Wilbur thought that Charlotte was fierce, brutal, scheming, and bloodthirsty. Both Jess and Wilbur were to discover that they were wrong about Leslie and Charlotte.


Jess and Wilbur also share similar characteristics. Not only are the both judgemental, but the are also shy and fearful. Wilbur feared that he would be killed at Christmastime. Jess feared almost everything. He was afraid to tell his dad about his passion for art, he was afraid to express himself and let go, and finally he was afraid to reach out to people. In order to confront their fears they needed help from the girls. Charlotte prevented Wilbur from being killed by writing on her web and making "miracles". Leslie helped Jess overcome his fears by teaching him how to find himself and by teaching him not to care about what other people think/say. Both Charlotte and Leslie are clever and imaginative.


Sadly, both books ended with death. Charlotte died the day after she layed her eggs, and Leslie died because she drowned. Unlike Jess, Wilbur was able to say goodbye to his bestfriend.


Not only do the books share similar themes, but they also share similar characters. Charlotte's Web and Bridge to Terabithia prove that books that may look different, actually have things in common.