How Interesting is a Web?
Updated: Sep 22, 2020
"I don't understand it, and I don't like what I can't understand." - Mrs. Arabel
In "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White, a pig named Wilbur cannot wait for winter to come until an old sheep from the barn tells Wilbur he'll be killed before he sees snow. Charlotte, a spider, sees what is happening and takes pity on Wilbur by trying to think up a plan to save him. Soon, she decides to write words in her web that describe Wilbur's best qualities.
After Charlotte's plan succeeds for the second time, Mrs. Arabel, one of Wilbur's past owners, suddenly becomes interested in Wilbur, but even more interested in the web itself. She goes to see a therapist named Dr. Dorian to seek information about the web. Dr. Dorian is okay with not comprehending the writing in the web because he believes an ordinary web alone is a miracle. Mrs. Arabel leaves still nervous about the origin of the words in the web and how it could be possible.
In life, you're not going to know everything that you want to know. That's when you're faced with two choices. You can investigate the situation like Mrs. Arabel by using Google, looking in books, or asking others. You can also be like Dr. Dorian and just accept that you will never understand it. Even though they're opposites, I find myself acting like both of them when I'm pursuing knowledge.
I think I'm mostly like Mrs. Arabel because I find comfort in knowing the answer and in knowing something new. I also search out the truth because I find joy in guessing the answer before I look it up to see if I'm right.
Unfortunately, I'm also a bit like Dr. Dorian. I sometimes don't follow through the process of looking for answers, but in my case, I don't look because it takes too long to find the facts. I don't know why Dr. Dorian does not seek out the answer for such a mystery. I would hope if I found a possible spelling spider, I would investigate and capture it to help me for a future spelling bee.
Like I said, I have a bit of both characters in me, but I can choose to act on one more than the other. I hope you'll choose to act more like Mrs. Arabel when looking for answers to questions (she's a very good role model!).
Please write how you hunt down knowledge in the comments.
