A lot of books, like a lot of movies, leave me … emotional. “Charlotte’s Web” was one such book. I was nine when I read it and I distinctly remember crying at the end. I heard on the radio yesterday, E.B. White could barely get through the final passages during a recording of his narration. Take after take, he choked up describing Charlotte’s silent sacrifice.

For a children’s story, it has a lot to say about friendship, loyalty, mortality and the natural world.

“Why did you do all this for me?” he asked. “I don’t deserve it. I’ve never done anything for you.’

You have been my friend,’ replied Charlotte. ‘That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what’s a life, anyway? We’re born, we live a little while, we die. A spider’s life can’t help being something of a mess, with all this trapping and eating flies. By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heaven knows anyone’s life can stand a little of that.”