It is by all odds the loftiest of cities. It even managed to reach the highest point in the sky at the lowest moment of the depression.
E. B. WhiteRead
But we have received a sign, Edith - a mysterious sign. A miracle has happened on this farm... in the middle of the web there were the words 'Some Pig'... we have no ordinary pig." "Well", said Mrs. Zuckerman, "it seems to me you're a little off. It seems to me we have no ordinary spider.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the extraordinary nature of seemingly ordinary things and the importance of perception.
In this quote from E. B. White's 'Charlotte's Web', the characters discuss the miraculous events surrounding a pig named Wilbur and his connection with a spider named Charlotte. It suggests that what may appear ordinary can hold profound significance, prompting us to recognize and appreciate the extraordinary in everyday life. The 'mysterious sign' emphasizes the power of belief and wonder in the natural world.
Themes
ExtraordinaryOrdinaryPerceptionMiracleNature
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about believing in one's potential, I could reference this quote to illustrate that we often underestimate our capabilities.
More from E. B. White
All quotes →It isn't silence you can cut with a knife any more, it's interchange of ideas. Intelligent discussion of practically everything is what is breaking up modern marriage.
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The main thing I try to do is write as clearly as I can. Because I have the greatest respect for the reader, and if he's going to the trouble of reading what I've written -- I'm a slow reader myself and I guess most people are -- why, the least I can do is make it as easy as possible for him to find out what I'm trying to say, trying to get at. I rewrite a good deal to make it clear.
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A good farmer is nothing more nor less than a handy man with a sense of humus.
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A despot doesn't fear eloquent writers preaching freedom- he fears a drunken poet who may crack a joke that will take hold.
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All writing is communication; creative writing is communication through revelation-it is the Self-escaping into the open.
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