Ruth Ozeki: ‘All my books are an attempt to recreate Charlotte’s Web’

Ruth Ozeki stated that all of her books are an attempt to recreate E.B. White's "Charlotte's Web." Ozeki, a US author, filmmaker, and Zen Buddhist priest, shared this reflection in an interview. She recalled "Charlotte's Web" as her favorite book growing up, initially remembering it as a story about a girl named Fern saving her pig, Wilbur. However, upon re-examination, Ozeki recognized the central role of Charlotte, the spider, and her use of language to save Wilbur. This realization led Ozeki to see the influence of "Charlotte's Web" on her own literary work, emphasizing the power of language to preserve life. Ozeki's earliest reading memory involves "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd, though she acknowledges this was primarily picture-based at around three or four years old. She also mentioned working her way through 13 volumes of Chekhov's works, indicating a deep engagement with classic literature.