In 1948, E. B. White wrote an essay about his experience in raising a pig. The plan was to buy a spring piglet, feed it all summer, and then have it slaughtered for ham and bacon in the fall. It was a common custom, but this pig changed White's perception completely when it became sick. He confronted feeling like a failure in the simple task of feeding a pig for a few months, but more importantly, explored the connection he felt for an animal who was completely dependent on him. The ailing pig became less a unit of livestock and more like a pet.
A few years later, White published the children's novel Charlotte's Web, which became one of the most beloved stories of all time. In that book we see White's motivation to save the pig from slaughter, except this time he succeeds. As The Atlantic is celebrating its 160th anniversary, it has reprinted that original 1948 essay called Death of a Pig. This time, it won't be a spider you'll cry over, but the pig that became neither pet nor bacon. -via Kottke
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