Finally, can you write about the ending? How does the lineman’s poetry correspond with the poetic murmurings of the kids at the school, and how do these remind us of Margalo’s tender and lyrical style? What characterizes the ending? Meaning, what is the final essence of character that Stuart leaves us with as he presses the tiny little gas pedal down towards the creaking floorboards of his delicate and wee gas-powered micro machine? (250 words).
I think the ending of Stuart Little teaches us to appreciate the little things in life. The lineman’s poetry shows us that happiness comes from simplicity. The children’s small comments reflect to us that happiness and meaning comes from small and ordinary moments. “How many of you know what’s important?… ‘A shaft of sunlight at the end of a dark afternoon, a note in music, and the way the back of a baby’s neck smells if its mother keeps it tidy’”. The poetry of the children ties perfectly to Margalo’s tender and lyrical style which emphasizes small, meaningful actions and reminds us how, after just a few days, Stuart goes through those tiny moments (such as the tiny moment when he removed himself from bed and went and shot an arrow against Snowball, or the tiny moment when he confesses that his ice skates are threatening their lives) that move him so much that he decides to leave everything behind to pursue her. The final essence that Stuart leaves with us is to cherish every moment, no matter how insignificant they are. He shows us that even after abandoning everything he loves in search of something so unlikely, he doesn’t dwell on the past but finds happiness in the journey. Instead of chasing grand victories, he silently values each and every second. When he presses the gas pedal, he shows us all that even without guaranteed results, without a clear plan, without an idea of where he’s going, he isn’t afraid of the future, or regretting the past, because he knows the journey is half the prize. In the end, I think the name, Stuart Little, is actually pointing to Stuart’s way of life, rather than his size.
Isaac, I loved reading your essay of Stuart Little where you share your opinion about a lot of the things he says. I agree with both the sentiments Stuart proclaims as well as the things that you highlight about them.
To be honest, I really liked when you highlighted Stuart’s comments that some of the happiest things are the simple ones; these things could be, “A shaft of sunlight at the end of a dark afternoon, a note in music, and the way the back of a baby’s neck smells if its mother keeps it tidy”. I also like how these small and tiny things affect Stuart as it shows us that everything with a cause will have an effect; you just may not know who it is on. This reveals Stuart’s sensitivity and his ability to connect to universal themes with his students (they know him not). I also like how Stuart goes after Margalo even though it seems to be impossible as she fled and could be anywhere in the world and he could even drive past her and not notice. I especially liked when you said “…the journey is half the prize” as I believe that in a good success the journey is half the prize if not more, as that is where your hard work, dedication, and more things lie. Stuart knows that his chances of finding Margalo are near impossible and he knows that going after her he will lose it all, but he still chooses to risk it for a chance to find her which I find both stupid but also heroic. Overall, I think your final essay answer was very well-written with a lot of quotes that I believe really fit your topic and also your themes of the small things in life were quite meaningful and relatable which made me really enjoy both reading it. I also enjoyed writing this Student Feedback, and I hope you enjoy reading it.~Chris Tian