The Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White is a children 's book, published in 1970, that is full of talking animals, strange events, and fantastical elements. Even with the lighter tone of the story, White’s writing style and storytelling still hold symbolism. From racism to overcoming adversity, White’s stories have a deeper meaning that can resonate with us all on a personal level. The main character of this story is Louis, he is a trumpeter swan. The other swans, particularly Louis’ father, are very proud of the trumpeting calls that they make. Unfortunately, Louis is born unable to speak. Louis gets the idea to heads to the local school to learn how to read and write so that he can communicate. Upon first arriving at the school, Louis
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The author more than likely named this after Louis Armstrong, the famous trumpet player born in 1901 (two years after E.B. White). Louis the swan is even likened to Armstrong in the way he plays the trumpet by a passenger of the riverboat ride the Louis is serenading (Armstrong got his start on a riverboat too). However, the trumpet isn’t all that connects these two figures. Throughout the book the reader gets an understanding that swans, even in this universe, are still just birds. Naturally, people are surprised by the things that the swan can do. After Louis becomes a star he is invited to places that swans aren’t normally allowed. In one scene Louis’ new boss wants Louis to sleep in the Ritz luxury hotel, the manager at first doesn’t want the bird in his hotel asking questions along the lines of “wont a bird be dirty, noisy, and disruptive?” After some convincing the manager lets the swan stay. Linking this back to Armstrong, he was a African American man who was his most popular in the 1930-1950. Keep in mind Armstrong was gaining fame before Martin Luther King Jr. was even born, so the racial tension between whites and blacks were really quite high to say the least. All of this to say; Armstrong was invited to stay in places that very few African American people had ever been. Fans of music didn’t care if he was black, white or even a bird, people liked his music. Armstrong overcame a the social stigma that he was born into …show more content…
Somewhere along the way he falls in love with a swan named Serena. You get the sense that she is a very nice bird, however she hardly has any lines in the book so you never learn first hand how she really is. Serena, to me, symbolises women in general. She becomes Louis’ world, he thinks about her, writes songs for her and he even fight zookeepers who want to clip her wings. This develops Louis’ character as an idealist, a romantic if you will, and it is his dream to be with Serena. As luck would have it near the end of the book Louis ends up with Serena, this detail is all the more heartfelt as real trumpeter swans mate for
The author more than likely named this after Louis Armstrong, the famous trumpet player born in 1901 (two years after E.B. White). Louis the swan is even likened to Armstrong in the way he plays the trumpet by a passenger of the riverboat ride the Louis is serenading (Armstrong got his start on a riverboat too). However, the trumpet isn’t all that connects these two figures. Throughout the book the reader gets an understanding that swans, even in this universe, are still just birds. Naturally, people are surprised by the things that the swan can do. After Louis becomes a star he is invited to places that swans aren’t normally allowed. In one scene Louis’ new boss wants Louis to sleep in the Ritz luxury hotel, the manager at first doesn’t want the bird in his hotel asking questions along the lines of “wont a bird be dirty, noisy, and disruptive?” After some convincing the manager lets the swan stay. Linking this back to Armstrong, he was a African American man who was his most popular in the 1930-1950. Keep in mind Armstrong was gaining fame before Martin Luther King Jr. was even born, so the racial tension between whites and blacks were really quite high to say the least. All of this to say; Armstrong was invited to stay in places that very few African American people had ever been. Fans of music didn’t care if he was black, white or even a bird, people liked his music. Armstrong overcame a the social stigma that he was born into …show more content…
Somewhere along the way he falls in love with a swan named Serena. You get the sense that she is a very nice bird, however she hardly has any lines in the book so you never learn first hand how she really is. Serena, to me, symbolises women in general. She becomes Louis’ world, he thinks about her, writes songs for her and he even fight zookeepers who want to clip her wings. This develops Louis’ character as an idealist, a romantic if you will, and it is his dream to be with Serena. As luck would have it near the end of the book Louis ends up with Serena, this detail is all the more heartfelt as real trumpeter swans mate for