Charlotte's Web

Charlotte's Web book report - detailed analysis, book summary, literary elements, character analysis, Elwyn Brooks White biography and everything necessary for active class participation.

Analysis

Charlotte's Web is a children's story about a little girl named Fern, her pig Wilbur, his friend; a spider named Charlotte, and a rat named Templeton. Wilbur was very scared for his life because he had heard stories about pig slaughtering before Christmas. He was scared of the thought of it. Charlotte promised him she would come up with a plan to save him and she was sure that, if she thinks it through, she will come up with a solution.

Charlotte was wise, and she made excellent webs but she needed Templeton's help to fulfill her plan, and she was aware that he always looked for something in return. They all worked together with Wilbur and eventually succeeded. Templeton was always looking for a profit in every situation but did everything as per Charlotte's orders.

This story speaks about an unbreakable bond that will live forever and hold a special place in Wilbur's heart. The spider was and will remain his best friend and Templeton was always allowed to eat his food first.

Literary Elements

Genre: fantasy

Setting: Fern's uncle's farm in the 1950s

Point of view: third-person

Narrator: an omniscient narrator

Tone: contented and peaceful, humorous

Mood: it changes in different parts of the story; dark, happy

Theme: friendship between a spider named Charlotte and a pig named Wilbur

Summary

Before Breakfast

It was breakfast time, and Fern's father was going to the pigsty with his ax. The night before a pig had little pigs but one of them was extremely tiny, and Fern's father decided that it needed to be sacrificed. Fern was very upset hearing about this and would not allow her father to do this. Fern came running to the pigsty and shouted at her father (John) not to kill the pig. She started crying because the little pig was supposed to be killed only because he was tiny. She held his ax and begged him not to do it.

John shows himself as merciful, telling Fern that she can take the pig and feed him with a bottle. John prepared a box and placed the pig inside. When he came home, Fern was looking at the pig with tears in her eyes and was happy that it had escaped death. Fern thought her new pet was wonderful.

Fern's brother Avery joined them for breakfast and asked his sister what she got and their mother said they had a new guest. Avery didn't know why that pig was the size of a rat. He asked his father if he could get one and John said that Fern got it because she got out of bed on time and that only the early risers can get pigs.

Fern couldn't have her breakfast before feeding the pig, so her mother prepared a milk bottle for him. The little pig had an appetite, and he accepted the bottle immediately. Fern leaves on the bus to go to school.

On the drive to school, Fern was coming up with names for her pig and the only one she could come up with was Wilbur. As soon as class started, Fern's teacher started asking a question, and she asked Fern which was the capital of Pennsylvania and she responded, without thinking, that it was Wilbur. Everyone had a good laugh, and the girl blushed.

Wilbur

Fern took good care of her pet and fed him every day. Her mother helped around when Fern was at school, but the rest of it was up to Fern. When Wilbur got bigger, he couldn't live inside a little box, so they moved him down to the basement. Fern made sure he was warm enough during the nights. After Fern fed him, Wilbur would go to his little house and he would settle in his hay. Fern was very happy.

Every morning Wilbur would chaperon Fern to the bus. While she was away he would sleep and as soon as Fern would come back they would spend all of their free time together. One time Fern, Avery, and Wilbur went swimming in a nearby creek but the water was too cold for Wilbur, so he rolled around in the mud. Those were the happiest days of Wilbur's life.

The happy days were followed by sad ones. John decided to sell all of the pigs, including Wilbur. Fern was very sad and John comforted her, telling her they could give Wilbur to her aunt and uncle who had a farm and many other animals. Fern had an opportunity to visit Wilbur every now and then because her uncles lived near her house. She asked her father about Wilbur's price, and he said it was only six dollars because he was still very skinny. Fern made a deal with her uncle (Homer) and Wilbur went to live on Zuckerman's farm.

Escape

Homer's farm smelled like hay and animal sweat, rubber boots, and rope. Sometimes it would also smell like fish as the cats ate there, but mostly it smelled of hay. Wilbur had a little pigsty in the stable. It was big enough for all of the animals and the kids loved playing there. It was nice and warm during winters and cold enough during the summers.

Wilbur's pigsty was in the south part of the stable and Fern visited him every day. Homer even let her take Wilbur out for walks and she could be with him as much as she liked. She would sit in front of the stable and look at the animals, who in turn adored her as she was kind, gentle, and patient with them. Wilbur was sorry when she wasn't able to take him for walks anymore, but he felt pleased knowing she was outside the stable, watching him grow.

In June Wilbur was in front of the stable but Fern wasn't there. He was feeling lonely and thought his two months on Earth had been extremely boring. He was tired of being in the stable and sleeping. Wilbur was tired of not being able to go anywhere, even though one of the geese told him he was able to leave the pigsty.

She told him there was a loose board he could move to see the world while he was still young. The goose showed him how to move the board and reach the yard. Wilbur did everything until he was free. The goose asked him if he liked freedom and he said he thought he liked it. Wilbur actually felt a bit strange about being outside, and he asked the goose to give him some suggestions on places he should visit. She told him to go to the garden or the forest, enjoy his freedom, jump, dance, and strut around.

Wilbur went to the orchard and he threw dirt, but he felt left unnoticed. Aunt Edith saw him through the window and called Homer and a worker to catch him. The goose shouted he should run around the forest but Wilbur didn't dare.

Soon the word about his escape spread around and all of the animals were agitated about it. Wilbur felt like everyone was chasing him and thought, if that is freedom, he would rather go back to the pigsty. He really wanted to see Fern but she wasn't there.

Edith, Homer, the workers, and the dog all tried to catch him but were unsuccessful. The other animals helped him by yelling where he should go, but Wilbur was very scared the whole time. Homer filled a bucket with food and tried to lure him with it. The smell of food was strong, and it was enough for Wilbur to get back to his pigsty. It didn't take Homer long to catch him. Homer filled his bowl with food and let him come back on his own. While he was having his delicious meal, the worker fixed the loose board so that Wilbur couldn't escape anymore. Homer scratched his back and called him a good pig. Wilbur was glad to hear it and he thought he was still too young to see the world.

Loneliness

It was a foggy and rainy day and it disturbed Wilbur's plans. He knew when it was mealtime, what he would be eating, what he would be doing between meals like talking to Templeton, observing other animals, and thinking about Fern. The rain spoiled everything. He went out to the backyard, but he couldn't find his friend Templeton, the rat. He called for him, but it was all in vain because Templeton didn't come. It made Wilbur feel lonely again.

The greatest cause of his sadness was knowing that Fern wouldn't be coming because of the rain. Tears started falling down his face because he felt as if he didn't have a single friend in the world. When one of the farmers came to give him his meal, he noticed Wilbur was doing bad because he had lost his appetite. Wilbur didn't want food; he wanted love and friendship.

The pig thought about inviting the goose to play with him but she couldn't because she had to guard her eggs. Wilbur tried inviting a lamb but soon he realized the lamb didn't want to play with him because he was a pig.

In the end, Wilbur looked for the rat to play with him, but he declined since it was more fun for him to dig around and nibble on everything. The rat even ate his meal. Wilbur was crushed, and he started squealing.

The farmworker talked to Homer and told him that there was something wrong with the pig because he had lost his appetite. Homer gave him a recipe and told him to give it to Wilbur. The worker had to force the medicine down Wilbur's throat, making it the worst day in Wilbur's life.

In the evening, all of the animals went to bed and the only thing heard were the sheep and the squeaking of the cow's chain. Something surprising happened. Wilbur heard a tiny voice asking him whether he needed a friend. Since it was dark, he couldn't see who was talking to him. The voice said that they should sleep now and would talk the next day.

Charlotte

The night was passing by slowly, Wilbur's stomach was empty but his soul was filled. He would wake up every now and again only to listen to the sounds around him. When he woke up the first time, he heard Templeton nibbling. He was pretty loud and Wilbur didn't understand why he had the need to destroy people's property instead of sleeping.

When he woke up the second time he heard the goose was awake and he asked her what the time was. She responded and asked why he wasn't sleeping. Wilbur responded he had a lot on his mind and the goose told him she couldn't sleep because of the eggs she was guarding.

Wilbur tried to sleep again when he heard the little voice telling him she would be his friend in his sleep. When he woke up at dawn he was listening again. All of the animals were waking up and some of them were still yawning. Soon the sun came up and Wilbur thought it was a beautiful day to find his new best friend.

He looked around hoping to see his new best friend. After checking the windows and the attic he decided to speak. It was quiet in the stable, and he asked whether the person who talked to him last night would appear and, when all of the animals stared at him, he blushed.

He asked his question one more time, and then the oldest sheep told him to stop saying stupid things because, even if he had a friend in the stable, it was possible he was still asleep because not everyone woke up at dawn. The pig apologized to everyone, went back to his pigsty, and turned to the door. He didn't even think his friend was very close to him.

It was breakfast time, and the worker was feeding the animals. The sheep and geese went their way, and Wilbur decided to rest after his meal. Then he heard a small voice saying hello to him. He turned his head in all directions until he saw a little web and a little gray spider on it. She was so kind, her name was Charlotte and she had eight legs, Wilbur told her she was very beautiful. Charlotte was shortsighted and it helped her catch her prey; flies, butterflies, and other small bugs. Wilbur, scared, asked her if she ate him and she said she only sucked out their blood. It made him sad, but Charlotte told him that everyone had to live on something. Charlotte didn't feed on bugs only to survive. She was diminishing their number because no one was able to live with a million bugs.

The goose heard their conversation and she smiled at Wilbur who knew nothing about life and what waited for him around Christmas. Homer and his workers were planning on slaughtering him. Charlotte kept on feeding on a fly and Wilbur rested because his day was very exciting. Wilbur thought about his new friend, she was wise but cruel and bloodthirsty. He didn't know if he could establish a friendship with her the way he wanted to. He was scared she would fail him in the end but what Wilbur didn't know was that Charlotte had a big and kind heart.

Summer Days

During summer everything was cheerful and alive. The days on the farm were good. Everything blossomed and smelled wonderful. The school was over so Fern was able to visit Wilbur and spend time in the stable.

In July they would cut the grass and take it to the animals in the stable. Fern was happy about little geese being born. Charlotte let everyone know that the first goose showed its tiny head between his mother's feathers. There were seven of them, but there were eight eggs, and everyone looked forward to them. Templeton asked the goose if she could give him the eighth egg and everyone was stunned by his rude question.

The goose still agreed to do it because the egg wasn't good. They also warned the rat he can't approach the little geese after receiving the egg. He promised he wouldn't touch them and went to his hole with the egg. He loved collecting all kinds of things. The animals were still angry at him and told him to watch out for the egg because if it broke, it would smell awful. An old egg was a stinky bomb whose smell doesn't let one breathe. The goose took her geese out for a walk.

Bad News

The friendship between Wilbur and Charlotte grew. He thought it was useful she killed bugs no one liked and he praised her for getting them drugged before draining their blood. Charlotte said she was doing them a favor.

Wilbur was getting fatter, and one of the sheep warned him, saying that if he continued to get fatter, she wouldn't want to be in his shoes, he was surprised by this, she added that every little pig was being slaughtered after being overly fed. Wilbur was even more surprised and the sheep told him they would turn him into sausages and ham. It was a common custom during the holidays, and the slaughter will be done by John, Homer, and the farmworker

Wilbur was desperate, he shouted that he didn't want to die. Wilbur was walking up and down the stable while Charlotte was calming him down. She told him it was the worst kind of scheme she ever heard of. Wilbur started crying and Charlotte promised to save him.

A Talk at Home

It was breakfast time and Ferna talked to her parents about the time she spends on Homer's farm. She told her mother about the little geese and the egg Templeton received. Her mother didn't know who Templeton was so Fern explained he was a rat. She continued her story with Wilbur and Charlotte's friendship. Her mother then thought her daughter had a wide imagination and that it would be a good idea to visit a professional since her daughter behaved as if the animals talked. John found it funny and said that older people probably can't hear what youngsters can.

Wilbur's Boast

A spider's web wasn't easy to make, it needed to be firm so that it couldn't be easily destroyed. Charlotte made good webs with her legs and Wilbur noted her legs were very hairy. There was a good reason for that, the spider's legs are divided into seven parts which helped them make their webs. Wilbur checked out his legs and he said he didn't have seven parts but if he wanted to he could build the web like Charlotte's.

The spider was surprised and she wanted to see Wilbur do it. He asked her to teach him and that he will do his best. Charlotte told him to climb on his bed, take a deep breath and try to produce a thread. Wilbur listened to her instructions, and when he wanted to check if he produced one, Wilbur fell off of his bed. Charlotte had a good laugh. Wilbur didn't know what he had done wrong and he wanted to try it again. He asked the rat to give him some thread, the rat did it and Wilbur started working. His fall was seen by Fern, Charlotte, and Templeton, it was also funny to them to see his persistence. Wilbur got a bit hurt, and tears started falling down his face. Charlotte told him to give up because he was missing two key things – knowledge and the body parts he needed.

Charlotte kept on comforting Wilbur saying that sometimes others aren't capable of doing what she does and that he shouldn't be sad about that. While they were talking about life a lamb came and told Wilbur he smelled bad. Wilbur's eyes filled with tears and Charlotte told the lamb to go away because he interrupted their interesting conversation.

The night was coming and Wilbur felt tired. He went to sleep and told Charlotte to finish her web. He felt the smell of tobacco coming from the worker's cigarette and he heard the frogs which brought him a feeling of happiness. He was happy with his life on the farm, his friends and didn't want to be slaughtered during the holidays.

Wilbur wondered whether Charlotte was really planning on saving his life. She told him not to worry because she was still coming up with a plan and she gave him the same response every time he would ask. Wilbur would have loved to be able to help himself out. Charlotte advised him to take care of himself and eat well because that was the only way he was able to help himself.

Wilbur went to see if he had any food in his bowl and Charlotte told him to go and take a nap after eating. Fern loved their conversation after which Wilbur would generally go to sleep.

An Explosion

Charlotte was still working hard on the escape plan. She thought that if she pondered enough on the problem the solution would just come to her.

During July she realized people were very easygoing and that it would be easy for her to save Wilbur's life and mess with Homer's plans.

That day the children wanted to play on Homer's big swing. It was made out of thick rope tied to a fence, it was a great swing. The kids would take turns and afterward they would go to pick strawberries. Avery had a little frog with him all the time, he and Fern were getting tired so they went to the stable to hang out with the animals. Avery saw the spider web and wanted to catch Charlotte and it scared Wilbur, knowing that it would be the end of Charlotte. Luckily Avery tripped over and didn't have the chance to catch Charlotte.

Accidentally Avery broke the egg Templeton had and the awful smell spread across the stable.

Avery ran home and Fern started crying because of all that had happened. When the animals came back Wilbur said that the egg which broke saved Charlotte's life because its smell made Avery run home. The goose was very proud of it and Templeton was sad about losing his egg. The lamb asked what they would do about the smell because it made it impossible for them to live there in peace. The rat said they will adjust.

It was lunchtime and the worker noticed the awful smell. He was sure it was the rat's fault so he closed up his hole and got rid of the smell. Wilbur had a nice meal and he decided to leave some of the food for Templeton. Charlotte was still making her web and the other animals were napping.

The Miracle

A miracle happened on the farm! Above the pigsty was Charlotte's web which had the words "pig and a half" written. When the worker saw it, he actually believed it was a miracle. It was foggy outside, so the web stood out in the barn. He concluded Wilbur wasn't just any ordinary pig and the web was the proof. Homer told Edith all about it, and she requested to see it with her own eyes.

The three of them went to the stable and spent an hour observing the web. Charlotte was proud of her good work. After the fog disappeared the words weren't so visible. Homer looked at Wilbur one more time and told his workers he always thought that Wilbur was a special pig.

Homer went to visit the priest, dressing in his Sunday best. He had to tell him all about the miracle in the pigsty. The word spread fast across the village and people came from all over to see the special pig. Everyone was saying that they had never seen a pig like that before. All eyes were on Wilbur and there was a big crowd in the pigsty. Fern was happy thinking Wilbur's life was saved even though she did not like the crowd.

A Meeting

Charlotte called a meeting in the stable; the only one missing was the rat. She asked for suggestions for a new title because the old one was getting boring. The most important thing was accomplished;  Wilbur's life was saved.

The animals gave their suggestions but none of them were any good. The oldest sheep said Templeton could help because he had many old magazines which could help them find a new title. The spider wasn't sure whether the rat would be willing to help but the sheep told her to let her handle it.

Templeton came and the sheep told him about the magazines. He said that Wilbur's life wasn't of his interest and that he could die as far as he was concerned. The sheep reminded him that if Wilbur dies, he will die too because he fed on Wilbur's food. Templeton started thinking and ended up agreeing to help.

Good Progress

Charlotte was working hard on her web and the new title with the other animals. She made progress letter by letter. Charlotte comforted herself and cheered for herself. Wilbur didn't care much for the new title but since all the other animals liked it so much, he accepted it.

The next morning the worker saw the title and proclaimed it another miracle. Homer and Edith came to witness it. Edith said it would be a good idea to call the press because their pig was extraordinary and it was something to be noted. The crowd gathered once more to look at Wilbur while he strutted around.

Homer ordered his workers to get Wilbur's pigsty nice and clean because in September he will be taking him to the County Fair. He told him to make a green case for him and write in gold letters "Zuckerman's famous pig". The worker did so and got Wilbur ready for the County Fair.

Near the orchard was a junkyard where Templeton spent his time gathering all sorts of things. He would find old newspapers and take them to Charlotte but he also found a lot of useless articles. After searching for a while he found one article whose title indicated Wilbur should be capable of doing something extraordinary. Charlotte asked Wilbur to do some tricks and show her what he can do. He did a few things and Charlotte knew that his skills were not extraordinary but they were most definitely interesting. Charlotte was convinced that with time he would become extraordinary.

Wilbur asked Charlotte to tell him bedtime stories. After the first one, he wanted to hear another one and also wanted her to sing him a lullaby. It wasn't hard for her to tell him stories and after singing him a lullaby Wilbur would fall asleep.

Doctor Dorian

Fern's mother was worried about her daughter spending so much time on the farm, wanting Fern to spend more time with kids her own age and not listening to what animals talked about as if they were human.

She was tired of talking to Fern about this, but Fern would always talk about the amazing stories that Charlotte would. Her mother interrupted her saying she should stop inventing stories like that one and that spiders couldn't narrate because they couldn't speak. Fern was still claiming Charlotte could speak and told her mother all about Charlotte's cousin which managed to catch a fish in her web.

Her mother was agitated after this particular story and asked Fern for the last time to stop inventing. Fern continued, telling her mother another cousin, her mother again interrupted and said it would be better for her to spend some time with kids her own age instead of being with the animals all the time. Fern said that she does spend time with children her own age and that they also frequent the farm and the stable, leaving her mother wondering what to do next with Fern. She decided to ask doctor Dorian to talk some sense into Fern.

She told him all about Fern's strange behavior and how it all began just after the first time she fed Wilbur. The doctor told her there was nothing to worry about because Fern was just a little girl and that she will grow out of this with age. Her mother felt more peaceful and left the doctor's office.

The Crickets

The sound of crickets would announce the end of summer every day, it made Fern, Avery, and Edith feel melancholy. Summer was the most beautiful time of the year with long days and warm nights but the crickets felt obliged to announce that the end of summer was soon approaching. It was also a sign that new jobs around the home and land were fast approaching as well.

The animals knew that after hearing the crickets they would have to make the most of their outside time and enjoy delicious fruits because during the winter they will be locked in the stable waiting for spring.

Wilbur made good progress and he became a pig every owner would be proud of. More visitors came to see him and admire him. Ever since Charlotte wrote the first words, Wilbur always tried to look his part. He would blink to the visitors, jump around, twist, and turn. Homer would always say that his pig was clearly extraordinary.

Wilbur's friends, not all of them but some, started to get worried that fame was going to his head. They were scared that the attention he was getting would turn him into an arrogant pig but that didn't happen to Wilbur because he was modest and for him, the most important thing in the world was friendship and not attention. Sometimes he would think about the future and whether Charlotte saved him from certain death or if it is all just and merely temporary. He disliked the nights because he would dream of people coming for him with knives. When he heard the crickets he knew that soon he will be going to the County Fair with Homer and that if he wins a prize Homer won't be getting rid of him.

Charlotte also had a lot on her mind, it was time for her to plant her eggs like every year. When they were talking about going to the fair Wilbur invited her to go with him, but Charlotte said she couldn't. Wilbur was surprised about her planting eggs every year. She told him all about it but it still wasn't a good enough reason for her not to go with him.

Wilbur kept on begging her to go with him because he really needed her. Charlotte still declined but she said that if it will be in any way possible that she will go with him.

Wilbur was relieved because he knew Charlotte would never leave him hanging. They spent the rest of the day relaxing on the hay.

Off to the Fair

The night before the fair everything was being settled. The animals and people went to bed early so that they could escort Homer and Wilbur on their big adventure. Avery and Fern went to bed around eight both having had interesting dreams. Edith and Homer went to bed a bit later and Homer dreamed that Wilbur grew big and won all of the prizes. Charlotte went to bed really late.

The day before the fair was a sunny one. Fern and Avery got dressed up and their father was in his working suit. After breakfast, he prepared the truck and they headed to the fair.

The worker finished Wilbur's case and he made the golden inscription. Charlotte was working on her web and Wilbur was eating carefully so that he wouldn't get dirty.

Edith said she will be washing Wilbur in a way because that was how her mother did it, Homer, on the other hand, thought it not necessary, but she was determined. Edith took a little bucket of whey and went to Wilbur.

Wilbur liked the bath and he even tasted some whey. When Edith was finished with him, Wilbur looked great. The Zuckermans and their workers got dressed and ready for the fair.

The other animals had to stay in the stable. The little geese asked their mother goose to go to the fair but she explained that they had to stay in. Charlotte came saying she is going and that it would be good if Templeton went with her. At first, he wasn't interested but when she told him about all the food that will be at the fair he changed his mind. Both of them hid in Wilbur's case.

Everyone was ready and Wilbur looked great and clean. They were proud of him because he used to be a skinny pig. John said he will make a good ham and sausages and Wilbur heard him. His heart stopped for a second and he collapsed. Fern got scared and she started shouting. Avery got down on all fours and entered Wilbur's case calling him a pig. Templeton and Charlotte got really upset. The mother ordered Avery to step out of the case and then the break got loose and the truck started going downhill. John managed to catch it and stop it.

They threw some cold water on Wilbur so that he would regain consciousness. Avery said he might be dead, but when Wilbur felt the cold water he started coming to his senses. They tried to place him in the case but he put up quite a resistance. They managed to shove him in and they went to the fair.

Uncle

The fair was cheerful. There was a little children roller-coaster and John gave his children some money to go and enjoy themselves. Their mother told them to stick around until they unloaded Wilbur's case.

Soon Wilbur was settled in his place, they gave him some food and went to check out the fair. Wilbur and Charlotte talked. She told him she saw a bigger pig than him and they went to check out its name. The pig's name was Uncle. She asked him if he was a spring pig and he replied he wasn't a spring chicken. Charlotte thought his joke was pretty lame.

When she came back to Wilbur, she told him he was a better and cleaner pig than Uncle. He was rude and noisy but Charlotte still wasn't sure if Wilbur could beat him but she knew she had to do everything to help him. Wilbur asked her when she will do her web and she said that she was tired. Wilbur was worried about her given she wanted to take a break.

The sun was still strong, and the others came back to Wilbur after checking out the fair. They settled because it was lunchtime. Edith asked when Wilbur will be placed in front of the judges and Homer said that the decision will be announced tomorrow. The worker came with a blanket and made a tent for the children to rest after the long day.

The Cool of the Evening

Templeton went out and decided to walk around the fair. Wilbur was sleeping and Charlotte was making her web. Charlotte asked Templeton to bring her at least one word. He didn't like being ordered around but he did his job and got the word for Charlotte.

Fern met her friend Henry who invited her to go to the roller-coaster with him. Her mother was pleased she was finally talking to a boy her age because she didn't think she would live long enough to see it happening. Doctor Dorian did tell her the girl's behavior will change with time.

Soon Templeton came back with another word that had two meanings; one was arrogant and the other one was kind and good. She decided that the word perfectly described Wilbur. Templeton went on having fun at the fair and Charlotte kept on webbing her web.

The families went home and the animals stayed at the fair. Fern and Avery jumped inside the truck and John caressed Wilbur saying they will be seeing each other in the morning. Luckily Wilbur wasn't alone because Charlotte and Templeton were there with him.

Wilbur was starting to fall asleep and he asked Charlotte to sing him another song. She was too tired to sing. Wilbur asked her if she really thought he wouldn't be slaughtered in the winter and she said she was completely positive he wouldn't. Soon Wilbur fell asleep and Charlotte kept on working.

The Egg Sack

Charlotte was very hardworking and was proud of her work. She managed to make an egg sack and place 540 eggs. Wilbur congratulated her but she was sad. She said it was because she won't be able to see her children next spring. Charlotte felt tired as if she was fading away. Wilbur didn't know what it meant and Charlotte explained she was getting older. Charlotte didn't want to bother him with her problems because he had a prize to think of. Both of them looked at her perfect web and admired it. They were sure the visitors would love the web and Wilbur.

Templeton was coming back after eating and drinking a lot. Charlotte didn't like his behavior because his overeating and overdrinking could cause him to have problems with his health. The rat wasn't worried about that and claimed he could eat and drink anything without it affecting his stomach. He said that walking by Uncle he saw he had a blue ribbon which could mean he already won the first prize. Homer could change his opinion about Wilbur if he doesn't win and he could kill him. Charlotte interrupted Templeton telling Wilbur not to worry. She thought Templeton had too much to drink and was talking silly.

Wilbur told Templeton to be more observant and notice Charlotte's egg sack. Templeton congratulated her on becoming a mother, shut his eyes, and went to sleep.

In the morning everyone was excited about Wilbur's new title. They were thrilled about another miracle happening and Wilbur enjoyed looking at their happy faces. He seemed thankful and humble. The worker gave him some breakfast and Avery jumped up after spotting the blue ribbon. Everyone was crushed about it and Edith went to get the whey to wash Wilbur. Everyone soon gathered to look at the beautiful pig.

Many visitors commented on how Wilbur was a special and extremely clean pig. He was more beautiful than Uncle. A voice coming out of the speakers asked Homer to bring Wilbur to the tent in front of the podium. A special award was being handed out there and everyone was enthusiastic. They placed Wilbur in the truck and took him to the tent.

The Hour of Triumph

The big day and the most important moment in Wilbur's life were finally here. Through the speakers, it was announced that the board decided to give a special prize to Wilbur. Everyone was praising him. The host reminded everyone about the beginning of Wilbur's story. Many scientists tried to discover where those words on the web came from but they didn't find a single good explanation. It was known that spiders couldn't spell and Charlotte, listening to the host, just mumbled that they could.

Wilbur won an award and a bronze medal. He felt dizzy listening to the speech and when the crowd applauded him Wilbur's legs caved in and he collapsed out of pure excitement. Homer told them he was a humble pig and wasn't really good at handling excitement and that sometimes he collapses because of it.

Templeton woke up and saw Wilbur on the ground. He thought Wilbur would wake up if he nibbled on his tail and he did. Wilbur jumped right up and the worker went to get some cold water but when he came the pig was already awake so he threw the water at Avery and Homer.

Fern was on the roller-coaster with her friend Henry, she really did treasure his friendship.

Last Day

Charlotte and Wilbur were alone after the ceremony, Templeton was sleeping and the others were looking for Fern. The medal was still around Wilbur's neck and Charlotte was extremely happy about this. He was finally free from his death sentence and he will be able to live through the holidays and winter. Wilbur was worried about Charlotte. She was completely calm and satisfied with keeping her word and saving Wilbur. He wondered why she had done it and Charlotte told him that he was her only friend and that her life became interesting from the moment she met him. Wilbur was happy she saved his life and he was ready to do everything for her.

It was time to go back to the farm and Charlotte told Wilbur she was staying because her life was fading away. Wilbur was clearly upset about this because he wanted to save her and her egg sack. He knew he could not reach the egg sack so he asked Templeton to help him. The rat was already tired from taking orders but Wilbur promised to let him eat out of his bowl for the rest of his life and the art helped him reach the egg sack.

Charlotte was slowly dying without anyone knowing she was responsible for Wilbur's victory.

A Warm Wind

Wilbur came to the stable carrying Charlotte's eggs in his mouth because he didn't want anything happening to them. He put them in a safe place and felt weird about not having his best friend by his side. The geese cheerfully greeted him and congratulated him on his victory. Homer places the medal above the table so everyone could see it when they visit Wilbur.

As the days passed Wilbur thought a lot about his friend Charlotte. Her web was still in the stable and he thought about never having a more loyal friend than her.

With the first snow, the kids went out to play, and Wilbur was roaming around the snow-covered backyard. Templeton came three times a day to eat with him. A promise was a promise, and Wilbur kept his word. The rat was getting fatter with each day.

Wilbur took care of the egg sack during winter, and he couldn't wait for spring to come because everything will wake up then. There were many lambs, geese, and little spiders on the farm now. Charlotte's kids came to life. One little spider looked particularly like his mother because he had gray-yellow-brown-colored legs and a black line on his back. Everyone was getting out of the egg sack and Wilbur's heart started racing. He checked if all of the little spiders were alright and he told them he was their mother's friend.

When Homer opened the door of the stable one day, the warm wind took the already grown spiders away. Wilbur wasn't thrilled about it but he still had three of Charlotte's daughters in the stable and he named them. Everyone loved having them around. He held a short speech thanking his mother for saving his life. She called her beautiful, wonderful, and loyal and he bowed to eternally serve and protect her three daughters.

Time passed and Wilbur was never alone. Fern was already a big girl and she spent less time in the stable but Charlotte's children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were there. They had new spiders every spring.

Charlotte was still irreplaceable in Wilbur's heart because she was his best friend and an excellent writer.

Characters

Characters: Wilbur, Charlotte, Templeton, Fern, Avery, Aunt Edith, Uncle Homer, John.

Wilbur - a small, skinny pig who became a famous pig that longed for friendship. When he met Charlotte he found a friend in her and with each day they would spend together, their love and loyalty grew. He was humble and knew how to handle fame. The first time when people came to see him he fainted because they thought he was a magical pig. His life was saved thanks to Charlotte.

Charlotte - a gray, shortsighted spider. She heard Wilbur crying in his pigsty because of his life and friend Fern who saved him from death. The girl fed him and took him to Homer's stable. Fern would visit him every day, and Charlotte was her replacement. She knew how to comfort Wilbur and she promised to come up with a plan to save his life. She was a wonderful friend and an excellent narrator. Charlotte gave her life to save Wilbur and he paid her back by taking care of her children.

Templeton - a rat who took advantage of everything. He didn't agree to do anything without getting something in return. He loved to eat and drink. Some of the animals even warned him about becoming ill if he keeps up with his eating and drinking habits. Despite being shrewd, Templeton always helped his friend and most of all Wilbur.

Biography

Elwyn Brooks White (E. B. White) was an American writer born July 11th, 1899 in Mount Vernon, New York.

His older brother Stanley Hart White influenced his life and upbringing. Elwyn spent a lot of time traveling and exploring the wonders of nature around the world, before starting his studies, he joined the military. White finished his art studies in 1921.

White tried out all sorts of jobs before coming to work for "The New Yorker". He wrote introductory articles and poems for the magazine. In 1929 he married Katharine Angell, and in 1930 they moved to the village where he continued writing essays.

He and his wife had one child, Joel White. White enjoyed observing nature and life in the village. One of his favorite scenes was watching the animals run out of the woods. He loved people, especially children, nature, and animals.

His writing was unique and special. His most famous children's book was "Charlotte's Web". It was published in more than a million copies in America. The book describes the pig Wilbur's wonderful life on a farm with his friends Fern and Charlotte.

White died on October 1st, 1985, and suffered from Alzheimer's for years before his death. He died on his farm in North Brookline where he was buried next to his wife Katharine who died in 1977.

White won the Pulitzer. A short animated movie adaptation of his work was nominated for an Oscar.