“Charlotte’s web”

E. B. White

Prepared by
Dasha Servatynska
Charlotte’s web is a book written by the author White E.B. and was initially
printed in 1952.

Charlotte’s web is regarded as the best of children’s writing.

The book gives a story of a spider by the name

Charlotte and her acquaintance with Wilbur, the
piglet. The story rotates around Wilbur’s rescue from
being killed for food by Charlotte.
This work will focus on two characters in the story, that is, Wilbur
and Charlotte .
It will determine their overall purpose in the story, their impact on
the themes and any development that takes place in these two
characters over the course of the narrative.
Wilbur is the favorite piglet of Fern Arable, a young girl.
He is to be killed by John, Fern’s father, on the morning after his birth.
He is extremely small in size at the time of his birth.
Fern persuades her father to permit her to take care of Wilbur for a
period of six weeks.

Wilbur survives and grows into a mature pig. Fern is now obliged
to take Wilbur to the Zuckerman’s homestead, where he is to be
prepared for a feast. Isolation looms around Wilbur’s life.
In the process of losing hope, Wilbur is noticed by a remarkably
expressive spider, Charlotte. Charlotte’s voice surfaces from the
shadows asking Wilbur whether he wants a friend.

The author of this novel refers this as a story of friendship and

rescue in the farm. Wilbur accepts this friendship and becomes
Charlotte’s best friend.
Wilbur’s character changes throughout the story. This is seen in the fact that he
changes from a minute weak and helpless piglet that is reliant on the assistance
and protection of others. He grows from this to a mature character capable of
taking on the accountability to protect others.

This is seen where he pays Charlotte back for her assistance by looking after
her children.
Wilbur also portrays the theme of farm life. He is going to be
killed simply because he is a rant. By using Wilbur, E.B.White
shows that farm animals are brought up for food and other
products.
The fact that Wilbur goes for fairs also shows that many farmers
keep animals and display them at county exhibitions. Wilbur and the
other animals in the play are exemplified throughout the amusing,
touching and appealing barnyard setting of the novel.
 Charlotte’s key purpose in the story is to save and shield Wilbur from
being slaughtered. He takes care of Wilbur throughout the story.
Charlotte plays a role in enhancing the theme of friendship in this
novel. She works hard to rescue Wilbur’s life.

Friendship in this book is depicted as a

matter of listening, acting in response,
encouraging and offering assistance
while staying true to one self.
 Charlotte develops the theme of loyalty in the novel. She struggles to
save Wilbur from murder because she cares for him. Even when she is
worn out and nearing the termination of her life, she is still
contemplating on helping Wilbur.

Wilbur has an impact on themes such as friendship, farm

life and natural cycle of life and death while Charlotte’s
impact is seen in Friendship and Loyalty.
The language used, the style, and the plots in this book are very
humorous that I find it so impressive. The author, E. B. White, excels in
creating animal characters that can talk and feel normally like humans
as a simple farm was depicted as a lively family.