Charlotte's Web

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White is a timeless children’s book, that teaches valuable life lessons about friendship and love while following the first year of life of a young pig that is fighting to stay in the pigpen and off the table. Throughout the book the animals on the farm band together to save Wilbur, and in gaining the affection of the Zuckerman’s, Wilbur also gains status within in the barn and surrounding town. The bonds of friendship created by saving Wilbur’s life teach children how to work together with those around them to achieve a common goal. Wilburn is born in the spring and is the runt of his litter. The first introduction of Wilbur states, “one of the pigs is a runt. IT’s very small and weak, and it will never amount to
(White, 1952, p. 15) Fern is welcomed into the barnyard by the animals because “she was so quiet and friendly”. (White, 1952, p. 15) The other animals in the barn are not very kind to Wilbur and will not play with him and he frequently cries to himself. (White, 1952, p. 30) One night Wilbur hears a voice tell him that she will be his friend in the morning; Wilbur wakes to see that his new friend is a “blood thirsty” spider named Charlotte. (White, 1952, p. 41) Wilbur soon discovers that the Zuckerman’s plan to kill him and have him for dinner once the weather becomes cold, and Charlotte vows to save Wilbur’s life. () The animals in the barn are very fond of Fern, but not so Wilbur. At this point in the story they have no one demanding their respect or asking for them to be a friend to Wilbur. That is until Charlotte comes into the story. Charlotte is poised, calm and wise, and the animals all listen to her. Charlotte becomes a key character in unifying the animals together, with the common purpose of saving Wilbur’s life; additionally, she teaches all the animals what friendship looks like, by being a friend to