Charlottes-Web

Charlotte’sWeb•Theauthor•Characters&Plotsummary•Excerpts&Illustrations•ReceptionElwynBrooksWhite(1899-1985)•ElwynBrooksWhite(July111899–October11985)wasanAmericanwriter.•Heismostfamousforhis1959manualabouthowtowritewellinEnglish,TheElementsofStyle(whichwasfirstwrittenbyWilliamStrunkJr.in1918),andalsoforhisthreechildren'sbooksStuartLittle(1945),Charlotte'sWeb(1952),andtheTrumpetoftheSwan(1970).•E.B.Whitewonmanyawards,includingaPulitzerPrize.TheTrumpetoftheSwanmaybehisbest-sellingbook,butCharlotte'sWebwasvotedthetopchildren'snovelina2012survey,andnotforthefirsttime.Characters•Wilburisarambunctiouspig,theruntofhislitter.Heisoftenstronglyemotional.•CharlotteisaspiderwhobefriendsWilbur.Insomepassagessheistheheroineofthestory.•JohnArable:Wilbur'sfirstowner.•FernArable,John'sdaughter,whoadoptsWilburinhisinfancy,andlatervisitshim.Sheistheonlyhumaninthestorycapableofunderstandingnonhumanconversation.•TempletonisaratwhohelpsCharlotteandWilburonlywhenofferedfood.Heservesasasomewhatcaustic,self-servingcomicrelieftotheplot.•OtheranimalsinZuckerman’sbarn,withwhomWilburconverses,areadisdainfullamb,atalkativegoose,andanintelligentoldsheep.ThenoveltellsthestoryofapignamedWilburandhisfriendshipwithabarnspidernamedCharlotte.WhenWilburisindangerofbeingslaughteredbythefarmer,CharlottewritesmessagespraisingWilbur(suchasSomePig)inherwebinordertopersuadethefarmertolethimlive.Pleasedon'tkillit!shesobbed.It'sunfair.Mr.Arablestoppedwalking.Fern,hesaidgently,youwillhavetolearntocontrolyourself.Controlmyself?yelledFern.Thisisamatteroflifeanddeath,andyoutalkaboutcontrollingmyself.Tearsrandownhercheeksandshetookholdoftheaxandtriedtopullitoutofherfather'shand.Friendless,dejected,andhungry,hethrewhimselfdowninthemanureandsobbed.Hedidn'tknowwhetherhecouldenduretheawfullonelinessanymore.Doyouwantafriend,Wilbur?Idon'twanttodie!screamedWilbur,throwinghimselftotheground.Youshallnotdie,saidCharlotte,briskly.What?Really?criedWilbur.Who'sgoingtosaveme?“Iam,saidCharlotte.How?askedWilbur.Thatremainstobeseen.ButIamgoingtosaveyou,SomePigYouhavebeenmyfriend,repliedCharlotte.Thatinitselfisatremendousthing.IwovemywebsforyoubecauseIlikedyou.Afterall,what'salife,anyway?We'reborn,welivealittlewhile,wedie.Aspider'slifecan'thelpbeingsomethingofamess,withallthistrappingandeatingflies.Byhelpingyou,perhapsIwastryingtoliftupmylifeatrifle.Heavenknowsanyone'slifecanstandalittleofthat.•Charlotte'sWebwasgenerallywell-reviewedwhenitwasreleased.InTheNewYorkTimes,EudoraWeltywrote,Asapieceofworkitisjustaboutperfect,andjustaboutmagicalinthewayitisdone.Asidefromitspaperbacksales,Charlotte'sWebis78thontheall-timebestsellinghardbackbooklist.Accordingtopublicityforthe2006filmadaptation,thebookhassoldmorethan45millioncopiesandbeentranslatedinto23languages.•WritteninWhite'sdry,low-keymanner,Charlotte'sWebisconsideredaclassicofchildren'sliterature,enjoyabletoadultsaswellaschildren.In2000,PublishersWeeklylistedthebookasthebest-sellingchildren'spaperbackofalltime.Thankyou