Charlotte's Web By E.B. White
About Author:
Elwyn
Brooks White (July 11, 1899 – October 1, 1985) was
an American writer. He was the author of several highly popular books for
children, including Stuart Little (1945), Charlotte's
Web (1952), and The Trumpet of the Swan (1970). In a 2012 survey of School Library
Journal readers, Charlotte's Web came in first in their poll of the top one hundred
children's novels. In addition, he was a writer and contributing
editor to The New Yorker magazine, and also a co-author of the
English language style guide The Elements
of Style.
Summary:
This is a story about a pig named Wilbur, who was born on
the Arable farm. Mr. Arable wants to kill Wilbur when he was born because
Wilbur is a runt, but Fern, Mr. Arable’s daughter saved him. Fern raised Wilbur
until he was sold to Mr. Zuckerman, a farmer who lives nearby. Fern starting
visiting Wilbur a lot as Wilbur gets accustomed to his new home.
However, Wilbur is lonely and none of the other animals want
to play with him. One day, Wilbur heard a voice that offers friendship and its
source was from a spider named Charlotte. Charlotte and Wilbur became friend.
However, Wilbur learns that Mr. Zuckerman plans on killing him in the winter.
Charlotte vows to save Wilbur’s life by any means necessary.
Charlotte decides that to save Wilbur she must trick Mr. Zuckerman. She begins
writing words in her web so that everyone can read it. She writes, “Some Pig”,
“Terrific”, and “Radiant” over the course of weeks. This brings hundreds of
visitors to Mr. Zuckerman’s farm, which prompts him to enter Wilbur in the
county fair as a show pig.
Charlotte travels with Wilbur to the fair for one more
miracle. At the county fair, Charlotte grows weaker and only has the energy to
write one more message in her web. She writes “Humble” which earns Wilbur a
special bronze medal from the county fair judges. Also at the fair, Charlotte
creates an egg sac that contains thousands of little eggs. Because a spider’s life
is so short, Charlotte tells Wilbur that she will die soon and not be able to
return to the farm. Wilbur takes the egg sac back to the farm and Charlotte died
at the fair alone. Back at the farm, Wilbur watches the egg sac until one day,
little spider lings begin to emerge. Wilbur was overjoyed to see Charlotte’s children,
but they soon start flying away with the wind.
However, three children stay behind and live in the
doorframe that Charlotte once lived. In the end, Wilbur watches over
Charlotte’s children and grandchildren, but never forgets the sacrifice
Charlotte made for friendship.
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