This book review was written by Bitanya Kebede of Richard Montgomery High School
Disclaimer: This book review contains spoilers.
There are many tales of friendship and loyalty, but few stick to the heart. But the words of Charlotte's Web by E.B. White are forever written in the souls of millions, both young and old.
When tenderhearted Fern Arable, the young daughter of Mr. Arable, hears of her father’s plan to kill the newly born runt of his pig litter, she quickly takes the runt into her care. Naming the runt Wilbur, Fern befriends the pig and nurtures him. With the intention of slaughtering Wilbur for his meat, Mr. Arable sends him to Mr. Zuckerman, who is Mr. Arable’s brother. In doing this, he hoped to weaken the bond Fern had developed with Wilbur. Once at Mr. Zuckerman’s farm, Wilbur notices how reserved the other animals were, until the barn spider, Charlotte, befriends him. It is at this point that Wilbur learns Zuckerman has been planning to kill him in the winter. Hot, deep fear shoots through his small body at the thought of being murdered. What could he do to live? Charlotte vows to save Wilbur’s life with the help of the fellow farm animals, most of all Templeton, the rat who scours the barn for food and scraps.
Devising a plan to prove Wilbur’s worth, Charlotte begins to weave words into her spider web above Wilbur. “Some Pig”, she writes in her web, garnering the attention of Mr. Zuckerman. Charlotte then employs Templeton to find scraps of paper scattered around the farm to find more words to weave. After inscribing more words into her web, crowds begin to come to Zuckerman’s farm to see this marvel of a pig—the pig that is able to somehow create these weaved-word situations. Seeing this newfound attention, Zuckerman forgets his plans to kill Wilbur and instead enrolls him into the county fair. Charlotte tags along with Wilbur to the county fair, hoping to assist Wilbur one last time.
Charlotte uses the last of her strength to create a marvelous creation for Wilbur, winning him a bronze medal. Wilbur learns that Charlotte will not be returning to the farm with him, her life span is coming to an end. His heart breaks hearing that his best friend, his caretaker, his guardian angel all rolled into the body of one small spider is passing away. This serves to be one of the most unfeigned and raw moments in any friendship, where the two are being separated for life. Charlotte lays a sack of eggs at the fair, asking Wilbur to take it home with him so that her children can live. Parting ways and saying their final goodbyes, Wilbur returns to Mr. Zuckerman’s farm and eventually sees the egg sack hatching. Most of the spiderlings fly away with the wind but three remain at the farm with Wilbur. The three spiderlings, and the many more that are birthed, befriend Wilbur—a constant reminder of the absolute love Charlotte showed him.
Core components of true friendship include love, kindness, and empathy. This universal theme is emphasized in Charlotte’s Web, where we are taught friendship comes with sacrifice. Charlotte serves as a role model and an inspiration to the young kids this story was intended for but her influence will remain present within their lives for years to come. It is key to have kids read this when they are young! If you have resonated with books such as Matilda or The Trumpet of the Swan, Charlotte’s Web is a must read for you! Be ready for an influx in tears, bonding, and love!
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