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Charlotte's Web

Pages
184
Published
1952
Language
English

Synopsis

Wilbur is a runt piglet who would have been culled at birth if not for a young girl named Fern, who begs to keep him alive. Raised first by Fern and then sent to live in the Zuckermans' barn, Wilbur soon learns the hard truth of farm life: come winter, a spring pig is destined for the smokehouse. Lonely and frightened, he finds an unexpected friend in Charlotte A. Cavatica, a wise and eloquent grey spider who spins her web in the doorway above his pen.

Determined to save Wilbur's life, Charlotte hatches an ingenious plan, weaving words into her web that turn an ordinary pig into the wonder of the county. Along the way, a cast of barnyard characters — the greedy rat Templeton, the anxious geese, the sheep — is drawn into the effort.

E. B. White's beloved 1952 classic is a tender, quietly wise story about friendship, loyalty, and the natural cycle of life and death. Gentle enough for the youngest readers yet honest about loss, it has remained one of the most cherished children's novels ever written.

Vibe

RoughPolished
FaintLasting

About the author

E
E. B. White

Elwyn Brooks "E. B." White was an American writer. A long-time contributor to "The New Yorker" magazine, he also wrote many famous books for both adults and children, such as the popular Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little, and co-authored a widely used writing guide, The Elements of Style, popularly known by its authors' names, as "Strunk & White."

Characters

WilburProtagonist

A runt piglet saved from slaughter through the ingenuity of his spider friend.

Charlotte A. CavaticaProtagonist

A wise, eloquent grey barn spider who devises a plan to save Wilbur.

Fern ArableSupporting

The farm girl who rescues Wilbur as a piglet.

Lady TempletonSupporting

A greedy, self-serving barn rat who reluctantly helps Charlotte in exchange for food.

All characters in Charlotte's Web
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