While browsing books in the bookstore last week, I saw that a new edition of Puffin Classics has come out. Many of my favourite stories like ‘Artemis Fowl’ were there and there were others that I hadn’t heard of. I browsed through a few and somehow my heart gravitated towards ‘Charlotte’s Web’ by E.B.White. Oddly, I haven’t read this book before and I haven’t seen the movie version either. I remembered vaguely that ‘Charlotte’s Web’ was about a pig, but I didn’t know where the web came from. So, I got it and I finished reading it yesterday. Here is the review.
Summary of the story
I am giving below the summary of the story as given in the back cover of the book.
One spring morning a little girl called Fern rescues a runt and names him Wilbur. But then Wilbur is sent to live on a farm where he meets Charlotte, a beautiful large grey spider. They become best friends and, when Wilbur is faced with a dreadful fate, Charlotte must find a very clever way to save him.
What I think
To continue the story given in the summary, one of the farm animals – a sheep – tells Wilbur that he is being fed well by the farmer Mr.Zuckerman, because he is going to be killed in the winter. Wilbur is worried about this and is afraid and he wants to live. What are the adventures Wilbur and Charlotte have after this and what Charlotte does to save her friend and whether it works, form the rest of the story.
I loved ‘Charlotte’s Web’. When I read the first chapter, I thought that Fern, who rescues Wilbur first, would be one of the main characters. But as I read through I discovered that there are other characters which were equally important – Wilbur the pig, Charlotte the beautiful grey spider, Templeton the rat, Mr.Zuckerman on whose barn Wilbur lives, Fern’s parents and brother Avery and Dr.Dorian who comes in only one chapter but says some interesting things.
My favourite character in the story is, of course, Charlotte, the large grey spider, who is beautiful, active, innovative, wise and a wonderful friend. Spiders have always been portrayed as villains in books and in movies. I remember in the Harry Potter series, Aragog and his family are nice to Hagrid, but they try to eat Harry Potter and his friends. So it was nice to see E.B.White trying to correct this unfair depiction of spiders, by making a spider the heroine of the story. While reading the story, it was difficult to imagine Charlotte as a regular spider – she looked almost human without the flaws.
‘Charlotte’s Web’ is a story of a beautiful friendship, about loyalty and courage, about growing up and letting go. The ending of the story was sad and it made me cry. They say great literature touches your heart, irrespective of when the book was written or irrespective of whether one is a child or a grown up. ‘Charlotte’s Web’ does exactly that. I loved it and I am glad I finally read it. It is one of the books, which I will take down from the shelf, when I am feeling down, and read again and marvel at the beautiful friendship between an innocent pig and a beautiful large grey spider.
Excerpts
I am giving below some of my favourite passages from the book.
What one wants
Wilbur didn’t want food, he wanted love. He wanted a friend – someone who would play with him.
Beauty
‘I think you’re beautiful,’ said Wilbur.
‘Well, I am pretty,’ replied Charlotte. ‘There’s no denying that. Almost all spiders are rather nice-looking. I’m not as flashy as some, but I’ll do….’
The pleasures of being sedentary
‘…with men it’s rush, rush, rush, every minute. I’m glad I’m a sedentary spider.’
‘What does sedentary mean?’ asked Wilbur.
‘Means I sit still a good part of the time and don’t go wandering all over creation. I know a good thing when I see it, and my web is a good thing. I stay put and wait for what comes. Gives me a chance to think.’
A Beautiful friendship
‘Why did you do all this for me?’ he asked. ‘I don’t deserve it. I’ve never done anything for you.’
‘You have been my friend,’ replied Charlotte. ‘That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what’s a life, anyway? We’re born, we live a little while, we die. A spider’s life can’t help being something of a mess, with all this trapping and eating flies. By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heaven knows anyone’s life can stand a little of that.
Catching a wink of sleep
Wilbur rushed over, pushed his strong snout under the rat, and tossed him into the air.
‘Templeton!’ screamed Wilbur. ‘Pay attention!’
The rat, surprised out of a sound sleep, looked first dazed then disgusted.
‘What kind of monkeyshine is this?’ he growled. ‘Can’t a rat catch a wink of sleep without being rudely popped into the air?’
On living longer
As a result of overeating, Templeton grew bigger and fatter than any rat you ever saw. He was gigantic. He was as big as a young woodchuck.
The old sheep spoke to him about his size one day. ‘You would live longer,’ said the old sheep, ‘if you ate less.’
‘Who wants to live for ever?’ sneered the rat.
On Rains upsetting plans (aka A Pig’s Day)
Rain upset Wilbur’s plans. Wilbur had planned to go out, this day, and dig a new hole in his yard. He had other plans, too. His plans for the day went something like this.
Breakfast at six-thirty. Skim milk, crusts, middlings, bit of doughnuts, wheat cakes with drops of maple syrup sticking to them, potato skins, left-over custard pudding with raisins and bits of Shredded Wheat.
Breakfast would be finished at seven.
From seven to eight, Wilbur planned to have a talk with Templeton, the rat that lived under his trough. Talking with Templeton was not the most interesting occupation in the world but it was better than nothing.
From eight to nine, Wilbur planned to take a nap outdoors in the sun.
From nine to eleven, he planned to dig a hole, or trench, and possibly find something good to eat buried in the dirt.
From eleven to twelve, he planned to stand still and watch flies on the boards, watch bees in the clover, and watch swallows in the air.
Twelve o’clock – lunchtime. Middlings, warm water, apple parings, meat gravy, carrot scrapings, meat scraps, stale hominy, and the wrapper off a package of cheese. Lunch would be over at one.
From one to two, Wilbur planned to sleep.
From two to three, he planned to scratch itchy places by rubbing against the fence.
From three to four, he planned to stand perfectly still and think of what it was like to be alive, and to wait for Fern.
At four would come supper. Skim milk, provender left-over sandwich from Lurvy’s lunchbox, prune skins, a morsel of this, a bit of that, fried potatoes, marmalade drippings, a little more of this, a little more of that, a piece of baked apple, a scrap of upside-down cake.
Wilbur had gone to sleep thinking about these plans. He awoke at six and saw the rain, and it seemed as though he couldn’t bear it.
‘I get everything all beautifully planned out and it has to go and rain,’ he said.
The best place to be
Life in the barn was very good – night and day, winter and summer, spring and autumn, dull days and bright days. It was the best place to be, thought Wilbur, this warm delicious cellar, with the garrulous geese, the changing seasons, the heat of the sun, the passage of swallows, the nearness of rats, the sameness of sheep, the love of spiders, the smell of manure, and the glory of everything.
Final Thoughts
I loved ‘Charlotte’s Web’. I think I will read it again some day. If you like children’s literature and you haven’t read ‘Charlotte’s Web’ yet, I would heartily recommend it. You can also gift it to your nephews, nieces or your own children.
I read this book a long time ago, I think. Or maybe I only saw the movie. I’m not sure. I liked it, anyway 🙂 I reaaaaally don’t like spiders (too many legs! they scare me! Irrational, but yeah…) I did like Charlotte.
Glad to know that you liked story too, Amy 🙂 Yes, spiders are scary, but in my place we see only small ones around in the garden and so we regard them as harmless creatures. I would love to see one of those huge ones that they show in movies some day – maybe they are there in the Amazon forest! But as you said, Charlotte is so adorable!
I still have the copy of Charlotte’s Web I had as a child. My mom wrote the diminutive form of my name in the front cover so kids at school wouldn’t steal it from me. The back cover features a small ink stamp that says “Dino-mite Job”. The stamp features a snarling dinosaur on it! I must’ve gotten that at school for reading the book or something.
I don’t remember much about the story except that I always think of it when I debate killing a spider. There’s a big, nasty, tan spider on my awning frame and I was going to smoosh it a couple days ago. I thought of Charlotte’s Web and left the spider alone.
Wonderful to know that you still have the copy of ‘Charlotte’s Web’ which you read as a child. That is really amazing!
Interesting to know that when you see spiders, they remind you of ‘Charlotte’s Web’ 🙂 I am yet to see a nasty, big spider. The spiders in my place are really small and harmless.
I love this book. I like the goose the best! Every time I see a goose in real life, I think of the Charlotte’s Web goose spelling TERRIFIC for Charlotte. :p
Have you read The Trumpet of the Swan? Of White’s three books for kids, it gets the least attention, which I think is crazy sauce because it’s genius. It’s about a trumpeter swan who is born mute, and all the things he does to be able to communicate. It’s sweet and funny and just wonderful.
Glad to know that you loved this book too, Jenny 🙂 The goose spelling ‘TERRIFIC’ – that is one of the wonderful scenes in the book!
I haven’t read ‘The Trumpet of the Swan’. Your description of it, makes me want to read it. Thanks for writing about it. I will look for it when I go to the bookstore / library next time.
I can’t believe I still haven’t read this book, but there you go. But your detailed reviews always make me want to read a book immediately so perhaps I’ll try it soon 🙂 And Charlotte sounds like such a wonderful character!
Around here children mostly devour Astrid Lindgren and Erich Kästner books etc, and it’s only since I started reading in English and blogging that I found out that I completely missed out on the essential childrens’ lit of other countries and cultures.
Yes, Charlotte is really wonderful!
I have heard of Astrid Lindgren, but Erich Kästner is new to me. What kind of books does he write?
I am hoping to read Cornelia Funke sometime, which you recommended to me sometime back.
Such a nice review 🙂 I have seen the movie (which I liked) but not read the book…. I so loved that Beautiful Friendship quote… It indeed is rare to have such a friendship… I think Soul has this book with her, will borrow it
Glad to know that you liked the review, Birdy 🙂 Nice to know that you liked the ‘Beautiful Friendship’ quote too – it is one of my favourite passages from the book. Hope you enjoy reading this book.
Vishy!
Thank you so so so much for sharing this review. I read this book as a child and loved it then but I don’t think I was capable of really enjoying its importance til now. Reading the excerpts you chose was a real treat and now I’m resolved to pick up this copy when I go back home to my parents’ home next time I’m in Houston.
Glad to know that you liked the review, Linda 🙂 Hope you enjoy reading ‘Charlotte’s Web’ again.
This book is so near and dear to my heart that I have never posted on it. I first read it in 1969, when it was the only book I took with me on our first trip to Europe. I read it and read it and read it. I have reread it several times as an adult, as well. It is a book which supposedly teaches about friendship, which of course it does, but to me it also taught about death. Not everything lasts for ever, not every friend will always be there. I learned this at an early age, from an incredible book, and it was a lesson that tenderly prepared me for the losses to come in my life.
On a happier note, there are so many parts I love, most especially when they’re swinging on the rope from the barn’s loft, and enjoying themselves at the County Fair.
Thanks for stopping by, Bellezza 🙂 Glad to know that you loved ‘Charlotte’s Web’ too and it is one of your favourite books.
I liked very much your comment ‘Not everything lasts for ever, not every friend will always be there.’ I agree with you that it is one of themes of the book.
I loved that scene where Fern and Avery are swinging on the rope 🙂 I loved this description of it by White – “Mothers for miles around worried about Zuckermann’s swing. They feared some child would fall off. But no child ever did. Children almost always hang on to things tighter than their parents think they will.” It just showed how differently children and grown-ups think 🙂
I love that you reviewed this book. It’s such a classic, it’s easy to take its brilliance as just a given, so looking at it through your fresh eyes was really wonderful.
Thanks for stopping by, Elise 🙂 Glad to know that you liked my review of ‘Charlotte’s Web’.
This is one of my childhood favorites. I used to just read the end when I was a kid over and over again and I ALWAYS cried when the baby spiders leave the farm.
Glad to know that ‘Charlotte’s Web’ is one of your favourite books, Michelle 🙂 Yes, the ending is sad, but I was glad when three of the spiders stayed back.
Beautiful review, Vishy. I particularly liked your point on Aragog. 🙂 I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Charlotte is a ‘good’ spider.
Based on your recommendation, I read the book a couple of days ago, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was like doing a huge favour to myself. EB White’s description of the barn and the way children played with the swing were extraordinary. I see myself reading the book again sometime soon. My thoughts here: https://worncorners.wordpress.com/2015/03/09/charlottes-web-book-review/
Asking me to choose one book between ‘Charlotte’s Web’ and ‘Winnie The Book’ would be the worst conundrum of my life, I suppose. I generally like reading children’s literature. But, these two books are terrific. 🙂
Glad to know that you liked ‘Charlotte’s Web’, Deepika 🙂 After reading your comment, I want to read the book again 🙂 I loved Aragog too, till he tried eating Harry 🙂
I certainly wouldn’t recommend Charlotte’s Web to any parent buying books for their kids. I bought two copies recently for my young niece and nephew – and they were absolutely terrified of it! It dwells constantly on change and death – which both my young relatives are terrified of. Eventually, I had to sell the book because it had got them so scared and upset. The worst book I’ve ever read. Not even deserving of a nought.