Quote 7
"But no—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." (9.36-38)
Charlotte doesn't think it's a good idea for humans to be too active. Instead, she likes staying more stationary. But when Wilbur is in trouble, Charlotte definitely shows us how much work she can get done with her webs. In fact, she works so much we're not even sure we'd call her "sedentary" after all. What do you think?
Quote 8
"Oh, I'll work it out alone," said Charlotte. "I can think better if I think alone." (9.65)
Charlotte is working on a plan to save Wilbur from becoming Christmas dinner. Clearly Wilbur isn't the only hard worker on this farm. Charlotte can be a go-getter, too. But while Wilbur likes to have his friends nearby, Charlotte likes her alone time.
Quote 9
Charlotte got so interested in her work, she began to talk to herself, as though to cheer herself on. If you had been sitting quietly in the barn cellar that evening, you would have heard something like this:
"Now for the R! Up we go! Attach! Descend! Pay out line! Whoa! Attach! Good! Up you go! Repeat! Attach! Descend! Pay out line. Whoa, girl! Steady now!" (13.8-9)
Need someone to keep you motivated? Charlotte is your girl. She likes to act as her own cheerleader. Sure, it's great to have friends to cheer you on, but Charlotte is a one-woman show: she can cheer and work at the same time.