Quote 1
Everybody stood at the pigpen and stared at the web and read the word, over and over, while Wilbur, who really felt terrific, stood quietly swelling out his chest and swinging his snout from side to side. (13.12)
Standing under the web reading "TERRIFIC," Wilbur sure is a sight to see. Check out how this quote emphasizes how Wilbur "felt terrific." Sounds to us like Wilbur is starting to believe that sign. Plus, he might even be getting a big head from all this admiration.
Quote 2
Everyone rejoiced to find that the miracle of the web had been repeated. Wilbur gazed up lovingly into their faces. He looked very humble and very grateful. Fern winked at Charlotte. (19.41-42)
Poor Charlotte. We feel a little bad that she never gets any credit. Everyone admires Wilbur, but almost no one notices the spider, except Fern. In fact, everyone thinks the web is a "miracle." It's almost as if they don't think an actual spider wove the web at all. Hm, sounds like someone—a lot of someones—should head back to science class.
Quote 3
Wilbur blushed. He stood perfectly still and tried to look his best.
"This magnificent animal," continued the loud speaker, "is truly terrific. Look at him, ladies and gentlemen! Note the smoothness and whiteness of the coat, observe the spotless skin, the healthy pink glow of ears and snout." (20.19-20)
Wilbur could be a mighty swell pig model. Know anyone who's hiring? This pig sure knows how to work a room—and we're guessing the buttermilk bath helped. So here's our question: was Wilbur always terrific, or did the extra attention make him terrific?
Quote 4
Wilbur had been feeling dizzier and dizzier through this long, complimentary speech. When he heard the crowd begin to cheer and clap again, he suddenly fainted away. His legs collapsed, his mind went blank, and he fell to the ground, unconscious. (20.25)
All this admiration can tucker a pig out. Wilbur is so overwhelmed by all the attention that he actually faints. In front of a huge crowd! This has us wondering if admiration may not be such a good thing all the time.
Quote 5
"But Charlotte," said Wilbur, "I'm not terrific."
"That doesn't make a particle of difference," replied Charlotte. "Not a particle. People believe almost anything they see in print. Does anybody here know how to spell 'terrific'?" (12.27-8)
Charlotte knows just how powerful writing can be. She knows that she needs to make people believe that Wilbur is terrific by using the right words. Do you think this makes Charlotte a liar? Or is she just really good at campaigning for her friend?
Quote 6
Charlotte had written the word RADIANT, and Wilbur really looked radiant as he stood in the golden sunlight. Ever since the spider had befriended him, he had done his best to live up to his reputation. When Charlotte's web had said SOME PIG, Wilbur had tried hard to look like some pig. When Charlotte's web said TERRIFIC, Wilbur had tried to look terrific. And now that the web said RADIANT, he did everything possible to make himself glow. (15.6)
Wilbur's relationship with the words in the web gets closer all the time. Instead of wondering if he's terrific, now he does his best to just be as terrific as possible. Check out how the last three sentences use a similar structure. It's almost like cause and effect: the web says one thing, so Wilbur tries to act it out.
Quote 7
Wilbur didn't want food, he wanted love. He wanted a friend—someone who would play with him. (4.22)
All Wilbur wants in life is a good friend. Is that really too much to ask? When Wilbur first gets to the Zuckerman barn, he's afraid that a good friend might be too hard to find. Check out how Wilbur defines a friend here: "someone who would play with him." Do you think that definition changes over the course of the novel? Or how does it remain the same?
Quote 8
"Well," he thought, "I've got a new friend, all right. But what a gamble friendship is! Charlotte is fierce, brutal, scheming, bloodthirsty—everything I don't like. How can I learn to like her, even though she is pretty and, of course, clever?"
Wilbur was merely suffering the doubts and fears that often go with finding a new friend. In good time he was to discover that he was mistaken about Charlotte. (5.56-57)
Wilbur is pretty skeptical about Charlotte at first. In fact, he's downright insulting when he thinks about this potential new friend. It's a good thing first impressions aren't set in stone. Otherwise, our leading man might have found himself ending up as Christmas dinner.
Quote 9
"You shall not die," said Charlotte, briskly.
"What? Really?" cried Wilbur. "Who's going to save me?"
"I am," said Charlotte.
"How?" asked Wilbur.
"That remains to be seen. But I am going to save you, and I want you to quiet down immediately. You're carrying on in a childish way. Stop your crying! I can't stand hysterics." (7.22-26)
Charlotte is being a great pal. Telling someone who's marked for death that you're going to save his life is quite a promise to make. But Charlotte is also sort of harsh here. What do you think of Charlotte's attitude to Wilbur's crying? She may be supportive, but she's not always the most sensitive.
Quote 10
Wilbur blushed. "But I'm not terrific, Charlotte. I'm just about average for a pig."
"You're terrific as far as I'm concerned," replied Charlotte, sweetly, "and that's what counts. You're my best friend, and I think you're sensational. Now stop arguing and go get some sleep!" (12.46)
Charlotte sure is bossy and loyal, all at once. She has no problem giving Wilbur a compliment and an order back-to-back. (Come to think of it, she's starting to sound a lot more like his mom than his friend.)
Quote 11
Every day Wilbur would stand and look at the torn, empty web, and a lump would come to his throat. No one had ever had such a friend—so affectionate, so loyal, and so skillful. (22.5)
Poor Wilbur. We really feel for him here. He's missing his best friend now that Charlotte is dead. Do you think Wilbur and Charlotte's friendship keeps going after she's died? Or does it have to stop once she's no longer physically around?
Quote 12
"I think it is only fair to tell you that I was devoted to your mother. I owe my very life to her. She was brilliant, beautiful, and loyal to the end. I shall always treasure her memory. To you, her daughters, I pledge my friendship, forever and ever."
"I pledge mine," said Joy.
"I do, too," said Aranea.
"And so do I," said Nellie, who had just managed to catch a small gnat. (22.62-65)
Wilbur's best friend is gone, but now he gets to pledge friendship to Charlotte's three kiddos. What do you think about Wilbur's pledge to be friends "forever and ever"? We have to admit, we're tearing up at this intergenerational chumminess.
Quote 13
"Charlotte," said Wilbur dreamily, "are you really going to have five hundred and fourteen children?"
"If nothing happens, yes," she said. "Of course, they won't show up till next spring." Wilbur noticed that Charlotte's voice sounded sad. (19.16-17)
Like the goslings, Charlotte's little spider babies will hatch at a certain time of year. Having to wait so long for the eggs to hatch means Charlotte won't get to meet her kiddos. Sounds to us like Charlotte is bummed about how the egg-hatching season works—but there's nothing to do about it. That's just the way the world works.
Quote 14
"I just love it here in the barn," said Wilbur. "I love everything about this place."
"Of course you do," said Charlotte. "We all do."
The goose appeared, followed by her seven goslings. They thrust their little necks out and kept up a musical whistling, like a tiny troupe of pipers. Wilbur listened to the sound with love in his heart. (9.51-3)
Wilbur sure does love his home on the Zuckerman farm. And what does he love? "Everything," he says. Check out how many times Wilbur says the word "love" in this quote alone.
Quote 15
Wilbur was in a panic. He raced round and round the pen. Suddenly he had an idea—he thought of the egg sac and the five hundred and fourteen little spiders that would hatch in the spring. If Charlotte herself was unable to go home to the barn, at least he must take her children along. (21.21)
How sad is it that Charlotte will never go back home to the Zuckerman barn? Super duper sad. At least Charlotte's kiddos will be born in her old home. That'll be something for Wilbur to look forward to.
Quote 16
"Joy! Aranea! Nellie!" he began. "Welcome to the barn cellar. You have chosen a hallowed doorway from which to string your webs." (22.62)
The doorway was Charlotte's home within the barn. And now it's home for her daughters. We think it's pretty cool how this doorway gets passed down from generation to generation.
"I could spin a web, if I tried," said Wilbur, boasting. "I've just never tried."
"Let's see you do it," said Charlotte. Fern chuckled softly, and her eyes grew wide with love for the pig.
"O.K.," replied Wilbur. "You coach me and I'll spin one. It must be a lot of fun to spin a web. How do I start?" (9.10-12)
Wilbur sure does have a go-getter attitude. Unfortunately, we already know that Wilbur just won't be able to spin a web. First of all, he's a pig. Secondly, he's a pig. Oh and one more thing, he's a pig. But this doesn't stop Wilbur from giving his first attempt at web-spinning everything he's got. Plus, he's got his friends nearby to help him out.
Quote 18
"I think I'll try again," said Wilbur, cheerfully. "I believe what I need is a little piece of string to hold me." (9.19)
After his first try at spinning a web, Wilbur falls to the ground. No success yet for poor Wilbur. But the little guy is not about to give up after just one go. Check out how Wilbur doesn't seem fazed at all here. He just goes about "cheerfully," ready for take two.
Wilbur was desperate. The people were coming. And the rat was failing him. Suddenly he remembered Templeton's fondness for food.
"Templeton," he said, "I will make you a solemn promise. Get Charlotte's egg sac for me, and from now on I will let you eat first, when Lurvy slops me." (21.40-41)
When Wilbur hears that Charlotte needs to get her egg sac back to the Zuckerman barn, he sets to work right away. It takes Wilbur multiple attempts to get Templeton to listen to him, but our persevering pig doesn't give up. He keeps trying to convince Templeton to help out until he hits on the magic key: food.
Quote 20
Wilbur admired the way Charlotte managed. He was particularly glad that she always put her victim to sleep before eating it.
"It's real thoughtful of you to do that, Charlotte," he said.
"Yes," she replied in her sweet, musical voice, "I always give them an anaesthetic so they won't feel pain. It's a little service I throw in." (7.2-4)
Charlotte might be a ruthless fly-killer, but at least she's a "thoughtful" one. What do you think about the way Charlotte talks about her victims?