He is also a bit of a performer and while everyone is looking at him when he is drenched by Lurvy on the bandstand, he clowns to capitalize on the attention he is getting from the audience. She is the artist of the novel and through her creativity manages to manipulate the events that take place. Charlotte is cool and collected. Throughout the novel she mothers Wilbur and looks after him as if he were her own. She is also unusual in thinking that the writing in the web points to a special spider and not a special pig. Despite the fact that, as a religious man, he should be good at interpreting miracles, it is significant that he interprets the message in the web incorrectly. Even when they go to the fair, Avery wants to go to the stall where he can steer a jet plane and make it bump into another one. She can't bear Wilbur crying, saying that she can't stand 'hysterics'. Charlotte's Web is a book by E.B. As we progress through the novel, Fern grows up and starts to move away from the barn and from the exciting world of imaginative possibilities. Mrs Arable is portrayed as rather neurotic. However, she can be a bit of a troublemaker. There are a handful of animals in the Zuckerman barn that never get names. In addition, Charlotte’s Web contains a wealth of detail about spiders and other animals, which White drew from his own life on a farm. She is clever and loyal to her friends - she is the first to comfort Wilbur by assuring him she will save him when he finds out that he is to be killed at Christmastime. Additionally, Lurvy is sensitive to Wilbur and tells Mr Zuckerman when Wilbur doesn't eat his food. How often did Fern visit the barn, now that summer had arrived? As the story progresses, Fern grows up and starts to move away from the barn and from the exciting world of “imaginative possibilities.”, Avery is Fern’s brother with a boisterous and aggressive personality. Charlotte's Web is a children's novel by E.B. Her domestic life encapsulates what life was life for women in the 1950s. Although Dr Dorian appears in only one chapter in the book, he plays a significant role. Templeton had a habit of picking up unusual objects around the farm and storing them in his horne. He collects and stores bizarre odds and ends and is happy to dig a tunnel to Wilbur’s trough and eat his food but never offers to give anything in return. Little does he realize how this betrays his immaturity because his comment doesn't really make much sense - as Wilbur points out, nothing can be less than nothing otherwise nothing would be something. Not affiliated with Harvard College. Let's be honest: we don't like Templeton one bit. Lamb is insensitive and does not care to play with Wilbur. Wilbur is keen to learn from Charlotte’s knowledge and wisdom and the first time they speak to each other Charlotte teaches him a new word. All Characters; Wilbur; Charlotte ; Fern Arable; Homer Zuckerman; Dr. Dorian Where did Templeton disappear with his gifts? Her love for Wilbur pushes her to save his life and she manages to produce a miracle – she singlehandedly manages to make the humans see in Wilbur what she sees: a ‘terrific’ and ‘radiant’ ‘humble’ pig. He does let Fern keep the piglet and is touched by her protestations but is firm when he decides to sell Wilbur at five weeks old. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. D&D Beyond He is described by Charlotte as “too familiar, too noisy” and she tells Wilbur “he cracks weak jokes.”. These three are Charlotte's children who stay with Wilbur in the barn after their siblings leave to find homes elsewhere. Both her husband and Dr Dorian feel that she is overreacting. Asked to go to the dump to look for new words that Charlotte can write in her web, Templeton responds "Let him die...I should worry." He shifts his focus from the usual garden chores to looking after Wilbur. Thus it is no surprise that Wilbur is eventually recognized above him when he is awarded the special prize on the bandstand. The goose encourages Wilbur to escape and then gives him directions to run when Lurvy, Mr Zuckerman and the spaniel try to catch him. She has a big heart and a motherly nature. ( Log Out /  resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. Completely sure of himself, the lamb thinks he knows better than Wilbur and attempts to humiliate him by telling him how little he thinks of him. Throughout the novel she mothers Wilbur and looks after him as if he were her own.