Charlotte's Web

Everyone is fast asleep and dreaming on the night before the fair. Wilbur is shown as a highly inflated version of himself, larger than life and the tents of the county fair. Mr. Zuckerman is dreaming this image: a “one hundred and sixteen feet long and ninety-two feet high” (119) pig who wins every prize at the fair. The morning of the fair arrives quickly, and the Arables offer to drive everyone including Wilbur. The cart for Wilbur is prepared and ready to go. Mrs. Zuckerman insists on giving Wilbur a buttermilk bath before they leave, to clean and shine him for the judges and spectators. It makes Wilbur feel “radiant and happy” (121), silky smooth, and shiny white. Charlotte decides she must tag along in case a writer is needed and persuades Templeton to come too. They stow away inside Wilbur’s green crate, and a moment later Mr. Arable is heard marveling at what a good ham Wilbur will make. Wilbur passes out from fear and excitement combined, and some cold water is thrown on him to wake him up. Everyone piles into the truck, and the geese and children cheer as it heads off down the road to the fair.

The families pull up to the fair and Fern and Avery can hardly contain their excitement, immediately asking for everything in sight. Mr. Arable gives them each 70 cents and sends them on their way, warning them that “the money has to last all day” (131) and to stay safe. The children happily go off together to enjoy the fair with independence. Mrs. Arable begins to cry at the thought of her children growing up, and her husband reminds her that “they’ve got to grow up some time” (133). Wilbur is unloaded and put on display, and Charlotte sneaks out behind him unnoticed. Charlotte sees a much bigger pig than Wilbur in the next pen over, who reveals he has no name, saying just to call him “Uncle” (134). Charlotte finds this new pig off-putting and tells Wilbur so. Uncle is dirty and unpleasant, but Charlotte knows his size will make him hard to beat. Wilbur asks when she plans to spin a web, and Charlotte explains that she is getting older and tired but hopes to have energy later that day. Charlotte metaphorically explains that she feels “like the end of a long day” (136) but does not directly tell Wilbur that she is foreshadowing the approach of the end of her life. He does worry though, knowing something is wrong, and knowing that there is a much larger pig competing for first prize. The children and adults gather for lunch under the shade of a blanket that Lurvy won at the fair, and afterwards Fern and Avery drift off to sleep.

Evening falls on the fairgrounds and the air is finally cool enough to feel a sense of relief. Templeton crawls out of the crate and begins exploring the smells around him. Charlotte calls out to him to bring her back a word, announcing that she will be “writing tonight for the last time” (138). The children awake from their nap, and Fern takes a Ferris wheel ride with a boy from her school. Templeton returns to Charlotte with her final word: “humble” (140). She agrees that Wilbur is “not proud and he’s near the ground” (140), so it will do just fine. Templeton rushes off into the night to enjoy the glory of the fair, and Charlotte finishes her word before the Arables and Zuckermans return to the pen. Nobody notices her work in the darkness, and they all get in the truck to go home for the night. Wilbur is glad that Charlotte is there to keep him company, but Charlotte is tired and focused on other things. She assures Wilbur he will survive the winter, and then explains that she must work on something for herself. Wilbur falls asleep soon after, and Charlotte begins working on her egg sac. Back at the Arable household, Mrs. Arable is tucking Fern into bed, who proclaims: “I had the best time I have ever had anywhere or any time in all of my whole life” (143).

The next morning, Wilbur awakes and immediately checks on Charlotte, who is exhausted from creating her egg sac the night before. Wilbur notices it there, and Charlotte calls it her “magnum opus […] the finest thing [she] has ever made” (144-45). 514 eggs are inside, and Wilbur compliments Charlotte on the beauty of the egg sac. Charlotte regrets to inform Wilbur that the eggs will not hatch until spring, knowing that she is aging and nearing the end of her life. Wilbur does not quite understand, but Charlotte assures him not to worry and to focus on winning first prize. Charlotte’s web looks more beautiful than ever, with droplets of morning dew and light from the morning sun upon it—“a perfect piece of designing and building” (147). Templeton soon reappears, belly swollen from all the junk food he ate through the night. He announces that he saw a first prize ribbon on Uncle and warns that Wilbur may in fact become the Christmas ham. Charlotte shushes him, and Wilbur points out the egg sac to Templeton. Templeton congratulates Charlotte and then drifts off to sleep.

When the Arables and Zuckermans pull up to the fair soon after, they see Charlotte’s web and the word “humble” written there. The humans soon notice the prize ribbon on Uncle, but Mr. Zuckerman insists that they need not get upset and begins giving Wilbur a buttermilk bath. People begin noticing Wilbur again, pointing out that he is much cleaner and humbler than Uncle. Suddenly, an announcement comes over the speaker asking Mr. Zuckerman to bring his pig to the grandstand for a special prize. Everyone begins celebrating and hugging each other, and Charlotte sits unseen, satisfied that she has protected Wilbur from his dark fate. The men put Wilbur in the crate, and Templeton sneaks inside too. Everyone gets in the truck and drives off to the grandstand, full of wonder and anticipation.