Charlotte's Web

Fern takes on the role of a responsible caretaker immediately, fully embracing and enjoying her daily tasks of feeding, cleaning, and supervising Wilbur. Wilbur is equally enamored with Fern, often looking at her with “adoring eyes” (8). By the time Wilbur is two weeks old, he is too big for his box and moves outside. Spring is blooming, and Mr. Arable makes a pen for Wilbur underneath an apple tree and a small shelter with a door and some straw. Fern worries Wilbur will be cold, but her father assures her that if she observes him tonight, she will see him adapt on his own. This is just what happens, as Fern watches Wilbur push his straw around to make a tunnel to sleep in. Fern is “relieved […] to know that her baby would sleep covered up and would stay warm” (9). Wilbur does not spend much time outside his pen during school hours, but when Fern is home, he follows her everywhere. He even sometimes rides in the doll carriage that Fern has, often falling asleep under the blanket. Fern sees him as her baby and takes her position in Wilbur’s life very seriously. By the time Wilbur is five weeks old, Mr. Arable announces that he is getting big enough to sell and that he cannot provide for Wilbur anymore. Fern panics, but Mrs. Arable suggests selling Wilbur to Uncle Homer, who lives nearby and who may raise him to full adulthood. Uncle Homer agrees, and Wilbur goes “to live in a manure pile in the cellar of Zuckerman’s barn” (12).

The barn turns out to be a fine place for Wilbur to live. It is filled with all sorts of natural and comforting smells, from the “wonderful sweet breath of patient cows” (13) to the smell of hay in the loft. It keeps warm in the winter, contains many other animals to keep Wilbur company, and is everything that one would imagine a barn to be. Homer Zuckerman, Fern’s uncle, owns the barn and surrounding farm, and Fern comes almost every day to visit Wilbur. The barn animals begin to trust and love Fern the same way Wilbur does.

Fern’s uncle insists on keeping Wilbur in his pen, but one day he wanders out into the farmyard. Wilbur’s thoughts become known for the first time as he thinks about how bored he is, and how repetitive his life is in his pen. Wilbur becomes frustrated and feels hopeless, observing that he is already “tired of living” (16) at two months old. Remarking on how trapped he feels, a goose hints that he can escape by pushing a loose board on the fence. It takes all his courage, but Wilbur follows the goose out towards freedom. Since it is a brand-new experience, he is unsure how to feel or what to do. The goose suggests he do whatever he pleases, noting that “the world is a wonderful place when you’re young” (18). Wilbur begins rooting and digging the earth, happy with himself, before Mrs. Zuckerman notices he has escaped. She calls for Homer and Lurvy, the hired farmhand, to catch Wilbur, who freezes in his place. All the animals begin gossiping and hollering, entertained by the whole ordeal. The humans begin crowding around Wilbur while the goose shouts at him to head for the woods, encouraging him to escape. Wilbur is overwhelmed and listens to every command, flabbergasting the people chasing after him. He begins sobbing in fear, wishing “Fern were there to take him her arms and comfort him” (22). Mr. Zuckerman grabs a pail of slops and entices Wilbur, who decides that food is better than his freedom for the time being. Meanwhile, the goose continues shouting at him to reconsider, but Wilbur just wants to go home. Fully succumbed to the comfort of the food and love of the farmers, Wilbur drifts off to sleep realizing he is “too young to go out into the world alone” (24).

Rain pours over the farm and its animals the next day, ruining Wilbur’s plans to dig a new hole. Wilbur has his entire day planned out by the hour, including what he is going to eat, conversing with the barn mouse Templeton, scratching himself, and even pondering the nature of existence. Wilbur cannot help but feel gloomy at the sight of the rain, and even Templeton is nowhere to be found. An immense loneliness comes over Wilbur when he realizes that Fern likely will not visit either, and he begins to cry. He does not even want his food when Lurvy brings it—he wants a friend to play with. Neither the goose nor the lamb shows any interest in his requests to play, feeling irritated by his philosophical meanderings and his being a pig. Templeton appears, but notes that he has no interest in fun and is currently on his way to eat Wilbur’s untouched breakfast. Lurvy notices something is wrong with Wilbur and points it out to Mr. Zuckerman. Homer’s solution is to give Wilbur some disgusting-tasting medicine, and Wilbur concludes this must be the worst day of his life. Night falls as Wilbur sobs in the manure. A “thin, but pleasant” (31) voice is heard through the darkness. It is Charlotte, but she does not reveal herself to Wilbur yet; instead, she assures him she has been watching him, likes him, and will be his friend. She tells Wilbur that he will see her in the morning.