unit 4: Charlotte’s Web

Charlotte's Web

🌸Charlotte's Web

Charlotte's Web is a children's novel by American author E. B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams; it was published in October 15, 1952, by Harper & Brothers. The novel tells the story of a pig named Wilbur and his friendship with a barn spider named Charlotte. When Wilbur is in danger of being slaughtered by the farmer, Charlotte writes messages praising Wilbur (such as "Some Pig") in her web in order to persuade the farmer to let him live.

Written in White's dry, low-key manner, Charlotte's Web is considered a classic of children's literature, enjoyable to adults as well as children. The description of the experience of swinging on a rope swing at the farm is an often cited example of rhythm in writing, as the pace of the sentences reflects the motion of the swing. In 2000, Publishers Weekly listed the book as the best-selling children's paperback of all time.^[1]

Charlotte's Web was adapted into an animated feature by Hanna-Barbera Productions and Sagittarius Productions in 1973. Paramount released a direct-to-video sequel, Charlotte's Web 2: Wilbur's Great Adventure, in the U.S. in 2003 (Universal released the film internationally). A live-action film version of E. B. White's original story was released in 2006. A video game based on this adaption was also released in 2006.

🌸E. B. White

Elwyn Brooks "E. B." White (July 11, 1899 – October 1, 1985)^[1] was an American writer. He was a contributor to The New Yorker magazine and a co-author of the English language style guide The Elements of Style, which is commonly known as "Strunk & White". He also wrote books for children, including Stuart Little (1945), Charlotte's Web (1952), and The Trumpet of the Swan (1970). Charlotte's Web was voted the top children's novel in a 2012 survey of School Library Journal readers, an accomplishment repeated from earlier surveys.^[2]

🌸Characters

Wilbur is a rambunctious pig, the runt of his litter, who loves life, even that of Zuckerman’s barn. He sometimes feels lonely or fearful.

Charlotte A. Cavatica, or simply Charlotte, is a spider who befriends Wilbur; she at first seems bloodthirsty due to her method of catching food.





Templeton is a greedy rat that's eat's most of Wilbur's food and likes the smell of rotten eggs. Templeton ends up helping Wilbur however by finding new words for Charlotte at the junkyard. He was once an antagonist until then learned to respect Wilbur.

*Temple表人的腦袋,因此Templeton隱含出主意者(找字者)之意

*gluttony (n.): habitual eating to excess

Fern Arable, daughter of John Arable and Mrs. Arable, is the courageous eight-year-old girl who saves Wilbur in the beginning of the novel.












Four words for Wilbur:
1.some pig
2.radiant
3.terrific
4.humble