KidLit Forum

Although I haven`t seen the movie I can`t say that it`s something I regret. The book was more than enough for me. A simple story with some simple animals turns out to be an adventurous, captivating book. I must say that it has become one of my favorite. I would have never thought that there could be a true friendship between a spider and a pig. It has certainly changed my way of seeing spiders because I never took the time to notice them. I was happy to read about all those details about Charlotte`s legs or about the way the other animals live their daily life. It made me realize that the author knew about life in the country, at a farm and I have read this book without stopping. What I liked the most is that although the pig is such a big animal, it needs help and protection from a tiny thing. This shows that you don`t have to be big in size but in heart.

The strong theme of this book is friendship but also the apparent and the first impression that people have about a person or a thing. Wilbur think in the beginning, that Charlotte is a little bit cruel or strange because she kills bugs and eat them. But that is not for a long time, because they become best friends and she saved him by being killed, writing on her web adjectives which characterized him. This thing made him famous and bring money for the family. She was close to him and accorded all the moral support as in the example from the text: "Well," replied Charlotte, "you must try to build yourself up. I want you to get plenty of sleep, and stop worrying. Never hurry and never worry! Chew your food thoroughly and eat every bit of it, except you must leave just enough for Templeton. Gain weight and stay well - that's the way you can help. Keep fit, and don't lose your nerve.” (Charlotte’s Web, p.55-56) She take care of him as a mother, because there are night when she tells a story for him before he goes to sleep.
Charlotte is a complex character who is no venerated in the book, but in the final of the book, we as readers, realize the importance of her, as friend, and also we discover all of her qualities.
In the end of the book, I like the way Wilbur take care of her babies because she have to die. In this way, Wilbur thanked her for all the goodness which she made for him, as a closer friend.

In my opinion Charlotte's Web is a very comforting book. Isn't it maybe comforting for all readers, especially for young children? If there's a thing we all know is that pigs are '' turned'' into bacon and ham. That is the one and only purpose of a pig. Parents buy this book for their children or they even read it to them but in their courtyard there's a big who receives food daily in order to be fatted and killed. In the countryside everyone do this because it's normal and it's about food and providing for a family and almost everyone eats pork, that we have to admit. Just imagine the number of pigs killed in one year and now think about Wilbur. How fortunate this pig is! He was born to serve one purpose, and one purpose only. What were the chances that we would escape his fate. I consider Charlotte like a miracle, Wilbur's miracle. She was just a spider, which normally is supposed to frighten you but she saves his bacon, and that's a real example of friendship. That is a true friend who can think of a plan to save you not even considering that fact that you are actually a pig. This is why I've said the story is comforting because it takes a different path, it shows children that pigs are 'some pigs' and 'humble' creatures and that there's hope for them too. I imagine children, after reading the story going to their parents or grandparents and yell at them to free the pig and not killing him for bacon and ham.( Chira Melania)

Well, I need to begin by thanking Melania for the post above. I've been searching for the right word to describe this book ever since I read it and it just refused to come to me. "Comforting" is the perfect word that I would also use for it, so thanks a bunch, Mela!

The reasons, however are slightly different. First of all, I found the style relaxing and... warm. It reminds me of the sweet, loving way in which one should speak to children. It is easy, soft and even has a bit of innocence and naivety in it. The second reason would be the fact that you can see animals such as a pig and a spider, which are generally considered to be disgusting to say the least, in order to bring forward beautiful values such as loyalty and friendship. It reminded me of what Disney did with those small, non-human sidekicks which were usually represented as mice, rats and other such animals. It's nice to see somebody going back to children's idealism of giving each animal the same right to live and be appreciated and it's even nicer to see a story which tells children that it is ok to like all animals and cherish their life no matter their species.