Charlotte’s Web

By E.B. White

Grades 3-7; Genre – Fiction; GRL R; AR pts: 5.0

Wilbur is the runt of a litter born to a pig on the farm of Fern Arable's father. When it is announced that her father is going to kill the pig, Fern rushes forth to save it, asking of her father: "If I had been very small at birth, would you have killed me?" Her father spares the pig, but only if Fern agrees to care for it. Falling in love immediately with the little pig, Fern takes care of him until he is moved to her Uncle’s farm. Wilbur becomes friends with the other animals at the farm including a spider named Charlotte who saves Wilbur’s life.

Vocabulary Words

Writing Prompts

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

1. Describe the setting of this story. Farm; kitchen and on the way to the pigpen; morning, breakfast time; grass was wet and the earth smelled of springtime p.1
2. Why did Fern’s father decide to keep the pig and not kill it? Fern said she would take care of it and that it was an injustice to kill a pig just because it was small p.3
3. What did Fern name her pig? Wilbur p.7

Chapter 2

1. How did Wilbur stay warm at night? Dug a tunnel in the straw p.9
2. Why did Mr. Arable need to sell Wilbur? He ate too much food; he didn’t want to provide for him any longer p.12
3. Why did Fern’s Uncle decide to buy the pig? It was only $6 p.12

Chapter 3

1. Describe Wilbur’s new home. The lower part of a barn, below the cows, in the manure pile p.14
2. Is the goose a good or bad influence and why? Bad; She told Wilbur to free himself and to dig in the orchard and garden; told him how to escape when people were coming p.17
3. How did Lurvy and Uncle Homer catch Wilbur? Go behind him and drove him toward the barn; got a bucket of slop to lure into his pen p.19
4. Why didn’t Wilbur care that he was being led back to his pen? He was nervous; he wanted the food; he wanted to be in his pen again and not being chased around p.22

Chapter 4

1. Why is Wilbur sad in this chapter? It’s raining and he can’t do his plan; he’s doesn’t have any friends and he’s lonely p.27
2. Describe Templeton. He’s a rat; he’s dug tunnels everywhere so he can get to where he wants to without being seen; he sleeps in the day and is out at night; gluttonous; 30
3. Give me three descriptive words of how Wilbur was feeling in this chapter. Lonely; despair; sad; rejected p.31
4. Who do you think spoke to Wilbur about being his friend? Charlotte p.31

Chapter 5

1. Why did Wilbur have a difficult time sleeping? He was anxious for morning so he could meet his new friend p.33
2. Describe Charlotte. Friendly; nearsighted; a spider; has eight legs; pretty; tells the truth p.37
3. What did Charlotte say that finally convinced Wilbur that catching bugs and drinking their blood was ok? If she didn’t, bugs would otherwise multiply and take over the world p.40
4. What did goose know about Wilbur that he did not? Mr. Zuckerman and Lurvy were going to kill him at Christmastime p.40

Chapter 6

1. Give three reasons why the book felt the happiest and fairest days on the farm are in early summer. Blossoms and lilacs with bees; temperature is warm; school ends; cutting of the hay and put in the loft of the barn; birds, nests and eggs; plenty of things for a child to chew (dandelion stem); goose eggs hatch p.42
2. Why did the geese worry about Templeton? He would kill a gosling if he could get away with it p.46
3. What did Charlotte say would happen if the egg broke? It would be such a strong smell that no one could handle living in the barn, it’s a stink bomb p.47

Chapter 7

1. Who told Wilbur that the farmer would most likely kill him when the weather got cold? The old sheep p.49
2. What was Wilbur’s reaction? Got upset, cried and ran around in a panic p.50

Chapter 8

1. Why was Mrs. Arable concerned about Fern? Fern told her about the animals speaking p.54

Chapter 9

1. What did Charlotte try to teach Wilbur to do? Spin a web p.56
2. Why couldn’t Wilbur spin a web? He lacked a set of spinnerets and know how p.58
3. How did Charlotte help Wilbur feel better when he was worried about dying? She said she had a plan to help him p.63
4. What was the advice Charlotte told Wilbur? Build himself up; get plenty of sleep; stop worrying; no hurrying; chew food thoroughly and eat every bit of it, except leave enough for Templeton; gain weight and stay well; keep fit; don’t lose nerve p.64

Chapter 10

1. What was Charlotte’s plan going to do to Zuckerman? Trick or fool him p.67
2. What did Avery want to do with Charlotte? Catch her p.72
3. Why wasn’t Avery able to catch her? He was climbing to swing a stick to knock her in a box and lost his balance. He fell and landed on the rotten egg and it exploded making it stink terribly, so he ran away p.73
4. What made the terrible smell go away? Lurvy covered the rotten egg with dirt p.75

Chapter 11

1. Describe Mr. Zuckerman’s reaction when they saw Charlotte’s web? In awe; bewildered; said a miracle has happened on the farm; said the pig was a special pig p.79
2. Where did Mr. Zuckerman go with his suit on and why? To see the minister to explain there had been a miracle at the farm p.82
3. Why was everyone coming to see the pig? They heard about it and wanted to see the “sign” that had appeared in the web p.83
4. What was Avery’s punishment for trying to hit the spider with a stick? Sent to bed with no supper p.84
5. What did the minister say the “sign” or miracle was? Human beings needed to be on the watch for wonders p.85

Chapter 12

1. How do we know Charlotte’s plan to save Wilbur worked? Everyone thought Wilbur was unusual, so they won’t kill him now p.87
2. How did the animals want Templeton to help out Charlotte? Bring magazine clippings from the dump so she can get ideas and know how to spell words p.89
3. What made Templeton agree with bringing back magazine clippings? Realizing that if Wilbur dies, he won’t get any more food p.90

Chapter 13

1. After seeing the word “terrific” written in the web, what plans did Zuckerman make for Wilbur? No more manure; only clean hay; Lurvy was to build a crate so Zuckerman could take him to the fair p.96
2. What was the dump that Templeton went to? Zuckerman’s throw away pile at the end of a path, below the apple orchard p.97
3. Give me two examples in this chapter that describe how Charlotte feels about Wilbur. Worked far into the night for him p. 92; Charlotte looked affectionately at him p.101; she told him a story even though she was tired p.102; she sang him a song p.104; listen to other examples stated

Chapter 14

1. Why did Fern’s mother visit Dr. Dorian? She was concerned about Fern and her interest in the farm animals p.107
2. What did Dr. Dorian tell Mrs. Arable? To not worry about Fern and that she seemed to be fine p.111

Chapter 15

1. Why was Charlotte worried when she heard the crickets singing that summer was almost over? she didn’t have much time left and she couldn’t help him anymore p.114 &117
2. What was Wilbur’s attitude even with the attention he was getting? Humble; modest; kind p.115
3. Why did Charlotte need to stay at the farm and not go to the fair? it was time for her to lay eggs p.116

Chapter 16

1. How did the sheep convince Templeton he should go to the fair? told him of all the food scraps that would be left around p.123
2. What made Wilbur faint as everyone admired him? The farmer spoke of the ham and bacon that would come from killing him p.126
3. How did the farmer know that Wilbur was ok? Wilbur fought back as they tried to get him into the crate p.28

Chapter 17

1. Using 3 of the senses describe what the family saw as they arrived at the fair. Hear the music; see the Ferris wheel; smell the of the race track; smell hamburgers frying; hear bleating in pens; see balloons aloft p.130
2. Avery and Fern wanted to go have fun at the fair. How much money did their father give to each of them? $0.70 p.131
3. Describe Uncle. A spring big; much larger and dirtier than Wilbur; noisy; cracks weak jokes; unattractive personality p.134

Chapter 18

1. What word did Templeton bring Charlotte at the fair and why was it a good word? Humble; he’s not proud and he’s near the ground p.140
2. Why was the fair a paradise for Templeton? He could find all sorts of food to eat p.140
3. What do you think Charlotte is making? Listen to your child’s ideas; an egg sac p.143

Chapter 19

1. Why isn’t Charlotte going to see her children? She doesn’t think she’ll be around p.146
2. Why is everyone so excited after bathing Wilbur in buttermilk? There was an announcement for Mr. Zuckerman to bring his pig to the judges’ booth to receive a special award p.151
3. Why is Charlotte feeling content and peaceful? She thinks she has saved Wilbur’s life p.153

Chapter 20

1. Where did Fern want to go during the award ceremony? On the Ferris wheel with Henry p.156
2. Why is the writing in the web such a phenomenon? Spiders aren’t supposed to write p.158
3. What did the rat do to Wilbur save him after he fainted? Bit his tail p.159
4. Why did Avery enjoy getting splashed with water? He loved the crowd cheering at him as he acted like a clown p.162

Chapter 21

1. Why can’t Charlotte go back to the barn? She’s going to be dead in a day or two; she doesn’t have enough spinnerets to lower her to the ground; she doesn’t have strength to get into the crate p.165
2. What’s the deal Wilbur made with Templeton to make him get Charlotte’s egg sac? Wilbur would let him eat first when Lurvy fed him p.168
3. How did the egg sac feel in Templeton’s mouth? Sticky; worse than caramel candy p.170

 Chapter 22

1. Why did Wilbur look forward to winter ending? Charlotte’s eggs would hatch p.176
2. Describe to me the signs of spring. A new lamb; frogs croaking; snow melting; a sparrow singing; goose sitting on eggs p.176
3. Why were Charlotte’s children leaving Wilbur? They needed to go into the world to make webs for themselves p.180
4. How many spiders decided to stay with Wilbur? 3 p.182