Carmen’s Reviews > Charlotte’s Web > Status Update

As a result of overeating, Templeton grew bigger and fatter than any rat you ever saw. He was gigantic. He was as big as a young woodchuck.

The old sheep spoke to him about his size one day. "You would live longer," said the old sheep, "if you ate less."

"Who wants to live forever?" sneered the rat.

The children grabbed each other by the hand and danced off in the direction of the merry-go-round, toward the wonderful music and the wonderful adventure and the wonderful excitement, into the wonderful midway where there would be no parents to guard them and guide them, where they could be happy and free and do as they pleased.

This is a remarkably laid-back doctor.

This rat cracks me up.

"I think 'terrific' might impress Zuckerman."

"But Charlotte," said Wilbur, "I'm NOT terrific."

"That doesn't make a particle of difference," replied Charlotte. "Not a particle. People believe almost anything they see in print. Does anybody here know how to spell 'terrific'?"

"I've got something to tell you, Edith," he said. "You better sit down."

Mrs. Zuckerman sank into a chair. She looked pale and frightened.

"Edith," he said, trying to keep his voice steady, "I think you had best be told that we have a very unusual pig."

LOL LOL

There, in the center of the web, neatly woven in block letters, was a message. It said:

SOME PIG!

"The way to save Wilbur's life is to play a trick on Zuckerman. If I can fool a bug," thought Charlotte, "I can certainly fool a man. People are not as smart as bugs."

"You needn't feel too badly, Wilbur," she said. "Not many creatures can spin webs. Even men aren't as good at it as spiders, although they THINK they're pretty good, and they'll TRY anything. Did you ever hear of the Queensborough Bridge?"

Wilbur shook his head. "Is it a web?"

"Sort of," replied Charlotte. "But do you know how long it took men to build it? Eight whole years. My goodness, I would have starved

If we are supposed to believe Fern can understand animal speech, why is she not getting upset upon learning that Wilbur is to be slaughtered?