Andrew Lynch’s Reviews > Charlotte's Web > Status Update

XV.The Crickets:summer ending,crickets sing,Charlotte writes “RADIANT” in web,draws crowds admiring Wilbur.he enjoys attention and shows off,but remains humble,even struggling w/ scary dreams ab being killed.W/ county fair coming,he hopes to win a prize so Mr. Z will spare his life.Wilbur asks Charlotte to come,she says she may not be able to bc she must create egg sac;however,she promises to join him if she can

XIV.Dr.Dorian:Fern tells mother ab spider stories,Mrs.Arable dismisses them as imagination,urges Fern spend more time w/ children,not animals.Fern says animals are friends,goes to farm.Worried,Mrs.Arable sees Dr.Dorian,who reassures Fern is normal,suggests animals talking may not be impossible,thinks Fern will later shift attention to typical child interests,like acquaintance Henry Fussy,leaving Mrs.Arable relieved

XIII.Good Progress:Charlotte spends night weaving “TERRIFIC” in web,astonished people in morning,draws crowds to see Wilbur,the “terrific” pig.Mr.Z decides to enter Wilbur in county fair.Templeton helps Charlotte find new words,brings scraps from dump,only “radiant” meets approval when looking at Wilbur.Fern visits,Charlotte comforts tired Wilbur,tells stories ab cousins,sings lullaby till hes asleep

XII.A Meeting:Charlotte gathers the animals to find more words for Wilbur,the goose suggests “terrific,”which she likes.oldest sheep convinces Templeton to bring back words from scraps in the dump,reminding him Wilbur’s survival means food for him.Templeton agrees,Charlotte ends the meeting to spin “terrific” into web.Although Wilbur doubts himself,Charlotte reassures him that he truly is terrific to her

XI.The Miracle:morning fog made Charlotte’s web sparkle,Lurvy brings Wilbur breakfast,amazed to see “SOME PIG!” woven in web.He calls Mr.Zuckerman,both stunned,believe its a miracle.Mrs.Z suggests spider might be special,Mr.Z insists pig is amazing.word spreads through county,draws crowds of visitors to see Wilbur.In result,Zuckermans so focused on showing off Wilbur and hosting guests,begin to neglect farm

X.An Explosion:Charlotte plans to save Wilbur by tricking Mr.Zuckerman.Fern and Avery visit farm,Avery tries to catch Charlotte,but as he climbs and slips,tips over trough.This breaks rotten egg hidden by Templeton,creates terrible smell that sends children running away and saves Charlotte.Lurvy cleans up the mess,covering with dirt, and barn returns to normal.while animals sleep,Charlotte begins working on her web

IX.Wilbur’s Boast:Fern watches Charlotte spin web as Charlotte explains how her legs help.Wilbur boasts he can spin web too,after 2 failed attempts—one jumping on his own,one using string from Templeton—Charlotte tells him it’s impossible for him to spin webs.evening comes,Wilbur becomes scared remembering plan to kill him,asks Charlotte if she truly intends to save him,she reassures him shes working on plan

VII.A Talk at Home: Fern tells her parents about the conversations she hears the animals have when she visits the Zuckermans’ barn. Her father doesn’t feel overly concerned, but her mother worries and says she will ask the family doctor, Dr. Dorian, about Fern’s behavior

VII.Bad News: Wilbur likes Charlotte more and more, and he grows bigger day by day. The oldest sheep tells Wilbur that the Zuckermans are fattening him up in order to kill him at Christmastime and make ham and bacon from him. Shocked and terrified by this news, Wilbur cries out for someone to save him. Charlotte declares that she will save Wilbur but that he must stop crying and behaving childishly

VI.Summer Days:School lets out for the summer,Fern visits Wilbur almost every day.The goose’s eggs hatch,Charlotte announces the goslings’ arrival to the barnyard animals.One egg does not hatch,however.The goose gives it to Templeton,while the gander warns Templeton that he had better stay away from the goslings.Charlotte warns everyone that if unhatched egg ever breaks,stink from rotten egg will fill whole barn