In many ways, Charlotte's Web is rooted in E. B. White's own barn in Maine. It was there that White noticed the web of the spider Aranea cavatica in the doorway while he was carrying a bucket of slops to his pig. This encounter inspired him to write a story about a spider that saves a pig. By transforming his barnyard into a fictional universe, White gives the animals distinct voices and personalities. He also includes human characters, mainly Fern and the Zuckermans.

The book's lasting appeal to multiple generations of readers lies in its blend of reality and fantasy. Despite the fantastical events, the barnyard remains a genuine farm setting, complete with all its sights, sounds, and smells. In this setting, Wilbur the pig sleeps in a manure pile, and Charlotte the spider kills flies and consumes their blood. Additionally, Charlotte devises a plan to save Wilbur from being slaughtered for the Zuckermans' table. White uses the authenticity of the farmyard to ground the story and create suspense. The central tension revolves around which world will triumph—the fantastical world where animals speak or the human world where animals are destined to die for sustenance.

White employs the fable genre to weave a story that subtly conveys its moral lesson. While he doesn't explicitly state it, readers can easily grasp White's message that love has a transformative power. Indeed, love works miracles. Initially, Fern's love, and subsequently Charlotte's, rescues Wilbur. However, Wilbur doesn't achieve all his desires. His moments of happiness are fleeting and tinged with sorrow. Fern matures and becomes more interested in Henry Fussy, the neighbor boy, than in Wilbur. Additionally, he realizes that his friend Charlotte is helpless against life's true adversaries—time and death.

Despite its innocent charm and simple joy, Charlotte's Web thoughtfully tackles the serious theme of death. Throughout the story, Wilbur faces the constant threat of being slaughtered, but it is Charlotte's death that delivers the most profound impact. Here, White makes a powerful statement about selflessness. Charlotte uses her final bit of strength to weave a last web message, ensuring Wilbur's survival. Although Wilbur feels abandoned and lost without Charlotte, his sorrow is genuine and moving.

However, his grief is alleviated by his newfound purpose. Wilbur convinces Templeton to retrieve Charlotte's egg sac from the fair's rafters. He then brings it back to the barn, tends to it, and welcomes the baby spiders when they hatch the following spring. Through these actions, Wilbur grants Charlotte a form of immortality, as her offspring live and thrive in the barn, and he continually shares stories of her with them. Although he cannot prevent Charlotte's death, Wilbur honors her memory in the best way possible, by making her a lasting presence in the barnyard.

White's two other books for young readers also focus on animals interacting within a human world. Stuart Little (1945) tells the story of the challenges faced by a mouse born into a human family. Stuart must navigate adversity and effectively manage being different, with his positive, never-give-up attitude helping him succeed. The Trumpet of the Swan (1970) follows Louis, a mute swan, who struggles to court a mate without his voice. Like other animals in White's stories, Louis overcomes his disability by learning to play the trumpet as skillfully as the renowned jazz musician, Louis Armstrong.

Charlotte's Web was adapted into a sentimental yet largely faithful animated feature film, produced by Paramount and released in 1972. The film addresses the broader themes White explores in the novel while incorporating a wider range of comedy. Templeton, in particular, nearly steals the...