Charlotte's Web is an animated film from 1973 based on E.B. White's classic children's novel of the same name. It focuses on a little pig named Wilbur who is saved from slaughter by a young girl on her father's farm. Wilbur befriends a spider named Charlotte who saves his life again from the chopping block through her clever words. Though Charlotte passes away at the end, the film emphasizes the importance of friendship and dealing with the realities of life and death.

1. Charlotte’s
Web
Gender Roles
Societal Classes

2. Film Synopsis
Charlotte’s Web is an animated film from 1973 put out by
Paramount Pictures and Hanna-Barbera based on E.B. White’s classic
children’s novel of the same name. Both focus on a little pig named
Wilbur who is spared from slaughter by a sweet young girl on her
father’s farm and the friendships and hardships he endures as this
little girl and himself grow up. Wilbur moves to a new farm further
away and as he grows apart from Fern, his first savior, his loneliness
is soothed by a new friend: Charlotte. When Wilbur is then again on
the chopping block, his new friend Charlotte devises a clever scheme
that saves his life once more. White, having his own farm, wrote this
story after the passing of his own sick pig, “saving his pig in
retrospect”. Our heroine Charlotte however, is not spared, and the
fate of us all is realized in her passing at the end of this story and
film. The ending of the story Charlotte's web is sad,but relates to the
real world. The main theme in Charlotte's web is the reality of life
and death, and having good friends and acquaintances so you can be
happy while you live your life. Wilbur has Charlotte which makes him
very happy throughout the film but when she passes away in the
end there is a hole in his heart.

3. Production
The film Charlotte's Web is filled
with some lively characters
such as Charlotte, Wilbur, and
Templeton, who are played by
very good actors, whose voices
fill the roles adequately. I
would say there are some
downsides to the film such as
all the sing along songs and the
"so-so" animation quality, but
this was produced in the 70s so
film animation wasn't at its
finest yet. The film relates to
the book for the most part but
does not quite compare to the
text, which is usual for film-text
adaptations. Even E.B White
was disappointed in the film
because of all the sing along
songs and the "Disney -like
interpretation" of the Blue Hill
Fair.

4. Production
Critics talk about how "The
animation in the '70's was still
stuck in the Saturday-morning-
cartoon format" where instead of
animating every individual cell,
they would animate every three to
five cells, resulting in lower
quality. Although some critics look
down upon the quality of the film
animation, the adapted story of
E.B Whites text makes up for the
animation quality. This film was
also made for entertainment
purposes, not only for children
because of all the farm animals,
but because of the theme of the
story on the reality of life and the
process of life and death.

5. Book Synopsis
Charlotte’s Web is an
award winning novel that
was written by E.B. White.
Written in White’s dry, low
key narrative it is
enjoyable for children and
adults. Published at
HarperCollins in 1952, and
carries 192 pages. It
became so wildly popular
that it has spawned
multiple recreations,
including movies and
videogames.

6. Charlotte’s Web has many layers full of depth and meaning. One
of the first to bubble to the surface is gender roles. Though they
do not show any negative connotation, many of the females in
the book and movie are shown to be caring and kind. Fern is a
young girl that saves a young pig’s life by acting out against her
father. She believes that all things have a right to live and acts
on that impulse. The same can be said about Charlotte. After
meeting Wilbur she is looked upon a maternal figure for Wilbur,
caring for him as she would a child.

7. Gender Roles
Wilbur himself
throughout the tale
is viewed as
helpless, weak, and
quite pitiful;
relying on the
saving grace of the
women in his life.

8. Women are heroic yet
exemplify femininity and
maternity. Fern
instinctually connects with
the baby pig and thrusts
herself into the position of
“mother” by forcing her
father to spare the pig’s
life; here the contrast of
the murderous male figure
is clearly evident.

9. Later when Wilbur moves further away and is lonesome on
his new farm he is consoled and befriended by the
compassionate and clearly gifted spider Charlotte. Charlotte
again saves Wilbur’s life by devising a very intelligent
scheme. She too has a maternal relationship with Wilbur
and later these aspects of the character are defined by her
bearing children. Charlotte sorrowfully dies before the birth
of her children, but her legacy lives on through Wilbur’s
retellings.

10. Class
The animals are the focus
but are ultimately viewed
as “less than” by most of
the human class (Fern is
the exception, and for this
reason a Heroine). Wilbur’s
life is constantly hanging in
the balance because of the
lack of regard for animal
life that the human’s in this
story have. At the fair the
animals are gawked upon,
viewed as entertainment
solely. The purpose of the
animals in this story are
only to serve and benefit
the human counterparts.

11. Classism
The classism in this novel
is a great reminder to be
good to not only your
fellow man, but animals as
well. Multiple times in the
novel it is pointed out that
animals are used only for
what they are good for.
The sheep grows wool,
chickens plant eggs, and
pigs are eaten. Continually
the author makes the
farmer stigmatizes the
animals that are lower
class than he. Bringing
issues that are still
relevant in the 21st century.

12. Discussion
 Is it shocking to find death as a
central theme of a children’s novel
and animated film? Why or why not?
 Are there any heroes? Are there
villains?
 Discuss the theme of “miracles” in
this film