The Story of Charlotte's Web, by Michael Sims

Characters
E.B. White’s Life	Charlotte’s Web
Elwyn B. White (Andy) Katharine Angell Joel – son Roger – Katharine’s son Nancy – Katharine’s daughter Harold Ross – The New Yorker Ursula Nordstrom – editor Don Marquis – author Archy (cockroach) and Mehitabel (cat) – characters Garth Williams – illustrator Mary and Robert Gallant – bought the White’s farm	Charlotte Wilbur Templeton Goose Fern Avery – older brother Mr. Arable – father Mr. Zuckerman – Fern’s uncle, owns farm where Wilbur raised

For discussion:

1. Discuss White’s skill with the written word compared to his awkwardness with speaking his feelings.  He often wrote to Katharine to express his feelings instead of speaking directly to her.  These writings often were from an animal’s point of view.
1. Page 119 of hardback – letter from Daisy (family dog)  about Andy’s feelings about Katharine’s pregnancy
2. Page 117 of hardback – compared spider’s web to his connection with Katharine

2. How did White’s interest and fascination with animals influence his writing?

3. Discuss White’s portrayal of the animals and their thoughts in Charlotte’s Web.  For example:
1. Templeton, the rat, always was self serving and only helped others when it benefited him
2. Charlotte’s acceptance of death as a natural part of life

4. Do you think the concept of death was presented in a way appropriate for children?

5. Could you understand his feelings of duplicity when he took good care of his animals but then planned to slaughter one for food?

6. On page 203 (hardback) Sims wrote that the theme of Charlotte’s Web was “the joy of being alive, of reveling in the moment with visceral attention”.  Do you agree?  Were they any other themes you found in the book?  Anything you learned from reading Charlotte’s Web or the biography of E. B. White?

7. Discuss Ursula Nordstrom’s dedication to children’s literature and the importance she placed on the genre.
1. She was insulted when offered a new job in the adult section as a promotion.
2. Discuss her influence through the authors she edited: Laura Ingalls Wilder, Shel Silverstein, Maurice Sendak, Margaret Wise Brown, Margaret and H. A. Rey.

8. Discuss the influence of Don Marquis on E. B. White’s writing career.

9. What incidents or information from E. B. White’s life did you connect with when reading the book?

10. What is your favorite or most remembered childhood book?