Saturday, August 8, 2009

Book vs. Movie Comparison: Charlotte’s Web

Charlotte’s Web is a story that I enjoyed reading as a child. The story is a fun and moving tale of a young pig and his struggles. Fern, a young farm girl, saves Wilbur from a cruel fate that is faced by most runt piglets. As the story progresses, Wilbur moves to a barn and meets a host of other exciting animals including a spider named Charlotte. The arachnid is instrumental in saving Wilbur from being slaughtered. Throughout the story, the reader witnesses the strong bonds that are established between Fern and the animals that live in the barn and the special enduring friendship between Charlotte and Wilbur. This classic tale is a story that has been loved since its introduction in 1952. Fern’s actions to save the young runt piglet and Charlotte’s campaign to save Wilbur from death are moving demonstrations of caring, devotion, and friendship. The animals that live in the barn with Wilbur and the humans that are featured in the story are likeable individuals who are continually interesting and entertaining.

Two feature films based upon this wonderful story have been made. An animated musical was produced in 1972 and a live action film was released in 2006. Though the animated movie has been a favorite of mine since my childhood, I am going to focus upon the live action film in this post. The live action film version of E.B. White’s story sticks to most of the major plot points in the book. Fern’s care for Wilbur and love for life in the barn is prominently featured. Charlotte’s love and devotion to the pig remains true to its literary counterpart.

Though the film remains true to the original story, the two differ due to a variety of small alterations and additions. One major difference is the fact that Fern takes Wilbur to school and is taken to the principal’s office. This event does not occur in the novel. Another major difference between the two representations is the way in which Wilbur learns about the slaughter of pigs and the farmer’s plan for his life. In the movie, Wilbur discovers the smoke house after he has escaped from his pen. At this point, the animals explain what will happen to him in the future. In the book, Wilbur is unaware of what is planned for his future until the animals inform him. One other difference is the animal’s reaction to Charlotte when she is first introduced. The animals are portrayed as being afraid of her and somewhat reluctant to be around her in the film version. When she is introduced in the book, however, the animals do not have a strong reaction to her.

The screenwriters gave some of the minor characters such as cows and sheep more personality and dialogue. In addition, they included a horse named Ike, who is not present in the book. His purpose in the film is often for humor and to get a laugh. Two crows, which are not part of the original story, are also included in the film for comic relief. A few minor characters were also omitted. The young lamb that Wilbur encounters when he first moves to the barn and the dog that is involved in the story when Wilbur escapes his pen is not included in the film.

A number of minor differences are also present. The behavior of Templeton, the rat, is not always true to the description in the book. Some of the events occur earlier or later in the film than in the original story. For example, the introduction of the fair and the fact that Charlotte is going to die is featured earlier in the film than in the book. The chapter dealing with Fern’s visit to the doctor is divided into two different segments in the film.

The live action film version of Charlotte’s Web is definitely not as enjoyable as the novel. While I connected with the characters in the book, my feelings were not as strong whilst watching the film. Much of the added humor and characters detracted from the original story. In addition, I did not enjoy the modernization of some of the elements of the story. If I had to suggest a film version of this particular book, I would encourage others to view the animated movie due to its faithful interpretation of the novel.

White, E.B. (1980). Charlotte's web. New York: Harper Collins.

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