Charlotte's Web Review

Charlotte’s Web, to the best of my remembrance, was very close to the book. I read the book in third grade, and was amazed at how much I was able to remember about the book because of seeing this play. There are parts in the play, however, that did not bring back any memory from the book for me. I think this is fine, though, because the play stayed true enough to the point of the book, that the adaptation was very successful.

Aspects of the play that were very similar to the book include the characters, the setting, the way characters interacted with each other, and the basic plot line. I remember reading about all of the characters that were in the play. Their interactions with each other stayed true to the book. I remember the settings from the book. I remember the humans reacting the way they did in the play, and the animals reacting the way they did in the play. I remember when Fern protected Wilbur in the beginning, and I remember her visiting him when he was living at her uncle’s farm. I was very excited when I remembered that three of Charlotte’s children did stay behind in the barn. These things brought a consistency necessary to pass this play off as being the same as the book.

The things that didn’t work about the play or were not the same experience I had as a child, were some of the characters personalities, a few of the scenes, and how obsessed Martha was with Fern talking to boys. I remember Charlotte being more sophisticated in the book, but she was very acceptable in this play, and this is something that didn’t bother me while watching the play. I do not remember Wilbur being so whiny in the book. This is something that bothered me throughout the play. I was constantly wishing for him to be more caring and a lot less selfish. Some of the scenes that I don’t remember from the book, but could easily have been in it, were the pig chasing scene, the judge coming around to examine the pigs, and Fern actually going out to explore the fair. I was bothered by Martha’s desire for Fern to be hanging out with boys. To me, Fern is a little elementary school girl that got the opportunity to have a little pig to take care of. It seemed like she was much older in this adaptation.

Overall, seeing this play was an enjoyable experience. I think the execution of this play was done very well, and would recommend that people go see it. If you have read the book, it will bring back the memories from that experience. Children should definitely see it, because they will understand what is going on. “Is she dying?” was such a sweet line to here from one of the little girls sitting in front of me.