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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Dr. Dorian find just as miraculous as the writing in Charlotte's web?

2. What does the author declare about Charlotte at the end of the book?

3. How does Mrs. Zuckerman prepare Wilbur for the Fair?

4. In what does Fern's mother get interested in spite of herself?

5. Why does Charlotte say Uncle will be hard for Wilbur to beat?

Short Essay Questions

1. What effect do Charlotte's webs start to have on Wilbur?

2. How does Mrs. Arable feel about Fern's stories about the animals and what they talk about?

3. Why is Wilbur worrying during his first day at the Fair?

4. How has what is most important to Fern changed and how can you tell?

5. How is Fern's attitude toward the animals beginning to change during the time she spends at the Fair?

6. Which animals go to the Fair and why?

7. Why might Charlotte's children mean so much to Wilbur?

8. After whose hour of triumph might this chapter be named, and why?

9. How does Charlotte feel after finding out that Wilbur is to receive a special prize?

10. Why does Wilbur struggle when the men try to put him in the crate?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How do Garth Williams' illustrations deepen a reader's understandings of the characters, setting, and theme of the story? Examine the moments he chooses to illustrate and think about what they express that the text alone cannot. Address also how different the experience of reading the book would be without the illustrations.

Essay Topic 2

Evaluate Templeton's character and the role he plays in the story. Most of the characters think of him as a glutton who only helps others to help himself, but are there any examples of him acting selflessly? Does he always expect some sort of reward for the work he does, even if the reward is just amusement? How does Templeton feel about Charlotte and Wilbur and they about him? Does he have any friends or act out of real friendship toward any of the other characters? If he is just a selfish rat, what does it say about the world that someone so self-centered could do so many things to save and change another animal's life?

Essay Topic 3

Who is the protagonist of the story: Wilbur, Charlotte, or both? Think about what it means to be the protagonist of a story and support your thesis with specific examples and details from the story.

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