
Hello, and welcome to a new series called “Is it better than the book?” In this series, I ask the age-old question, “Is the book truly better than the movie?”
For the first edition of this series, we will be comparing EB White’s classic, Charlotte’s Web, with its film adaptation by Hanna-Barbera.
The book Charlotte’s Web came out in 1952 and was loved instantly. It follows Wilbur, a runt of the litter, and the friendships he makes on the farm. His first friend is the farmer’s daughter, Fern, who saves him from an untimely death and raises him to be the kind pig that he is. He is then sold to her uncle, Mr. Zuckerman, and meets Charlotte, a common gray spider, who promises him that she, too, will help save his life when it comes the time for him to be fattened for slaughter.
This book is such a charming read from the first page and on. EB White immerses you into the 1950s farm life with all of its colloquialisms, fashion, and cadence, and colorful characters like the Goose with her repetitive-editive speech pattern, Templeton and his sassiness, and Charlotte with her calm demeanor. It had a perfect cadence for the plot and taught you numerous things throughout the story, like vocabulary words and spider facts. Did you also happen to know that without spiders, the world would be overwhelmed by bugs? I certainly did, by the book and its movie counterpart!
Charlotte’s Web was adapted into a movie by Hanna-Barbera in 1973, with EB White consulting them throughout the production. Compared to the book, the movie is almost verbatim of the book’s content, with a few tweaks for some Hollywood flair. For example, there are songs in this adaption, as well as an added character like Jeffrey, a runt gosling that imprints on Wilbur soon after hatching. Even with these edits, this movie was a great execution of this sweet story of friendship and love.
So, after all this is said and done, which is better, the book or the movie?
When it comes to EB White’s Charlotte’s Web, both renditions are radiant.
To watch the movie, click here.
To check out your copy of the book, click here.
Thank you so much for tuning into Is it better than the book? Keep an eye out for the next edition of this series!