<P> Written in White's dry, low - key manner, Charlotte's Web is considered a classic of children's literature, enjoyable to adults as well as children . The description of the experience of swinging on a rope swing at the farm is an often cited example of rhythm in writing, as the pace of the sentences reflects the motion of the swing . In 2000, Publishers Weekly listed the book as the best - selling children's paperback of all time . </P> <P> Charlotte's Web was adapted into an animated feature by Hanna - Barbera Productions and Sagittarius Productions in 1973 . Paramount released a direct - to - video sequel, Charlotte's Web 2: Wilbur's Great Adventure, in the U.S. in 2003 (Universal released the film internationally). A live - action film version of E.B. White's original story was released in 2006 . A video game based on this adaption was also released in 2006 . </P> <P> After her father spares the life of a piglet from slaughtering it as runt of the litter, a little girl named Fern Arable nurtures the piglet lovingly, naming him Wilbur . On greater maturity, Wilbur is sold to Fern's uncle, Homer Zuckerman, in whose barnyard he is left yearning for companionship but is snubbed by other barn animals, until befriended by a barn spider named Charlotte, living on a web overlooking Wilbur's enclosure . Upon Wilbur's discovery that he is intended for slaughter, she promises to hatch a plan guaranteed to spare his life . Accordingly, she secretly weaves praise of him into her web, attracting publicity among Zuckerman's neighbors who attribute the praise to divine intervention . As time passes, more inscriptions appear on Charlotte's webs, increasing his renown . Therefore, Wilbur is entered in the county fair, accompanied by Charlotte and the rat Templeton, whom she employs in gathering inspiration for her messages . There, Charlotte spins an egg sac containing her unborn offspring, and Wilbur, despite winning no prizes, is later celebrated by the fair's staff and visitors (thus made too prestigious alive to justify killing him). Exhausted apparently by laying eggs, Charlotte remains at the fair and dies shortly after Wilbur's departure . Having returned to Zuckerman's farm, Wilbur guards Charlotte's egg sac and is saddened further when the new spiders depart shortly after hatching . The three smallest remain, however, and take up residence in the doorway where Charlotte used to live . Pleased at finding new friends, Wilbur names one of them Nellie, while the remaining two name themselves Joy and Aranea . The book then concludes by mentioning that more generations of spiders kept him company in subsequent years . </P> <Ul> <Li> Wilbur is a rambunctious pig, the runt of his litter . He is often strongly emotional . </Li> <Li> Charlotte A. Cavatica, or simply Charlotte, is a spider who befriends Wilbur . In some passages, she is the heroine of the story . </Li> <Li> John Arable: Wilbur's first owner . </Li> <Li> Fern Arable, John's daughter, who adopts Wilbur in his infancy, and later visits him . She is the only human in the story capable of understanding nonhuman conversation . </Li> <Li> Templeton is a rat who helps Charlotte and Wilbur only when offered food . He serves as a somewhat caustic, self - serving comic relief to the plot . </Li> <Li> Avery Arable is the elder brother of Fern . Like Templeton, he is a source of comic relief . </Li> <Li> Homer Zuckerman is Fern's uncle who keeps Wilbur in his barn . He has a wife, Edith, and an assistant named Lurvy . </Li> <Li> Other animals in Zuckerman's barn, with whom Wilbur converses, are a disdainful lamb, a talkative goose, and an intelligent "old sheep". </Li> <Li> Henry Fussy is a boy of Fern's age, of whom Fern becomes fond . </Li> <Li> Dr. Dorian is the family physician / psychologist consulted by Fern's mother and something of a wise old man character . </Li> <Li> Uncle is a large pig whom Charlotte disdains for coarse manners and Wilbur's rival at the fair . </Li> <Li> Charlotte's children are the 514 children of Charlotte . Although they were born at the barn, all but three of them go their own ways by ballooning . </Li> </Ul>

What was the rat's name on charlotte's web