Archetype: Shapeshifter

In many stories there is someone who is undecided, doesn't care, or doesn't know what side they are on. Sometimes it may seem like they are on the hero's side, when they really aren't. Sometimes there are characters who only do what they do for other people because it will benefit them enough so that it is worth doing. These characters in are called shapeshifters.

In charlottes web, there is one character that continues to amaze me, time after time with his selfish deceiving personality. Templeton. The rat is so selfish, he cares about no one. Yet he still has such a big role in the book. Without Templeton Wilbur would most definately be turned into beacon and eaten by the Zuchermans.

I think Templeton is a shapeshifter, he doesn't actually care about anything except food and himself, and the only reason he helps wilbur and charlotte complete their quest is because they bribe him, in atleast four different circumstances, with food! So in a way Templton is on their side, because he helps them, and he's on the other side, because he just doesn't really care.

Charlottes Web: Templeton Again

As I have read further and further into the book, I am finding more and more evidence leading toward a theory that I am forming that the only thing that Templeton has ever, will ever, and can ever love besides himself of course, is food. Lots and lots and lots of food. There are several instances where Templeton shows this ugly truth to the rest of the barn. Even tough they all know how unpleasant he is, it is still amazing how nasty he is towards others.

One instance of this is when charlotte needs new words for her web, so that she can trick Mr. Zucherman into letting wilbur live. And not turning him into nice crisp beacon. Charlotte asks Templeton to do the small favor of bringing back newspaper clippings from his daily trips to the dump. His answer: a straight up no.

Another time this sort of thing happens is when The goose's eighth egg fails to hatch. The rat shows no consideration, no decency, no nothing for the goose and just takes the egg. The book even describes him as a rat with"No morals, no conscience, no scruples, no consideration, no decency, no milk of rodent kindness, no compunctions, no higher feeling, no friendliness, no anything." It also states that the rat wouldn't hesitate to kill a gosling, that's just sick. Who would do that, especially to their own neighbor?

When the county fair comes along, Wilbur and charlotte are going to try and have Wilbur win a prize. Just to seal his safety and well-being. Charlotte asks Templeton to come along so that she can have someone who can get her newspaper clippings with her. Templeton's first answer is, no, let him die. The only reason Templeton actually ends up going is because the old sheep convinced him to go for all the garbage that will be there.

Right at the end of the book, as Charlotte is dying, Wilbur needs to get her eggs safely into his wooden crate for transport back to the barn, Templeton is resting his fat ass in the corner of the shed, and refuses to help Wilbur. The only reason that he helps out is because Wilbur swears that he will forever let Templeton eat out of his slops first. These instances of pure selfishness on Templeton's part have led me to believe that the only thing Templeton will ever love, is food. Lots and lots and lots of food.

Charlottes Web: Templeton

"No morals, no conscience, no scruples, no consideration, no decency, no milk of rodent kindness, no compunctions, no higher feeling, no friendliness, no anything."

annotation: I wonder if Templeton is really as bad as E.B.White makes him out to be, is this foreshadowing for character change?

I think that Templeton isn't as heartless as everyone thinks and says he is, I mean is it even possible to have No morals, no conscience, no scruples, no consideration, no decency, no milk of rodent kindness, no compunctions, no higher feeling, no friendliness, no anything? I don't think so. A lot of the time in books, important characters go through signifigant character change, like a lesson. the character change makes the book more realistic, and deeper, more emotional. I think that deep down Templeton is really not that bad of a rat, in some way or another. When Charlotte is working on her plan to save Wilbur's life, and keep him from being shot and eaten as bacon, Templeton actually helps her by getting her magazine clippings for words to put in her web. Even though hes only doing it so he can continue to eat wilbur's food, and the sheep convinced him, it's still something. Something I was also thinking about is how innocent, and ignorant, and humble Wilbur is, and how Templeton is the exact opposite of Wilbur, he's apparently heartless, cold blooded, mean, nasty, unpleasant, and greedy. I think E.B.White did this on purpose. I think he wanted there to be a contrast between two of his main characters, to make things interesting, show a contrast. I also think that both wilbur and Templeton will learn something from each other because of their contrasting personalities.