Wilbur the pig is the novel’s protagonist. He is born into the world with the threat of death already looming over him and spends the first summer of his life feeling the same way when he hears that he may be slaughtered in the winter. He is initially saved by Fern, and then again by Charlotte. Friendship becomes the crucial element in Wilbur’s life that continues to keep him alive and defy expectations. Wilbur is an anxious and emotional pig, who falls into hysterics when he is sad and faints when he becomes too nervous. This is what earns him the title “humble.” Wilbur experiences the most growth of any character in the story, starting out as a brand-new piglet who is naïve to the world and the fleetingness of life. As he grows into an adult pig, he learns difficult and valuable lessons about friendship, the beauty of life, and sacrifice.

Due to his fear of dying, Wilbur develops a philosophical side to himself and often has existential crises. Wilbur muses on the nature of existence and exhibits logical reasoning, which his friend Charlotte also seems to possess: “I don’t think there is any such thing as less than nothing.