"The rat had no morals, no conscience, no scruples, no consideration, no decency, no milk of rodent kindness, no compunctions, no higher feeling, no friendliness, no anything. He would kill a gosling if he could get away with it - the goose knew that, everybody knew that." - I wonder if this is E. B. Whites opinion of rats?
Extended Response:
E. B. White seems to be speaking directly to the reader here, as no character is thinking or saying it. the thought has occurred that this could be a diversion from Tempelton " saving the day " however he only does so when he has something to gain. Though there is one exception where he looks for words to write on Charlotte's web. When he stops Charlotte from being killed, it's only because Tempelton's greedy habit that saves the day because of the bad egg he took. when Charlotte is about to die he only saves her because he is promised first eating at Wilbur's slopping. All and all, as described by White, Tempelton is a lazy greedy opportunistic dirt bag only intent on filling his own needs. and of course this very much lends itself to the belief that E. B. White is utterly disgusted by rats. a small side argument against this theory, would be, as stated helping charlotte save wilbur, and helping save charlotte's egg sac after she begins to die. however aside from the first argument mentioned, Tempelton only acts for his own gain.
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