I’m not much of an animal lover. Yes, I do like watching cat
videos, and believe all creatures should be treated with kindness. But I’m not
like the animal lovers I know, and I think I’m rather scared of animals! But
one thing I can say for sure is that to read and appreciate Black Beauty, all
you need to have is a heart that’s capable of love and kindness.
Black Beauty is a story about a horse, written by Anna
Sewell, an English woman who died just months after publishing her only
novel. Due to a childhood injury, Anna
was unable to stand or walk properly on her own, leading to her frequent use of
horse drawn carriages. And that is how Anna fell in love with horses!
The protagonist of the story is a horse, but what’s unusual
is that the entire story is told through his eyes! Yes, Beauty, the good
looking black horse details his life in the various places he lives, which
include good people and bad. Beauty is loved, kept warm, appreciated,
overworked, thrashed and rescued – but he always seems to maintain a certain
kind of dignity, never stooping to the level of his abusers. I absolutely love
that about him – unlike Ginger, the aggressive horse that’s had a traumatic
upbringing – Beauty is more invested in doing the best he can, whatever the
circumstances may be.
Considering how commonly horses were used for transportation
in those days, Black Beauty was an instant hit then, and became the sixth
bestseller in the English language. The novel did what Anna wanted it to do –
it opened everyone’s eyes to the kind of treatment horses were getting,
especially those who worked with taxi cabs in London. It made people realize
that horses felt pain, love and fear, just like humans did, and yet they
unfailingly served their masters till the day they died.
Black Beauty was written as a children’s book, and I first
read it as a child, several years ago. But considering the events happening
around us today, I think it’s more relevant than ever – especially for adults.
Kindness, respect and self-dignity – these never go out of fashion, and it’s a
valuable lesson to learn; whether taught by humans or horses!
Do you like books
about animals? Have you given Black Beauty a try?
4 comments
Love your theme and the selection of quotes, Fabi.
ReplyDeleteThank you Corinne! I decided upon this theme last year and couldn't wait to do it!
DeleteA classic definitely it is! The kids and I watched the movie a few months ago on TV, and how well the novel has been converted... The elder one is already reading the book as well..
ReplyDeleteYes, this is truly a good read for kids! It's wonderful that your little one is reading the book too!
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