Beyond Black Beauty: An Analysis of the Context - Book Report/Review Example

Beauty’s mother is referenced as an old wise horse. AS his main role model and example, Black Beauty tries to become like his mother through the course of the story. Although Beauty faced very difficult challenges in his life as a horse, he still managed to become an old wise horse just like his mother. He was able to live up to the messages of his childhood experience. Moreover, it appears that even in the perspective of a horse, examples set by older people and the influences that they make in the child’s experience still matters and affects one’s total disposition in life.

In this case, it is important to note that, “Sewell’s introduction to writing began in her youth when she helped to edit her mother’s books” (Black Beauty|Teacher’s Guide Level 2). More so, Black Beauty’s regard to his mother’s opinions and advice has roots which can be traced from the author’s close relationship with her mother, who appears to be a wise person as well. Using a horse’s perspective in writing was considered a great breakthrough in the literary world.

Yet, it is important to consider that the author’s background played an essential role in the establishment of this way of writing. Her love for horses can be rooted in her family’s involvement in handling these animals. Note that, “the character of Beauty was based on her brother’s horse, Bessie, and Merrylegs was based on Sewell’s own much-loved grey pony” (Teacher’s Guide Level 2). Sewell suffered from a fall and shortly became disabled. Later, “she learned to drive a horse-drawn carriage and took great pleasure in taking her father to and from the station on his way to work (Teacher’s Guide Level 2).

Moreover, Sewell had the first-hand experience in handling and driving horses and it is believed that she does it in the most proper way that she could unlike those in the more commercial industry. Thus, these experiences definitely in one way or another ignited the author’s desire to write the book and further appeal to stop the inhumane treatment of horses. Another point to make is that Black Beauty’s story traces back its roots from the Victorian era’s society when England suffered from a great economic downturn that led to poverty.

This is pretty much caused by the boom of the industrial revolution when the traditional way of producing goods is transformed into the use of machines, replacing people causing them to lose their jobs. Also, it essential to note that, “at the beginning of Queen Victoria’s reign, most people traveled by road, either on horseback, in horse-drawn vehicles or on foot . stagecoaches were used for long-distance travel between major towns. Wealthier people could afford to buy their own horse-drawn carriages.

In towns, people traveled in horse-drawn buses” (Barrow). Thus, the use of horses both as for agricultural use like plowing fields and for transportation was very much needed commodity in order to push through the daily operations of the society.