black beauty 1

I absolutely love puns and after reading peoples' posts about this novel coming straight from the horses mouth, I chuckled. But when I thought about it a little more while reading the part 1, I thought that it was actually really appropriate, especially during Chapter 6 - "Liberty". At this point in the novel, I was completely into it and forgot for a second that this is actually a human writing in the voice of a horse. Then I realized how similar this chapter would be if I wrote a story in the voice of a horse for others to read.

Horses can be happy too [1]

When Black Beauty asks himself "What more could I want? Why, liberty!" (22), I thought immediately about my dogs. I know I'm not a terrible father for my dog Milo, but I also know I could do better. On those long, terrible days I have at school and work when I come home too tired to play with him I believe he would think like when Black Beauty says, "Sometimes, when I have had less exercise than usual, I have felt so full of life and spring, that when John has taken me out to exercise, I really could not keep quiet; do what I would" (22). He also says "It was a great treat to us to be turned out into the Home Paddock or the old orchard. The grass was so cool and soft to our feet; the air so sweet, and the freedom to do as we liked was so pleasant" (23). So when I thought about Milo and how he gets jittery after being by himself all day, I thought about the times when I was able to bring him out into nature and let him play for hours. On his one year birthday, I threw a party for him and his other dog friends. We went to Zilker's dog friendly section and let them run around while we grilled, flew kites and threw around some frisbees. I have never seen so many dogs simultaneously pass out when we were leaving the park. Milo must have ran around non-stop for at least 2 hours. When I think about Milo being as happy as Black Beauty when he gets the liberty to do as he pleases, I definitely think that I would write this chapter the way Sewell does.

Odie, Anh and Rupert

Happy Birthday buddy.


Outdoor fun for everyone

Cleaning Milo's face

However, when I thought even longer, I realized that if I was the horse, and I was writing in my own voice as a horse, it would be completely different. There would definitely be a significant amount of swearing, sarcasm, and a hint of sass. I would be furious with having to live a certain way, especially after seeing what it is like to be free. When Black Beauty talks about being stabled and strapped up, he simply says that "I am not complaining for I know it must be so" (22). It just seems like this chapter is too much rainbows and butterflies for my liking. I mean, I get that these animals have things provided for them that helps them live comfortably, but does it make it okay to them that we take away their liberties? I think not. I know that when I was a kid, I always tried to find my way around things that "must be so" and often times I did get around them. I just wish I knew exactly what my dog was thinking. But I guess that would make it all too easy.



Rainbows and butterflies[2]

Like this video, I think we associate nice, cutesy voices to our animals to make ourselves feel better. When we do this, we don't really have to think about how horrible it has to be to be walked on a leash or ridden around like Black Beauty. With that being said, I think Sewell's novel is interesting in that it uses the voice of a horse, but I think it could be even more effective if Black Beauty was a little more opinionated. Let's hear what you really have to say, Black Beauty.

[1] http://www.horsegroomingsupplies.com/pictures/files/2/2/2/7/8/picture_375.jpg
[2] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ9J5RtTaPg