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Chapter 11
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Black Beauty, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Horse Care, Abuse, and Neglect
Class, Transportation, and Victorian England
Good, Evil, and Power
Dignity and Religion
Summary
Analysis
In late autumn, Squire Gordon takes John and Black Beauty on a long business trip. Black Beauty is happy to go—they take a dog-cart, which is light and easy to pull. Things are fine until they reach the toll bridge over the river. The man there says the river is rising quickly, and soon, it’ll be dangerous—Black Beauty agrees, since he’s already had to slosh through foot-high water in one spot. But they make it over the bridge fine, reach their destination, and aren’t ready to leave again until very late in the afternoon.
Black Beauty, as a horse who isn’t privy to his owner’s inner monologue, doesn’t know why he’s selected. But note that he’s happy to go, and that he isn’t overworked. This highlights that Squire Gordon makes an effort to not overwork any one horse, which he can do because he has so many horses to choose from. Also, keep in mind that while Black Beauty agrees that the river is getting dangerous, he has no way of telling Squire Gordon and John that. Instead, he has to rely on the man at the bridge to back him up.
Themes
By now, it’s windy. As Black Beauty trots through a wood, John remarks that it’d be awful if a branch fell on them—just as a whole oak tree crashes down in front of Black Beauty. Black Beauty is afraid, but he’s too well trained to run in fear. Since there’s no way to get around the tree and continue on, John suggests they return from whence they came. When they reach the bridge, Black Beauty stops the instant he puts a hoof on the bridge. It’s not safe, but he can’t tell Squire Gordon that. He stands still, even when Squire Gordon gives him a sharp lash. Just then, a man appears at the other side of the river and shouts that the bridge is broken in the middle, where it’s underwater.
The fallen oak tree creates a sense of foreboding—this is a dangerous storm, and the roads aren’t as safe as they usually are. So when Black Beauty reaches the bridge and can tell it’s not safe, he faces a huge decision. Does he continue to be obedient and cross the bridge despite his misgivings, or misbehave to keep himself and his passengers safe? When the man at the bridge confirms that the bridge is broken, it indicates that Black Beauty did the right thing in refusing to go on.
Themes
Squire Gordon and John turn Black Beauty around and they trot along in the dark. Black Beauty can’t hear much of the men’s conversation, but he can tell that Squire Gordon believes they all would’ve died if Black Beauty had stepped onto the bridge. He says that God gave men reason, but he gave animals a special way of knowing things which allows them to save men. Finally, the party gets home and Mrs. Gordon runs out to meet the cart. Squire Gordon tells her what happened and that Black Beauty saved them. John gives Black Beauty a good grooming and a bran mash, which Black Beauty appreciates.
Squire Gordon essentially suggests that people should trust animals more often, and that animals will take care of people if given the opportunity. He also implies that God intended men and animals to work together and use their respective skills to be more successful than they could be alone. On the whole, though, what Squire Gordon says essentially insists that horses deserve respect and consideration from their human owners.
Themes
