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Chapter 31
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
Horse fairs are certainly amusing—if one has nothing to lose. They’re filled with young horses, strings of ponies, and cart horses. Many horses there are like Black Beauty: well-bred horses who have “fallen into the middle class” for some reason. In the background, though, there are always broken horses with swollen knees, visible ribs, and sores on their backs. Many people selling horses lie as they try to make sales.
Black Beauty implies that the people who attend horse fairs aren’t the ones with something to lose—it’s the horses, particularly the broken ones, with a lot to lose. Noting that he's “fallen into the middle class” reinforces that Black Beauty’s story is taking readers on a journey from high class to low as he passes from owner to owner.
Themes
Black Beauty is tied near several other horses who are still in good condition. Most men reject him because of his knees. Those who are interested inspect his mouth, eyes, and legs, and then watch him trot. Some are rough; others are kind. One man who inspects Black Beauty is particularly kind. He’s small, gentle, and cheery, and he doesn’t smell of alcohol or tobacco. Black Beauty’s seller rejects the man’s 23-pound offer and walks away. A hard-faced man offers the same a bit later—but the kind man returns and purchases Black Beauty for 24 pounds and change. After a quick meal of oats, the man saddles Black Beauty and they ride for London.
The inspection is meant to gauge how old Black Beauty is (by looking at his teeth), his general health, and his soundness (by inspecting his legs and watching him move). At the same time, though, Black Beauty is inspecting his prospective buyers—though he can’t control who buys him. So it seems like luck that a kind man purchases Black Beauty. From the outset, this man seems to take the horse’s needs and health into consideration—he realizes Black Beauty needs a snack and some energy before they can continue on their way.
Themes
The main thoroughfare into London seems to go on forever, but Black Beauty finally reaches the city. His owner, Jerry, greets a man he calls Governor when they pass a cab stand. Then, Jerry turns Black Beauty onto a narrow side street and stops in front of one of the sad-looking houses. When he whistles, a woman, a girl, and a boy run out to meet the new horse. The girl, Dolly, pats Black Beauty’s shoulder—it feels wonderful. Polly, the woman, fetches a bran mash.
Jerry and his family might be poorer than those who have owned Black Beauty before, but they seem just as kind and comfortable around horses as the Gordons were. And their being working-class also doesn’t seem to hinder their willingness or ability to feed Black Beauty well, since he frames the bran mash as an expensive treat.
Themes
