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Similes
Style
Explanation and Analysis:
Anna Sewell's writing style in Black Beauty is both highly instructive and easily accessible. The book was designed to appeal to an adult audience, but it has also become a classic of British children’s literature. It’s an instructional novel, designed to pull at the heartstrings while also educating its audience. The novel is laden with figurative language, with a big emphasis on illustrative similes. These ensure that the emotional impact of Black Beauty's journey is as poignant and memorable as possible.
Rather than being a singular, linear tale, Black Beauty is made up of an intricate series of anecdotes; these are short, self-contained stories which illustrate a point or an event. Each one serves a dual purpose in this book. Firstly, they paint a broader picture of the varied conditions horses endured in the Victorian era, when animal cruelty laws were very limited. Secondly, each anecdote drives home a lesson about kindness, cruelty, or understanding for the reader.
The novel's pacing and diction are deliberate and simple. Rather than taking his story at a gallop, Black Beauty guides the reader through his narrative at a steady and reliable trot. There aren't overwhelming twists and turns. Instead, the plot moves forward in a straightforward manner, occasionally punctuated by a flashback into the more distant past. Readers of all ages can immerse themselves in Black Beauty's world without grappling with convoluted language or intricate plotlines.
The simplicity of this style underwrites Sewell's more profound motive behind Black Beauty: advocacy for animal rights. Black Beauty isn't just a story—it's a call to action from the author to the reader. By sharing the world through the eyes of a horse, Sewell appeals to the reader's sense of justice. Rather than taking the presence of horses at face value, Sewell's audience is prompted to reflect on their responsibilities toward intelligent animals.
Related Themes:
