Why Everyone Should Read Anna Sewell’s Classic Novel, “Black Beauty”

By Meredith Turner Chapman

Can you remember the first book you ever read that pulled on your heartstrings and made you cry? I can.  I was about nine years old when I was bitten by the bug that gives young people “Horse Fever.” I read every horse book I could get my hands on including all the greats by C.W. Anderson, Marguerite Henry, etc.  Although engaging  and wonderful, they did not have the same effect as Black Beauty;  this book  was an epiphany of compassion for me as a child.   I have thought about the idea of empathy for many years.  As an educator, I have wondered about the idea of compassion and how one learns it as a young person.   Over the years, I have come to believe that compassion must be cultivated and taught; it is not a given that children will understand the idea of putting themselves into the shoes of others.  A conversation that I had with college students reflects this idea.  My students and I were discussing a story in which a daughter can’t understand her father’s love of guns which led to a discussion of guns and what people in the class do with guns.  One freshman woman who was an EMT declared that she liked to shoot squirrels just because there were so many of them in the woods where she lived!  As an animal lover, I was shocked, but as her teacher, I did not want make a huge issue of it and embarrass her; I was surprised the other students didn’t make a big deal of it, but I decided it was time for a lesson on compassion, and so for our next few classes we read, discussed and wrote about some famous quotes of Dr. Albert  Schweitzer, the famous Austrian doctor, minister, philanthropist and lover of animals.   I don’t believe it’s ever too late to help someone be more compassionate, and that is why Black Beauty is an excellent starting point and entirely engaging at any age.

Anna Sewell, the book’s author, was a person who grew up with a strong sense of morality, compassion and a philosophy of non-violence as a result of her upbringing.  Born in England on March 30, 1820, Anna Sewell grew up in a family of Quakers, also known as the Religious Society of Friends, a Christian sect founded by George Fox about 1650. Quakers, who still practice today, reject sacraments, ritual, and formal ministry, and hold meetings in modest houses of worship at which any member may speak when the spiritual urge moves him or her.  Historically, Quakers  promoted many causes for social reform; generationally and throughout her own life, Anna’s extended family was involved in helping people in their community through education,  writing, ministry and acts of kindness.  While this upbringing certainly influenced her so did her close association with animals and more specifically with horses on her family’s farm.  Anna and her younger brother Phillip grew up in a middle class family; her father began his career as a tradesman and her well-educated mother took care of the family and helped people in her community many of whom were poor.  Quakers were egalitarian in their approach to education: it was as important for girls as much as boys to be well educated,  a progressive idea during the Victorian period in England.  The family moved many times until their finances became more stable after Mr. Sewell was appointed to work as a banker.

An unfortunate incident occurred which may have had much to do with Anna becoming an author. She injured herself while running home in the rain when she was only 14 and badly sprained both her ankles.  They never healed properly, and she remained an invalid until the end of her life.  It was at this time that she became close to horses and relied upon them for transportation.  Because she spent so much time with horses, grooming, riding and driving a carriage, she became a skilled equestrian at a time when this type of work was considered a man’s job.

She and her mother were very close and spent a lot of time together because Anna was often housebound.  Despite her injury, there were days when she was quite active and made the rounds with her mother.  They taught elementary school together and ministered to the needs of those in their community who needed help.  Anna traveled a lot as well since she often visited baths and spas in Europe which promoted cures and healing for various ailments.  On one such visit, she met and spent time with the English poet,  Alfred Tennyson.

It was not until later in life when Anna was couch and bed bound that she began to write what she called her “Little Book.”  An astute observer, she had gained much from her work with horses and her many conversations about their care and behavior with people over the years.  The surprising aspect of Anna’s personality is that she did not complain about her physical limitations but tried to make the most of her suffering.  She truly believed that there was meaning in suffering and that this was part of God’s plan.  Her spirituality and her love of people, animals and nature sustained her through great discomfort and physical difficulty.  She put her life’s belief and passion into that “Little Book” which has sold well over 30 million copies and is the sixth most read book in the English language.  It has been translated into many different languages and is loved by young and old across the globe.  She is credited with being the greatest single influence in promoting the humane treatment of horses and this in turn influenced humane associations all over the world.