Black Beauty: Genre craft
15 lenses on genre craft for Black Beauty by Anna Sewell. Count lenses are exact for our text. AI lenses are our reading and cite only quotes that passed a word for word check.
Jump to: G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 G7 G8 G9 G10 G11 G12 G13 G14 G15
G1. Genre and subgenre, and how well the book fits. AI
Children's literature with animal protagonist and moral instruction. Also social realism critiquing animal cruelty and human systems. Fits children's genre well; also works as adult moral fable.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 49
G2. The genre's must have scenes: present or missing? AI
Children's must-haves present: innocent protagonist, clear moral lessons, animal characters, journey through trials, happy ending. Peril is real but not graphic. Humour is gentle.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 9, Ch 48, Ch 49
My name is Merrylegs. I am very handsome; I carry the young ladies on my back, and sometimes I take our mistress out in the low chair. (Ch 4, para 8)
My troubles are all over, and I am at home; and often before I am quite awake, I fancy I am still in the orchard at Birtwick, standing with my old friends under the apple-trees. (Ch 49, para 22)
G3. The genre's conventions: which are used? AI
Uses animal fable convention, moral instruction through experience, episodic journey structure. Employs talking animals who reflect on human nature. Rewards virtue (Jerry, Joe) and shows consequences of vice (Reuben Smith, Skinner).
Chapters: Ch 7, Ch 20, Ch 35, Ch 47
Right, Joe! you did right, my boy, whether the fellow gets a summons or not. Many folks would have ridden by and said it was not their business to interfere. (Ch 20, para 14)
My doctrine is this, that if we see cruelty or wrong that we have the power to stop, and do nothing, we make ourselves sharers in the guilt (Ch 38, para 17)
G4. Mystery: clue list, red herrings, fair play test. AI
4 clues. See the full lens on the book page.
G5. Thriller: clocks, chases and set pieces. AI
Not enough in the text to answer this one yet.
G6. Romance: the meeting, the barriers, the grand gesture. AI
Not enough in the text to answer this one yet.
G7. Horror and gothic: how dread builds, when the monster is seen. AI
Not enough in the text to answer this one yet.
G8. Science fiction: the new idea and its rules. AI
Not enough in the text to answer this one yet.
G9. Fantasy: moments of wonder, and the cost of magic. AI
Not enough in the text to answer this one yet.
G10. Adventure: stages of the journey and physical trials. AI
Not enough in the text to answer this one yet.
G11. Literary: inner life and the moment of insight. AI
Not enough in the text to answer this one yet.
G12. Children's: age of the lead, level of peril, humour. AI
Lead is a horse (not human child), so age is metaphorical. Peril is real: horses die, suffer, are worked to death. Humour is minimal and gentle. Tone is serious moral instruction.
Chapters: Ch 2, Ch 25, Ch 40, Ch 47
They were carrying young Gordon to the churchyard to bury him. He would never ride again. What they did with Rob Roy I never knew; but 'twas all for one little hare. (Ch 2, para 16)
I wish I was dead. I have seen dead horses, and I am sure they do not suffer pain (Ch 40, para 7)
G13. Plays: entrances, exits and stage time per character. Count
Not a play. See the cast and speech lenses for who is on the page.
G14. Where the book bends or breaks its genre's rules. AI
Book breaks children's convention by depicting genuine suffering and death without sentimentality. Ginger's fate is tragic. Seedy Sam dies. Captain is shot. Not a typical happy-ending children's book.
Chapters: Ch 2, Ch 40, Ch 44, Ch 47
They were carrying young Gordon to the churchyard to bury him. He would never ride again. What they did with Rob Roy I never knew; but 'twas all for one little hare. (Ch 2, para 16)
I never had a Sunday's rest,' these were his last words (Ch 39, para 18)
G15. Tropes present, with where they appear. AI
Tropes: the innocent protagonist, the wise mentor (Duchess, John), the loyal friend (Ginger, Jerry), the cruel antagonist (Skinner), the redemption arc (Joe), the journey home. All appear throughout.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 7, Ch 20, Ch 47, Ch 49
I wish you to pay attention to what I am going to say to you. The colts who live here are very good colts, but they are cart-horse colts, and of course they have not learned manners. (Ch 1, para 6)
Right, Joe! you did right, my boy, whether the fellow gets a summons or not. Many folks would have ridden by and said it was not their business to interfere. (Ch 20, para 14)
Ask Black Beauty a question about its craft (free beta)
Answers cite chapter and paragraph, and every quote is checked against the text. (3 free questions a day).
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