When reading Black Beauty, it's easy to tell that Anna Sewell is a big fan of religion. Church is treated as an integral part of life for some of the humans in the story, and Jerry Barker's interlude in particular addresses the importance of Sunday as a day of rest and church-going. The story never explicitly mentions Christianity, but it's pretty obvious that it's the religion in question. Although some Victorians became skeptical of the church in the middle of the 19th century, religion was still a huge driving force in society, and this is definitely reflected in Black Beauty.
Questions About Religion
- What do you think Anna Sewell thought about religion, based on this story? Can you tell if it was a big part of her life?
- Which characters in this book are particularly linked with religion? What do you think their experiences show about the role of religion in someone's life?
- Are horses religious in any way? What do you think Anna Sewell's horses believe in, from a spiritual point of view?
- How is church attendance linked with morality in this book? Do people need to attend church all the time in order to be observant Christians?
Chew on This
In Black Beauty's world, good things happen to good, church-going Christians.
Even though horses can't go to church, Anna Sewell still sees them as pious, moral creatures who seem to understand Christian values.