Black Beauty
“At last after a terrible struggle I threw him off backward. I heard him fall heavily on the turf, and without looking behind me, I galloped off to the other end of the field; there I turned round and saw my persecutor slowly rising from the ground and going into the stable. I stood under an oak tree and watched, but no one came to catch me. The time went on, and the sun was very hot; the flies swarmed round me and settled on my bleeding flanks where the spurs had dug in. I felt hungry, for I had not eaten since the early morning, but there was not enough grass in that meadow for a goose to live on. I wanted to lie down and rest, but with the saddle strapped tightly on there was no comfort, and there was not a drop of water to drink. The afternoon wore on, and the sun got low. I saw the other colts led in, and I knew they were having a good feed.
“At last, just as the sun went down, I saw the old master come out with a sieve in his hand. He was a very fine old gentleman with quite white hair, but his voice was what I should know him by among a thousand. It was not high, nor yet low, but full, and clear, and kind, and when he gave orders it was so steady and decided that every one knew, both horses and men, that he expected to be obeyed. He came quietly along, now and then shaking the oats about that he had in the sieve, and speaking cheerfully and gently to me: 'Come along, lassie, come along, lassie; come along, come along.' I stood still and let him come up; he held the oats to me, and I began to eat without fear; his voice took all my fear away. He stood by, patting and stroking me while I was eating, and and seeing the clots of blood on my side he seemed very vexed. 'Poor lassie! it was a bad business, a bad business;' then he quietly took the rein and led me to the stable; just at the door stood Samson. I laid my ears back and snapped at him. 'Stand back,' said the master, 'and keep out of her way; you've done a bad day's work for this filly.' He growled out something about a vicious brute. 'Hark ye,' said the father, 'a bad-tempered man will never make a good-tempered horse. You've not learned your trade yet, Samson.' Then he led me into my box, took off the saddle and bridle with his own hands, and tied me up; then he called for a pail of warm water and a sponge, took off his coat, and while the stable-man held the pail, he sponged my sides a good while, so tenderly that I was sure he knew how sore and bruised they were. 'Whoa! my pretty one,' he said, 'stand still, stand still.' His very voice did me good, and the bathing was very comfortable. The skin was so broken at the corners of my mouth that I could not eat the hay, the stalks hurt me. He looked closely at it, shook his head, and told the man to fetch a good bran mash and put some meal into it. How good that mash was! and so soft and healing to my mouth. He stood by all the time I was eating, stroking me and talking to the man. 'If a high-mettled creature like this,' said he, 'can't be broken by fair means, she will never be good for anything.'
Describe Ginger's emotional and physical state after she throws Samson off, and before Mr. Ryder comes to her aid. Use details from the text to support your answer.
💡 Writing Tips
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To answer this, focus on Ginger's thoughts and physical sensations immediately after the struggle and during the time she is alone. Look for words and phrases that describe her body, her environment, and her internal feelings. List them out and then group them to form a comprehensive picture of her state.
📝 Sample Answer
After throwing Samson, and before Mr. Ryder's arrival, Ginger is in a severely distressed emotional and physical state. Emotionally, she is initially triumphant, having thrown her 'persecutor' off, but then experiences abandonment and increasing despair. She watches Samson leave and observes that 'no one came to catch me,' which could suggest a mixture of relief and a growing sense of isolation.
Physically, she is gravely injured and uncomfortable. The text highlights 'bleeding flanks where the spurs had dug in' and states, 'the new bit was very painful' and 'the skin was so broken at the corners of my mouth.' She is 'hungry' and 'had not eaten since the early morning.' She is also dehydrated, noting 'there was not a drop of water to drink.' Despite her desire to rest, there was 'no comfort' with the saddle strapped tightly on. She also suffered from the heat, 'the sun was very hot,' and the annoyance of 'flies swarmed round me.' All these details paint a picture of an exhausted, injured, hungry, and uncomfortable animal left to suffer alone, creating a strong sense of pathos.
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