# Jakes and the Lady explained — Black Beauty

> Chapter companion for Black Beauty by Anna Sewell.

## What happens

Black Beauty is sold to a corn dealer and baker, where he is overloaded and mistreated by the foreman and his carter Jakes, who uses a checkrein and whip. A kind lady intervenes, persuading Jakes to remove the checkrein and treat the horse humanely, leading to a temporary improvement. However, the heavy loads continue, and Black Beauty's health declines, compounded by a poorly-lit stable that weakens his sight. He is eventually sold to a large cab owner.

## Themes in this chapter

### Animal Welfare and Cruelty

The chapter highlights the physical and emotional suffering of horses due to overloading, checkreins, and whipping, contrasted with the lady's compassionate intervention.

### Fashion vs. Reason

Jakes defends the checkrein as 'the fashion,' while the lady argues for humane treatment over blind adherence to custom.

### Kindness and Empathy

The lady's gentle words and actions demonstrate empathy for Black Beauty, urging Jakes to treat the horse with understanding rather than punishment.

## Character check-ins

### Black Beauty

Narrator and protagonist; suffers from overloading, checkrein, and poor stable conditions; receives kindness from a lady.

### Jakes

Carter for the corn dealer; initially uses checkrein and whip but is persuaded by a lady to remove the checkrein; later continues overloading.

### Jeremiah Barker

Jerry; former owner who sold Black Beauty to the corn dealer, believing he would have good food and fair work.

## Key lines

> To be punished and abused when I was doing my very best was so hard it took the heart out of me.

Being whipped and scolded despite giving my utmost effort was deeply demoralizing.

_Black Beauty expresses the emotional pain of unjust treatment._

> Is it not better to lead a good fashion than to follow a bad one?

Isn't it preferable to set a positive example rather than conform to a harmful trend?

_The lady challenges Jakes to prioritize ethics over social pressure._

> we have no right to distress any of God’s creatures without a very good reason; we call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words.

We have no justification for causing pain to animals without a compelling reason; though they cannot speak, their suffering is real.

_The lady articulates a moral argument for animal welfare._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/black_beauty_se/chapters/part-iv-xlvi-jakes-and-the-lady
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/black_beauty_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/black_beauty_se/chapters