I am currently about ten thousand words into my novel,
which has a current working title of Sadie Fights Back.” I have absolutely
no idea if it is even close to what the story will eventually be called. It is
a fictional story based upon events that can and do take place in the life of a
nurse mare.
As a part, of my research into writing a story from the
perspective of an animal. I read a series of books written by some of the best.
Two of them were written by Jack London. They were Call of the Wild and White
Fang. I enjoyed both books, and they both gave me an insight into not only writing
from the perspective of an animal, but what might happen in the mind and life
of a wolf or wild dog.
It also tells how the cruelty of man can affect the life
of animals. Not only do they have to face the challenges of nature, and other
predators. They also in many cases face the indifference of men, who consider
them expendable and sometimes use them in brutal ways. Making them insane beasts,
that in many cases destroys their sanity.
White Fang was one such animal. Part wolf, part dog, he
was first raised as a wolf, then he begins his life in the world of man to be
used and abused by both animal and human.
In part of his story I wept, cringed, and feared for his
life, as a man called Beauty turned him into a fighting dog. Treating him with
the utmost cruelty until his life was nothing, but kill or be killed. He was turned
into a wild beast that would frighten anyone. It reminded me that in this day and
age, we still have similar people and similar events, dogs are still used as entertainment
for evil men whose only interest is watching blood sport.
Will, White Fang find anyone, be it man or beast that he
can love and will love him? That is the question that only someone who reads
this excellent book can learn.
It was originally written as a book for younger boys,
yet in today’s world it would be considered to brutal and to mature a book by many.
It is a book that I believe everyone should read who wants to learn about
books, animals, and the cruelty that our actions can cause.
