“Read On!” & OUP (Oxford University Press) The Missing Link Competition Prof.ssa Cinzia Azzaretto Studentesse: Marta De Mattia & Noemi Vallecorsa AS Cl.4^B VIA ARDEATINA, 524 – ROMA Tel. 06/ – 06/ Fax 06/ – Sito web: ISTITUTO TECNICO AGRARIO STATALE “G. GARIBALDI”

Marta De Mattia Noemi Vallecorsa Black beauty & White fang

Animal exploitation is the theme of both books, Black Beauty and White Fang. The reasons why the animals are exploited, tortured and killed are many. In fact, we always hear about VIVISECTION, RACING BETTING, CIRCUSES and SLAUGHTER for SCIENTIFIC PURPOSES. The question is: HOW can we stop it? The Missing Link: Animal exploitation

Anna Sewell Being her mother was a successful author of children's books, she was largely educated at home in Nortfolk, England. When Anna was twelve she attended school for the first time; but two years later, however, she slipped on her way home from school and severely injured both of her ankles. Most likely because of mistreatment of her injury, for the rest of her life Anna was unable to stand without a crutch or to walk for any length of time. For greater mobility, she frequently used horse-drawn carriages, which contributed to her love of horses and concern for the humane treatment of animals. Sewell's only published work was Black Beauty, written when her health was declining. She was often so weak that she was confined to her bed and writing was a challenge. She dictated the text to her mother and from 1876 began to write on slips of paper which her mother then transcribed.

Black Beauty When Black Beauty is trained to carry a ride on his back, or to pull a carriage behind him, he finds it hard at first. But he is lucky – his first home is a good one, where his owners are kind people, who are never cruel to a horse. But other masters are cruel to their horses, whipping them and beating them, and using them like machines until they drop dead.

Jack London Born in San Francisco, California in 1876, presumeably the illegitimate son of an itinerant Irish astrologer, was raised by his mother and an adoptive father. When he was still very young moved from one to another very disreputable companies, as thieves and smugglers and couldn’t study due to financial problems. Then he became aware of the discovery of rich gold deposits in the Klondike, on the border between Canada and Alaska and he left to join the Klondike Gold Rush. There he met often tragic and cruel adventures and misadventures of all kinds, that became sources of inspiration for many of his writings. In 1898 he returned to San Francisco with a meager bag of gold, worth just a few dollars.

White fang Jack Conroy is a young gold hunter, who seeks for gold in the enormous and the snowy deserts of Alaska. He saves one day, a mixed dogwolf from the hands of a cruel man, and a brave friendship develops between the two. After a while, the white fang was taken from Jack, by a man who put him in an illegal dog fighting pen, to fight other dogs. There white Fang becomes a professional, experienced and a cruel killer. But unexpectedly, Jack meets him again after a long term, and they return to be friends. When a group of criminals wants to steal Jack's gold, White Fang is the only one who can help him to fight them off.

4/7/ Also White Fang lives with his mother, but she is eventually sold 2.White fang is sold to Smith when he is 5 and then to Scott who saves him from the “fight life” 3.Scott tries to recover him physically and temperamentally, and in the end he returns to love 4.White Fang, instead, changes his character also because he is half a wolf, but also because of the fight, the hate which he learns from the other dogs, wolves and owners, but in the end a good person changes him The Missing Link: Black Beauty and White Fang 1.Black Beauty lives the first years with his mother, but then they are separated 2.He is sold to many different owners 3.When he is old, he is bought by a child and his grandfather and a groom recognizes him: the same who had taken care of him when he was born. 4.Black Beauty, despite his misadventures, always keeps a good character The name of the two animals depends on the characteristics of their body. Black beauty is because the horse had a beautiful black body, and white fang because of its fangs.

Both wonderful animals, despite being so powerful, are also fragile and vulnerable. Both books highlight the cruelty of man and the emotions of abused animals, who suffer silently. Both books also speak of the relationship with people, who do not care about animal welfare, but only about money Both books help us wonder whether WE (humans and animals) all have the right to live and to be happy. The Missing Link

Marta De Mattia & Noemi Vallecorsa 4B - ITA “G. Garibaldi” If you don’t believe that animals have feelings and emotions: Read & Learn HOW to Respect and Love them!