Previous
John Manly
Joe Green is 14 years old when John Manly hires him to take James’s place at Birtwick. Joe is small for his age, young, and inexperienced, but he’s desperate to learn—and even Merrylegs says after a week that he thinks Joe will turn out just fine. Soon after James leaves, though, Joe is tasked with caring for Black Beauty after a long gallop all on his own. Joe doesn’t know what to do, so he doesn’t properly care for Black Beauty—and Black Beauty falls seriously ill. Joe feels terrible for almost killing Black Beauty, but in the years after this, Joe throws himself into learning everything he can. Black Beauty feels like Joe transforms suddenly into a man one day when Joe tells a carter to stop whipping his horses and is later asked to give evidence in the man’s trial. Like his mentor John, Joe believes in standing up for people and animals who cannot stand up for themselves. Black Beauty figures he’ll never see Joe again when the Gordons move, as Joe goes to care for Merrylegs at the vicarage. But years later, the two reconnect when Black Beauty is sold to three ladies who employ Joe as their groom. By this point, Joe is an unrecognizable adult, but he’s still as kind and good as he was as a boy. He convinces the ladies to keep Black Beauty and call him by his old name.
Joe Green Quotes in Black Beauty
The Black Beauty quotes below are all either spoken by Joe Green or refer to Joe Green. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 19 Quotes
“Well, John! thank you, I knew you did not wish to be too hard, and I am glad you see it was only ignorance.”
John’s voice almost startled me as he answered, “Only ignorance! only ignorance! how can you talk about only ignorance? Don’t you know that it is the worst thing in the world, next to wickedness?—and which does the most mischief, heaven only knows. If people can say, ‘Oh, I did not know, I did not mean any harm,’ they think it is all right. I suppose Martha Mulwash did not mean to kill that baby, when she dosed it with Dalby, and soothing syrups; but she did kill it, and was tried for manslaughter.”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Black Beauty LitChart as a printable PDF.
"My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." -Graham S.
Joe Green Character Timeline in Black Beauty
The timeline below shows where the character Joe Green appears in Black Beauty. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 17
...returns to Birtwick, John is also thrilled with James’s heroism. But when he shares that Joe Green is going to replace James, James is aghast—Joe is just a child. John insists...
(full context)
The next day, Joe comes to the stables to learn his job before James leaves. He’s too short to...
(full context)
Chapter 18
...catch his breath at the big hill. They make it back to Birtwick soon, and Joe takes Black Beauty to the stable. Black Beauty is panting and shaking, and he’s totally...
(full context)
...with warm blankets and gives him some warm gruel, and for days he grouses that Joe is a “stupid boy.” By now, it’s been several days, and Black Beauty is seriously...
(full context)
Chapter 19
...another stall, and Black Beauty hears Tom ask John to please say something nice to Joe: Joe feels terrible and knows this was his fault, but he’s not a bad boy....
(full context)
Tom is relieved and says he’s glad John realizes Joe’s mistake was “only ignorance.” Enraged, John says ignorance is the worst thing in the world...
(full context)
Chapter 20
As time passes, Joe Green learns quickly, and John slowly begins to trust him. Since he’s small, he seldom...
(full context)
Joe gallops Black Beauty to the master brickmaker’s house and tells the man about the carter...
(full context)
That evening, a footman takes Joe to Squire Gordon’s house to testify; Squire Gordon is a county magistrate. After a while,...
(full context)
Chapter 21
...W, an old friend. Merrylegs will go to the vicar and will never be sold. Joe is going to care for Merrylegs, so Black Beauty figures Merrylegs will be fine. John...
(full context)
...drives the horses to the train station. Black Beauty hears Mrs. Gordon tell John goodbye. Joe stands with the horses while John walks the Gordons onto the platform. When the train...
(full context)
Chapter 22
The next morning, Joe hitches up Merrylegs and says goodbye to Ginger and Black Beauty before driving to the...
(full context)
Chapter 49
...the middle of Black Beauty’s back, which John Manly called “Beauty’s threepenny bit.” Thrilled, the man—Joe Green—asks Black Beauty if he remembers him.
(full context)
Black Beauty doesn’t remember Joe Green; Joe is a man now with a beard. But Joe clearly remembers Black Beauty,...
(full context)
...has been with the ladies a year now, and he goes by Black Beauty again. Joe is a wonderful, kind groom, and the easy work and good care has revived Black...
(full context)
