War Horse is simply anti-war and pro-horse. Events are told by a sensitive animal, albeit one with limited understanding of human machinations; this seems to highlight the senselessness of the destruction. Joey the horse doesn't understand why men are killing each other, and neither does the reader. The bond between horse and master is sweet and profound, and a love of animals shows the commonality between people on both sides of the conflict. Albert's father could not afford to keep Joey, so he sends him to the Army without Albert knowing. When Albert found out, he was more upset than he had ever been before. Albert tried to join too, but he was a year too young. Captain Nicholls promised to take care of Joey and led him away.

An exhibition entitled War Horse: Fact & Fiction opened in October 2011 at the National Army Museum exploring the novel alongside real-life stories of horses involved in war and the men who depended on them, and also drawing on the play and film adaptations of the novel. [22] Sequel [ edit ] Ceffyl Rhyfel, Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, Casia Wiliam, 2016, 2nd impression 2016, ISBN 978-1-84527-295-1 The painting mentioned in the preface of the book, a portrait of Joey painted by Captain Nicholls and now hanging in the Village Hall (of an unnamed village), was a fiction of Morpurgo's. However, particularly since the success of the stage version of the book, so many tourists have come to the village of Iddesleigh, where Morpurgo lives, and asked to see the painting in the village hall, that in 2011 Morpurgo commissioned an artist to paint just such an oil painting to hang there. He used equine artist Ali Bannister, who acted as the chief "equine hair and make-up" artist on the Steven Spielberg film of the book and who also drew the sketches of Joey seen in the film. [21]

One of the kids who came to the farm from Birmingham, a boy called Billy, the teachers warned me that he had a stammer and told me not to ask him direct questions because it would terrify him if he had to be made to speak because he doesn’t speak...I came in the last evening into the yard behind this big Victorian house where they all live, and there he was, Billy, standing in his slippers by the stable door and the lantern above his head, talking. Talking, talking, talking, to the horse. And the horse, Hebe, had her head just over the top of the stable, and she was listening; that’s what I noticed, that the ears were going, and I knew she knew that she had to stay there whilst this went on, because this kid wanted to talk, and the horse wanted to listen—this was a two way thing...I went and got the teachers, and brought them up through the vegetable garden, and we stood there in the shadows, and we listened to Billy talking, and they were completely amazed how this child who couldn’t get a word out—the words were simply flowing. All the fear had gone, and there was something about the intimacy of this relationship, the trust building up between boy and horse, that I found enormously moving, and I thought: Well yes, you could write a story about the First World War through the eyes of a horse, and yes, the horse didn't understand every word, but she knew it was important for her to stand there and be there for this child." [5] Morpurgo, Michael (1 January 2014). "First world war centenary is a year to honour the dead but not to glorify". The Guardian.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Close War Horse study guide contains a biography of Michael Morpurgo, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Undaunted Author of ‘War Horse’ Reflects on Unlikely Hit," New York Times (US). 12 April 2011, retrieved 17 April 2011.They are allowed stay for awhile, and become ploughing horses again, with Joey helping Topthorn get used to the life of a farm horse. However, they are taken away soon after, never to see Emilie again. Taylor, Jerome (19 June 2010). "Europe's finest join up for 'War Horse' ". The Independent. London . Retrieved 27 February 2011. At the start of the story, Joey is a colt. Find out the words that we use to describe other young animals. The book was originally supposed to end with Joey being sold to a butcher for horse meat, and Emilie's grandfather giving an enamel horse pin to Albert to remember Joey by.