Uncle Tom’s Cabin

UNCLE TOM’S CABIN

Throughout the story, women such as Mrs. Shelby and Mrs. Bird serve as the authority of morality. Many women in the story, with the exception of Maries st Claire, are represented as more virtuous then their husbands. Both Mrs. Shelby and Mrs. Bird stand firm in their religious beliefs and feel that slavery is wrong and unjust. I believe that both women try to make the best out of the bad situation of slavery. The women prove to be more resolute in their convictions of slavery, whereas the men waver. Senator bird, although a political advocate of the fugitive slave act, helps Eliza flee the south. I believe that most of the characters presented in the story have an inherent moral, but what they do contradicts to how they fill, which proves them immoral. Mr. Shelby, although a kind master and non believer in slavery, still owns many slaves and sells Eliza, Harry, and Tom to pay off his mortgage. Religion is definitely a source for good will throughout the story. Religion serves as the the basis for the rejection of slavery. Unfortunately, although people feel that slavery is wrong, they still allow it to be instituted. Throughout the book, Stowe illustrates how the slavery and Christian beliefs oppose one another. She uses the character of Eva in explaining her opinion of the equality of blacks to whites, and how they should be treated the same. If it was not for the convictions of Christian ideals, nothing could have been used in defying the institution of slavery. Stowe believed that it was not possible to be a moral slave owner, but I do believe she felt that a slave-owner could be kind. An immoral person can still show acts of kindness. Stowe felt the institution of slavery was morally wrong; therefore, anyone a part of that institution would then prove to be immoral. She portrays Mr. Shelby as a kind slave owner who, who unfortunately has to depend on the selling his slaves in order to pay off his debt. In contrast, Simon Legree is not only immoral but a vindictive and unkind master.

Although I really would not have known the significant of someone calling a black an “uncle tom” until after reading this book, I now fill like the term Uncle Tom is an insult. Tom was a devout Christian and did “turn his cheek “many times throughout the book, but is personality was much too passive to ever help his race have rights and cease slavery. All of today’s African American rights have been instituted because of people who fought and spoke out and for their racial inequalities. What if Rosa parks would have “turn the other cheek” and sat at the end of the bus? Although tom was still a moral man, he was not proactive enough in fighting for his rights and freedom.

Stowe’s book was written to address everyone in the United States, but particularly northerners. Stowe had once lived near slave state, Kentucky, and she wanted to show to northerners how slavery was harsh and wrong even in the mildest cases. She showed slavery more kindly then it actually was. Tom and Eliza were owned by a relatively kind master, who never beat his slaves and gave them amenities that many slaves never got. However at the end of the book, tom became the property of a master (Simon legree) who represented the normal master of that period. Stowes showed how slaves shared the save feelings any white could feel. Eliza, the mother of Harry, loved her son as any white mother would love their son. Stowe hoped that by portraying Eliza and Tom as people with feelings and emotions, instead of the mere