Catlin Hetrick
Literature and Culture
In Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Stowe not only tackles the structure of slavery itself, but depicts “femininity” through the development and representation of good, Christian values. Stowe designates the role of mother and homemaker to said females present in the novel, both living and dead. Frequent establishment of the portrayal of the female figure furthers Stowe’s pro-domesticity stance and the woman’s ability to indirectly undermine the structure of slavery. These descriptions serve as testaments to solidify the notion that Stowe’s end goal, getting people to “feel right,” is dependent upon the potential of the Christian mother figure. While the shortcomings of the mother/child relationships in the
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and Mrs. Byrd, for example. These female/male comparisons illustrate Stowe’s faith in the maternal role and the power that women possess.
To elucidate the aforementioned ability of the maternal figure it must be known that the ideal nature of this influence is an indirect one. Rather than direct action from the women, Stowe emphasizes the ability of women to exert a positive moral influence over the men around her. Moral guidance from the women, then, may serve to subtly sway the actions of men, who can transform societal structure. An example of said notion in action is found in the aforementioned Mrs. Byrd berating her husband for his support of the Fugitive Slave Act. “Now, John, I don 't know anything about politics, but I can read my Bible; and there I see that I must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and comfort the desolate; and that Bible I mean to follow."
These female characters offer transition to the Quaker family, specifically Rachel Halliday. “..Hers was one of those faces that time seems to touch only to brighten and adorn. The snowy fisse crape cap, made after the strait Quaker pattern, – the plain white muslin handkerchief, lying in placid folds across her bosom, – the drab shawl and dress, – showed at once the community to which she
At the very beginning of the book, Stowe almost immediately introduces this idea of slavery and it how it morally changes someone in a negative way. The very first scene of the book causes the reader to be touched emotionally, by expressing the struggle that a young slave mother, Eliza, went through. Her son, Harry, was about to be traded by the slave owner, Mr.Shelby (pg. 15), which meant that her family would have been split up and separated from each other forever. Even though this story takes place in Kentucky, where slavery was more mild than some regions more down south, in the terms of how harsh the slave owners treated their slaves, it was still slavery and it was definitely not a perfect kinship between the slave and the master that some thought it up to be. Furthermore, Mr.Shelby was put in a predicament to either sell some of his slaves to make money, or keep them and try to scavenge for money. In that situation, the choice seemed fairly obvious and Mr.Shelby decided to sell Harry and Uncle Tom, so that his family can continue to survive on the plantation(pg. 46). However, since he was the one who made the decision, it perceived him to be the bad guy, even though he had treated his slaves with such care in the past. He would have been ultimately splitting up their family, if they would have not run away (ch. 6). Through these first couple of chapters Stowe incorporates this situation to show how slave owners, even the less intense ones, were still blinded to the morally wrong and morally degrading actions that they were committing. By treating slaves as property, the effects of the slave owner’s actions could be clearly seen, but yet there was still no positive change that resulted in the slaves becoming less materialized.
Stowe “established her literary credentials in the early 1850’s with the antislavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin” (Pierson, pg. 1). The book Uncle Tom’s
As Stowe continues to utilize a feminist lens, it is portrayed to the audience that women were given little information in the politics and business that occurred within their own homes, and their opinions had little significance compared to men’s. This allows Stowe to speak on the issue of women inequality, as well as slavery. Stowe also characterizes Mrs. Shelby as a king-hearted woman who is naïve to the wrong doings that can occur near her, as she claims that the wickedness in American society revolves around states, are in the deep south. It is further shown that Mrs. Shelby is one who has natural optimism who sees the good nature in men, such as her husband.
Stowe spoke out for the slaves in several of her writings. She believed the sin of slavery to be the denial of humanity to man. As such, the argument in one of her novels began: "if the Negro is a man, what possible excuse can there be for denying him liberty and equality?" (Adams 67). Also, in Biographical Sketch of The
As hardworking women living of the prairie, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters can relate to Mrs. Wright’s situation. They know personally that long days of doing laundry, cooking, and cleaning can become very tiresome (Hedges 91). They realize that living on the prairie can force a woman to be confined to her own house for weeks at a time, and because Mrs. Wright never had children, the grueling loneliness that she suffered must have been excruciating. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters both experience the constant patronization and sexual discrimination that most women in the early twentieth century lived with. They empathize with the difficulties of Mrs. Wright’s life and almost immediately a bond is formed with a woman they do not even know.
The influence of Stowe’s family with the different forms of the abolitionist movements and her own contact of fugitives from slavery. She knew, heard of and read about; are the two main sources of her hatred for the institution of slavery (89). She also had placed herself in the mindset of a mother who have lost her child from cholera or separation, the emotional bond is the same for whites and black (88). She had been exposed just from what was going on around her and what people around her was one of the people who had an influence on Stowe was her Father Lyman Beecher.
While Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin overtly deals with the wrongs of slavery from a Christian standpoint, there is a subtle yet strong emphasis on the moral and physical strength of women. Eliza, Eva, Aunt Chloe, and Mrs. Shelby all exhibit remarkable power and understanding of good over evil in ways that most of the male characters in Stowe’s novel. Even Mrs. St. Claire, who is ill throughout most of the book, proves later that she was always physically in control of her actions, however immoral they were. This emotional strength, when compared with the strength of the male characters, shows a belief in women as equals to men (if not more so) uncommon to 19th century literature.
She makes it clear that if it was any other kind of law that was trying to get passed or being discussed she would not care to be involved but because this issue is so dear to her religion she wants to fight for what is right. Mrs. Bird is another example of a Christ figure in this sense because she is standing up for what is morally correct based on her religion. Stowe uses exclamation points and a stern tone to emphasize Mrs. Bird’s point. By saying this, Mrs. Bird attempts to get others to support her Christian values and not treat the salves in such a cruel way. She makes it clear that no Christian person would treat a slave in this manner and this further elaborates on Stowe’s theme that slavery and Christianity are simply incompatible.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe, is arguably the most influential novel in American History. Stowe’s sentimental writing style seized the imagination of her readers and Uncle Tom’s Cabin became the standard of the abolition movement. Uncle Tom, one of the protagonists, spreads Christianity and dies for his faith, like Christ. By equating Uncle Tom with Jesus Christ, Harriet Beecher Stowe deliberately provokes her audience to social change and abolition.
The author’s white, female characters act as an example for her white, female readers to model themselves after. This argument is more than go out and vote or start protests, because those methods of change are not a reasonable expectation for a group of people whose role is to be polite, hospitable, and demure. Thus, the methods the women are expected to take are indirect by being more subtle and persuasive instead of direct and confrontational. Subtlety and persuasion are demonstrated by the female characters, Mrs. Emily Shelby and Mrs. Mary Bird. Mrs. Shelby used her subtlety to throw off the plans of the slave trader and allowing her slaves to escape. She slyly suggests to her slaves take their time in collecting the horses, before then offering her guest dinner and pushing back the time for eating, because the meal is supposedly not suitable enough for guests. Mrs. Bird discusses her opinion on slavery and fugitive slave laws with her husband in a very womanly manner, respectful and persuasive, in a successful attempt to convince him to take an abolitionist stance in his job as senator. Both Mrs. Shelby and Mrs. Bird are able to receive their desired results by working within their role as women. Even though they are not taking a direct action of fighting slavery, they are still making a difference just through different means. These fictional women are embracing their hidden power of their gender and acting as examples for the real life
Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin was a novel written in times of unrest where slavery was a controversial topic and women 's rights were still suffering. Uncle Tom’s Cabin showed the grim reality of slavery and showed the importance for women to gain a societal role beyond the domestic domain. The reading contains a number of major characters throughout the novel. The two most notable characters we will discuss is Mrs. Shelby and Marie St. Clare. Throughout this paper we will compare and contrast these two characters and give specific examples to illustrate the similarities and differences between these two unique individuals.
During this century, women were reliant on men for much in life. Most states did not allow women to vote or own property. If a woman worked, the jobs were sparse and clearly defined: maid, nurse, seamstress, grade-school teacher. Marriage or inheritance were the only hopes women had for financial prosperity. Sadly, even in marriage, countless women were practically enslaved; not treated unkindly, nevertheless grouped into certain affairs and tasks. These enslavement sparked a movement in two women in particular; Harriet Beecher Stowe and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. I can imagine their spirits chatting near the water well...
Published in the early 1850’s, Uncle Tom’s Cabin had a huge impact on our nation and contributed to the tension over slavery. It was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, a woman who was involved in religious and feminist causes. Stowe’s influence on the northern states was remarkable. Her fictional novel about slave life of her current time has been thought to be one of the main things that led up to the Civil War. The purpose of writing it, as is often said, was to expose the evils of slavery to the North where many were unaware of just what went on in the rest of the country. The book was remarkably successful and sold 300,000 copies by the end of its first year. It is even rumored that
Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe is a unique historical fiction novel which portrays life during the American Civil War. In this story, Harriet Beecher Stowe tells the tale of Uncle Tom, along with several other slaves, and their journey through the wretchedness of slavery. She combines ethics, redemption, religion, and prejudice and presents her readers with an immensely powerful book that gives off an awe-inspiring impact.
Stowe presents slavery in the only way she knows how, by using the facts. Several sources of other works in American literature contrast on to how Stowe presents slavery in her novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin." The elements of slavery are driven through the reflections of theme, characterization, and setting to show that the way slavery is presented is not contradicting.