Uncle Tom Superstar God and Christianity play a large role in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” in the way it is affects the beliefs of characters and shapes their actions throughout the novel. Christianity offers hope to the characters of her novel as they face the harsh reality of slavery, and although some characters, to fit their morality and to justify slavery, twist the teachings in the Bible, Christianity is seen as the bane, which will end the immoral institution of slavery. The theme of selflessness and the righteousness of the Christian beliefs are a major part of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. Christianity plays the biggest part in promoting the selflessness of the character from which the novel derives its name, “Uncle” Tom. He faces the prospects of being sold down the river, but instead of fleeing as Eliza does, he takes on the responsibility of Mr. Shelby’s failure. Through this act he becomes a Christ-figure in the novel, alleviating the burden of his master’s financial difficulties and absolving the other slaves from the prospect of being sold as well. “It’s me that’s sold and going down, and not you nur the chil’en. Here you’re safe” (p.80) this act is encouraged by his belief in Christ and His protection “what comes will comes will come only on me; and the Lord, he’ll help me” (p.80) But belief in God does not only inspire the slaves but also many of the people who help Eliza and George Harris in their quest for freedom. This is demonstrated in the
Uncle Tom’s Cabin is an 19th century novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe that is basically a canon of masterpieces that depict the cruelties of slavery throughout this time period. Stowe uses her novel to spread her opinions of slavery throughout the United States at this time while using typology to tie the whole problem of slavery into Christianity. Uncle Tom’s Cabin shows that a person’s attitude toward religion intertwines with attitude towards slavery. The story follows the characters of Uncle Tom, Eliza, Eva, the St. Clare’s, and
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.
Mr. Shelby also continues on to praise the fact that Tom is a devoted Christian, and that is why he can be trusted. What image that is typically portrayed in slavery is nothing but negative, and sometimes truly disturbing at times type of aspects. It is extremely odd that Mr. Shelby displays a sense of trust, and devotion to a slave. Many imagine that slave owners were terrible, violent, and cruel people. Yet oddly enough, Mr. Shelby doesn’t come off that way whatsoever.
Through Uncle Tom's Cabin, I was able to learn numerous things about the United States History, particularly related to slavery. One aspect I was amazed at while reading was the great faith that the slaves had. Religion becomes a major theme in this book and is greatly seen through Uncle
The anti-slavery novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe was written at a time when slavery was a largely common practice among Americans. It not only helped lay the foundation for the Civil War but also contained many themes that publicized the evil of slavery to all people. The book contains themes such as the moral power of women, human right, and many more. The most important theme Stowe attempts to portray to readers is the incompatibility of slavery and Christianity. She makes it very clear that she does not believe slavery and Christianity can coexist and that slavery is against all Christian morals. She believes no Christian should allow the existence or practice of slavery.
In the book, Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author conveys the evils and immoralities regarding slavery by portraying multiple accounts of abuse from slaveowners toward their slaves, humanizing the slaves, and ultimately slaves reaching out to christianity when they are hopeless.
Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying, “So you’re the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war.” upon meeting Harriet Beecher Stowe for the first time. The book that the former president is referring to is Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a 1850s book about the moral wrongs of slavery. It has been said to be the most influential anti-slavery book that has ever been written. Harriet Beecher Stowe is an effective author. She uses numerous literary devices such as facile characters, character foils, and symbolism to highlight her abolitionist views and constructs a persuasive argument against slavery.
In “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” christianity and faith are an important themes. Stowe was a committed christian woman. Her book
Since Christianity rests on the principle of universal love, no Christian should tolerate slavery. If all people were to put the principle into practice it would be impossible for the oppression and enslavement of one section of humanity. Throughout the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe has illustrated the fact that the system of slavery and principles of Christianity oppose each other. The novel exposes the evils of slavery—its incompatibility with Christian principles—and points the way to its transformation through Christian love through the characterization of some characters in the novel. In Uncle Tom’s Cabin, the Christian principles of forgiveness, compassion, and belief in an afterlife is embodied though the character
Uncle Tom’s Cabin was by no means a factual book. In fact, most, if not all of the events were completely made up. How then can a completely fictional book change the lives of so many? It comes from the power of Stowe’s rhetoric in conjunction with her target audience. Stowe was a white Christian female. She believed slavery was completely wrong and wanted to make a change. But how could she? She was a woman after all and during that time period women simply did not effect change through politics. According to Susan Harris, a respected Stowe researcher, “The men are not evil, but they are involved in the public world” (Harris). However influencing politics was the only way things were going to change and Stowe knew this. She henceforth targeted the white Christian mothers because they in turn could influence their men to make changes in the male dominant society of politics. A perfect method by which to achieve a change in slavery laws indirectly. Stowe especially used the power of sentimentalism to connect with her audience. She did not need facts or evidence, all she needed to effect change in the hearts of the women was a general feel for the subject. The women of that day were very sensitive and yet very powerful in the home. Stowe capitalized on this by using the Christ figures of Tom and Eva and their experiences during the slavery era to evoke a feeling of compassion for them in her audience. By using more emotion and targeting the human aspect of
I have recently read the magnificent book “Uncle Tom 's Cabin” which was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. This truly beautiful piece of literature was inspiring while filled with the gut-wrenching truth about the sin we call slavery. As I read I was filled with more and more hatred towards the cruel slave owners of our country and couldn’t put it down. I am sickened every time one of my patients speaks of slavery as if it is a wonderful holy thing benefitting our stupid stupid country. We as a nation need to have a peaceful anti slavery group in our government. I believe that violence is not the answer to our many problems, with violence comes misfortune and death. Though good things can emerge from the mess violence causes peace is the way we should try to achieve things. I know that despite all good efforts peace will be destroyed and violence will lead the way into the next century, however good or bad it may be.
The inconsistencies and importance of religion are reocurrences in both The Narrative and Life of Frederick Douglass and Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Augustine St Clare (a character from Uncle Tom’s Cabin) and Frederick Douglass (who is at this time is a slave) seem to have similar viewpoints on religious slave owners. Both St Clare and Douglass see religion as being defiled by the twisted words of slave owners. Frederick describes an incident of a slave beating to portray his message. “I have said my master found religious sanction for his cruelty. He’d tie up a lame young woman and whip her...cutting her in places already made raw with his cruel lash.(p33)” All off this Master Thomas justifies by quoting scripture. “He that knoweth his master’s will, and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes.(p33)” This
As many people say history was written by the victors, we need to remember there would be no victors without the struggle and turmoil of those that lost. This is what Harriet Beecher Stowe’s compelling novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin has taught us in regards to the war on slavery. In the midst of the 1800’s, Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote her best-selling novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, to address the various issues regarding race during this century. Throughout her novel, readers learn the lives of slaves, slave masters, and their families, which leads to the understanding of a unique lifestyle among the characters. As her novel is important in today’s society, it made an even greater impact during the nineteenth century as it portrays the ideology of the Civil War and the abolitionists.
There are two plot lines in this book. Each of the plot lines represent diverse destiny of different slaves. One is about uncle Tom which represents those unfortunate slaves and they are the majority, they are as property for business, their destinies are vagrant. They may have a good owner at first, but the probability is narrow, and for some reason, they switch to tyrannical slave owners who maltreat slaves and even cause
The first character we will discuss is Emily Shelby who is the wife of Arthur Shelby who is a Kentucky Plantation owner and the owner of Uncle Tom. Mrs. Shelby is a kind, loving, and Christian woman who is strongly opposed to slavery and takes it upon herself to treat them with most respect. Mrs. Shelby from a spiritual standpoint cares about her slaves relationship with God and teaches his word to them. Mr. Shelby and Mrs. Shelby treat the slaves with kindness but differ significantly in regards to slavery. Unlike other women of this time period, Mrs. Shelby stands by her views and morals regardless if her