Tom is a Good Uncle

Uncle Tom's Cabin

By Harriet Beecher Stowe

Uncle Tom's Cabin was an abolitionist work, created to give a voice to American slaves. Although this story is written by a white woman, she brought the realisms and atrocities into the public awareness. The beginning of the 1800s was a time of trial and error on many fronts, and that included the economic dynamics of the North and the South. Slavery had not been eradicated, when Stowe wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin. The human suffering highlighted in this important work caused Americans to become active in abolishing slavery.

I thought this story was incredible. The Underground Railroad was an important Abolishionist tool to combat slavery, since it was illegal to help escaping slaves. Stowe uses this knowledge to her benefit in causing Eliza to rescue her son. It was the only way she could save little Henry.

I'm not sure where the idea that Uncle Tom's Cabin stereotypes blacks. It does not. There's only so much room in a book to write personalities. I think more of these accusations stems from Stowe being white; and, also, the hard feelings that are still lingering in present-day America. The idea of slavery still brings about indignant, smoldering feelings, even though slavery hasn't been practiced in 150 years. It's a blight, and nobody is questioning that. Uncle Tom's Cabin reminds us of what we need to never go back to as a society.

Stowe illustrates the different conditions that blacks underwent. Topsy is a child, who obviously has mental issues, including social anxiety. The abuse she sustained as a slave has caused her mental issues. Uncle Tom is a good Christian man who suffers for being black and for being a Christian. It was a two-pronged persecution. This didn't make sense to me. Wasn't conversion what slaveholders wanted? He couldn't win for losing. Darned if you do, darned if you don't.

Here Stowe's use of sarcasm showcases the hypocrisy of the white society claiming Christ, but condoning that the unchristian practice of slavery.

Mrs. Bird is an awesome woman. I would have liked to meet her. The divide between her and Mr. Bird politically is only superficial. Although Mr. Bird is a kind-hearted, benevolent man, his political mindset sometimes gets in the way of his reasoning. Mrs. Bird kindly reminds him of that.

All in all, Uncle Tom's Cabin is a very great American classic novel. It touches on a subject that most don't want to remember. Well, it was a historical practice, so it is relevant in studying the past. This should be required reading in schools, despite the emotional anxiety it causes.