Uncle Tom’s Cabin is a novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe that was published in 1852. The novel is about the slavery era in the United States and it addresses the morality of slavery. Uncle Tom’s Cabin has been called one of the most important novels in American history because it helped to start the Civil War.
In her book Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe characterized slaves as the most morally upright people imaginable, at times inhumanly so, while also depicting many whites and slave-owners as immoral in the majority of cases. Stowe created a clear distinction between the morality of sympathizers and supporters for abolitionism and those opposed to it.
While Uncle Tom’s Cabin is a work of fiction, it is based off of many real-life experiences of slavery. Because of this, Stowe was able to develop very strong and believable characters that would help to convey her moral message. For example, Uncle Tom is a morally good slave who never gives up hope, even in the face of extreme cruelty. On the other hand, Simon Legree is a heartless slave-owner who does not care for his slaves’ well-being and regularly abuses them.
Through these characters and their interactions, Stowe makes it clear that slavery is wrong and that those who support it are also morally bankrupt. She portrays the abolitionist movement as being the morally right choice for both slaves and whites, and argues that slavery is not only bad for the slaves, but also for the slave-owners. Uncle Tom’s Cabin is an important work because it helped to change public opinion on slavery and paved the way for its eventual abolition.
The contrast between the slaves and those who were presented as bad abounded in the person of Uncle Tom. Tom was a devout Christian who never wavered in his spirituality until his death. Despite the most extreme circumstances, Tom never lost faith, praying to God and searching for methods to maintain it. Simon Legree’s fury resulted in Tom being considered a martyr for steadfastly upholding his convictions and ending his own life rather than compromising them, while saving the lives of two others.
Uncle Tom is an excellent example of the morality that resided within Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The morality in Uncle Tom’s Cabin was not just reserved for Uncle Tom, but also for other characters in the novel. For example, George Harris, a slave who attempted to escape to freedom, exhibited signs of morality through his actions and thoughts. Although he knew the risks involved in trying to escape, he still chose to do so in order to provide a better life for himself and his family.
Additionally, Eliza, a slave who successfully escaped to Canada with her son, displayed great courage and determination in order to protect her child. These examples serve as proof that the characters within Uncle Tom’s Cabin were not purely black and white; they were instead complex individuals with a variety of motivations and feelings.
Ultimately, the morality in Uncle Tom’s Cabin served as a means of highlighting the injustices that were taking place in America at the time. Harriet Beecher Stowe used her novel as a way to open the eyes of her readers to the horrors of slavery, and to show that there was a better way for society to function. Thanks to her powerful storytelling, Uncle Tom’s Cabin helped to inspire change and pave the way for the eventual abolition of slavery.
Simon Legree, a Louisiana cotton-plantation owner who severely beat his slaves and in most cases did not deserv[ed] the lashings, was the flagrant example of the group opposed to abolition. To maximize his profit yield, Legree believed that it was essential to work his slaves until they died and then replace them.
Uncle Tom, one of the slaves owned by Legree, refused to be broken spiritually or physically. Uncle Tom is beaten and whipped time and time again, but he never gives up his faith. Uncle Tom’s Cabin is not only a story about the fight for abolition, but it is also a story about the fight for morality. Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin as a way to show the world the evils of slavery and to urge people to stand up against it. The novel was published in 1852 and was an instant success. Uncle Tom’s Cabin helped to change public opinion on slavery and led to the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.
In order to fully understand the importance of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, it is important to understand the context in which it was written. Harriet Beecher Stowe was born in 1811 in Connecticut. Her father was a minister and her mother was a teacher. Harriet Beecher Stowe grew up in a household where she was taught to question authority and to think for herself.
When Tom and Eliza’s son, Harry, was sold to Shelby by Tom while the two were studying Christian religion together, it proved that all along, Shelby had been there for her family only. While drafting away their lives with Mr. Haley, Shelby sipped a cigar in calm enjoyment .
Finally, when it was announced that the Union had won the Civil War, many people in Shelby’s hometown were ecstatic. However, his wife, Emily, was furious at the news and tried her hardest to persuade him otherwise. Eliza decided to run for the sake of her kid while Tom opted not to do so. Neither of the two slaves acted out of fear for their personal safety; both put their lives on the line in their choices.
The morality in Uncle Tom’s Cabin is not black and white; characters make difficult decisions that do not have a clear good or bad outcome. For example, when Eliza decides to run away with her son, she knows that she is risking her life, but does it anyway in order to protect her child. Similarly, when Tom decides to stay with Shelby and continue working for him, he knows that he is putting himself in danger, but does it anyway in order to provide for his family. These choices illustrate the characters’ strength of character and their dedication to what they believe in.
Despite the difficult decisions that the characters must make, Uncle Tom’s Cabin ultimately showcases the importance of morality and doing what is right. Even though slavery is legal and accepted at the time the novel takes place, Harriet Beecher Stowe shows that there is always a higher power to answer to, and that doing what is right is more important than following the law.
This theme is evident in Shelby’s wife, Emily, who constantly tries to do the right thing despite being in a difficult position. Uncle Tom’s Cabin is an important novel because it showcases the importance of morality and fighting for what is right, even when it is not easy.
