The Real Image of Racism in Uncle Tom’s Cabin

A story that made an impact on history and influenced the civil war by showing the difference in treatment of people of color in the northern and southern states. It gave the north a front row seat to all the wickedness of southern slavery. This story formed human characters out of slaves who were treated like they were inhuman. Stowe showed that all humans have souls and should not be possessed by other humans, because we were all created to be equal. The point of Uncle Toms Cabin was to make people aware of how sinful slavery was, but more so how bad it was in the south and to influence everyone away from that way of life completely. I think Stowe felt that not everyone was pro-slavery and after reading this book maybe a change would come or those in power would do something and a movement would start.

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In Uncle Tom’s Cabin Stowe gave two depictions of a slave, one slave running north for freedom with her child and one being sold and his struggles during that time. Even though the north symbolizes freedom to slaves in the south Stowe showed that everyone needed to change. 'You would think no harm in a child's caressing a large dog, even if he was black; but a creature that can think, and reason, and feel, and is immortal, you shudder at; confess it, cousin. I know the feeling among some of you northerners well enough. Not that there is a particle of virtue in our not having it; but custom with us does what Christianity ought to do, —obliterates the feeling of personal prejudice. I have often noticed, in my travels north, how much stronger this was with you than with us. You loathe them as you would a snake or a toad, yet you are indignant at their wrongs. You would not have them abused; but you don't want to have anything to do with them yourselves.” (Stowe, 215) I interpreted this as the north may not abuse slaves like the south, but they still treat them like they are lesser than them. I felt like it’s saying although we abuse our slaves in the south, we allow them in our homes and around our families. This shows just how bad of situation this was to belittling abuse to hatred of someone that’s different from you can even be associated. They were both a disgusting way of treating a human being. I think this was probably a conversation many had back then to make what they were doing feel okay to them. The author got her point across by using the characters in different ways. She made sure to give a diverse representation of slave owners and slaves, so we had a well-rounded view of the situation from all sides. There were characters like Legree, who were the epitome of everything we needed to change in America. He would force his slaves to hurt one another and if they didn’t, they would pay the ultimate cost like Tom did. Then there were those who were kind in their own way but still treated people of color like an object to be sold like Mr. Shelby. He treated his slaves well but when he was in debt, he sold his slaves like furniture not knowing what the slaves would be walking into. He also broke up a family and broke promises. I think the author used St. Clare to show that not everyone approved of slavery, but they weren’t saying it. A conversation between St. Clare and Miss Ophelia about slavery made me see that not everyone was evil like Legree, but not everyone was brave enough to say it like Stowe. 'It's all nonsense to talk to me about slaves enjoying all this! To this day, I have no patience with the unutterable trash that some of your patronizing Northerners have made up, as in their zeal to apologize for our sins. We all know better. Tell me that any man living wants to work all his days, from day-dawn till dark, under the constant eye of a master, without the power of putting forth one irresponsible volition, on the same dreary, monotonous, unchanging toil, and all for two pairs of pantaloons and a it. I'd buy the dog, and work him, with a clear conscience!' (Stowe, 278) I think the author used Eva as a pure soul to show this behavior wasn’t given at birth but taught. This little girl was kind to Tom and wanted him to be free. Even a child could see that this wasn’t right why couldn’t these adults. I believe the main character Uncle Tom was used as a representation of what they did to an obedient God-fearing slave. So, you can only imagine what they did to the ones that tried to run and talked back. I think this was what Harriet Beecher-Stowe wanted from her readers, for them to think about how they lie to themselves, how they know it’s wrong to enslave people.

This story is presented in a way that it doesn’t blame anyone it just shows slavery for what it is evil. I read that a lot of those in the south didn’t appreciate their depiction in the story. I think it was probably because they knew they were wrong, and they were finally getting called out and by a woman. This story is for everyone whites, blacks in both the north and south. Although Uncle Toms Cabin was fiction it exposed a truth that many didn’t want to confront, that the book depicted the treatment of slaves correctly and treating people like animals was sinful. If religion was the foundation of this time period slave owners weren’t living by Gods word. This wasn’t my first-time hearing about Uncle Tom, but it did make me understand why people interpret this character differently. I would hear people call others an uncle Tom but never knew the root of where it came from. I just knew it wasn’t a term of endearment. After reading this book I went back and forth on if it would be a compliment or not to be referred to as an uncle Tom. In Miriam-Webster dictionary, Uncle Tom is defined as “a black person who is overeager to win the approval of whites.” This could be why Uncle Tom is looked at as weak or a fool for loving his oppressors and becoming comfortable with being a slave. There are many people of color that believed Uncle Tom didn’t have any fight in him and was too submissive. In an article by Adena Spingarn, George Anthony McGuire of the Universal Negro Improvement Association stated, 'the Uncle Tom nigger has got to go, and his place must be taken by the new leader of the Negro race…not a black man with a white heart, but a black man with a black heart.' This view of Uncle Tom is what was thought to be keeping people of color as slaves because this type of slave didn’t even try to push to be treated like a human. Uncle Tom could also be looked at as a symbol of what one who loves Christ and follows his word should be like. He kept his passion and love for Christ within him until the very end. You’d have to ask yourself are you viewing this book as a Christian, if so then Uncle Tom should be an example of a man’s faith and love for Christ even through adversities.