The Character of Uncle Tom Essay Example for Free

The Character of Uncle gobbler EssayHarriet Beecher Stowes novel Uncle turkey cocks Cabin do such a momentous statement in American culture, at the time it was published, until today, in the twenty-first century. Some secondary schools had the book banned from their roster of books in their libraries, mainly because of its supposedly controversial spirit (The fortissimo of ,2008). The reason why the book has been the root of much controversy is that Ms. Stowe injected a lot of melodrama into her story, to the peak that readers considered it a caricature of reality. Some of Ms.Stowes detractors contend that she did not sufficiently show the real execration of striverry, nevertheless instead, narrating the softer aspect of buckle d letry in her novel (The long suit of ,2008). Published in the early 1850s, Uncle toms Cabin was said to oblige contributed to the tension in America over buckle downry, and encouraged the emancipationist movement (The strength of ,2008). Ab olitionists are those who fought for the abolition of slavery in America. Ms. Stowe was said to be a womanhood who was involved in religious and feminist causes (The strength of ,2008). Ms.Stowes influence on the American northerly states was undisputed. In fact, Uncle tom turkeys Cabin was said to have led to Civil War (The strength of ,2008). It is often reported that Ms. Stowes purpose in writing the novel was to expose the evils of slavery in the North, where many Americans were not aware of what was actually going on in the rest of their country (The strength of ,2008). The book, amazingly successful by selling 300,000 copies in its first year, inspired President Lincoln, upon meeting Ms. Stowe, to say, So this is the little lady who made this big war (The strength of,2008). Uncle turkey cocks Cabin 4 Despite this, many historians complain that Ms. Stowes novel is historically inaccurate, and that Ms. Stowe grossfully exaggerated the evils in slavery so she can drive home he r point. These issues remain largely debated, except for oneness. The character of Uncle tom has been detrimentally re-create a hundred times over, and in this paper, I will explore the character behind Uncle Tom, and why it has become what it is in todays times. Uncle Tom has been charged with demeaning African Americans with his as well subservient behavior (The strength of ,2008).Modern times have derided Uncle Tom, and insist that his nature undermines the real struggles of shameful unaffixeddom through with(predicate) ingratiating himself with their tweed overseers and master. Ironically, I believe that Ms. Stowe created Uncle Tom to illustrate the atrociousness and inclemency of slavery during those times, and packaging Uncle Tom into a person filled with humility, dignity and ingrained with a strong, Christian religion (Page, 1996). Up until he drew his dying breath, Uncle Tom showed to be morally superior to his white masters by his ability to forgive those who had abused him to the point of death (Page, 1996). Let me introduce you to Uncle Tom.He is one of the long-suffering slaves of Arthur and Emily Shelby, and a dear friend of their very young son, George, who called him Uncle Tom. Faced with the possibility of losing their set up because of debts, the Shelbys decide to sell Tom, and the son of Mrs. Shelbys maid, Harry. When the maid, Eliza, finds out most this, she avoidances with her son (Allen, 2008). Tom was interchange and while traveling on a riverboat, she rescues a white girl, Eva, when she falls into the river. Her father, Augustine St. Clare, bought Tom from the slave monger Uncle Toms Cabin 5 and took him to live on their plantation in New Orleans.Meanwhile, Eliza met up with her fugitive husband, George, in an attempt to reach Canada. At that time, they were being hunted by a slave trader named Loker, whom George eventually shoots in a scuffle. Eliza convinced George to bring the wounded Loker to a Quaker resoluteness nea rby, for medical attention (Allen, 2008). In New Orleans, St. Clare tries to prove to his cousin Ophelia that bias against blacks were wrong, and buys a young slave, Topsy, for Ophelia to educate. Eva dies of a protracted illness, and she shared a vision of heaven in her deathbed. People who heard her account changed for the better, and St.Clare vowed to free Uncle Tom. Before he can do so, St. Clare is fatally wounded in a fight. In anger, his married woman sold Uncle Tom to a vicious Northern farm owner, Simon Legree (Allen, 2008). Uncle Tom endured endless tortures from Legree, specially when he refused to whip a fellow slave. Tom found refuge in his Christian faith, which he liberally comfortablenessed the other slaves with. At one point, Uncle Tome refused to divulge to Legree where two fugitive slaves had run to, so Legree ordered him killed. Before he died, Uncle Tom forgave his killers, who, humbled by the experience, became Christians.Arthur Shelbys son comes to buy Uncl e Tom his freedom, but was too late. George went home to his own farm, frees all his slaves, and reminds them to remember Uncle Toms sacrifices and his unwavering faith in Christianity (Allen, 2008). Ms. Stowe described Uncle Tom as benevolent, human body, humble and simple (Willis, 2002). Of course, the white masters did everything to destroy a slaves dignity and self-respect (Willis, 2002). Nevertheless, Uncle Tom kept his morality, and was transparent Uncle Toms Cabin 6 about yearning for freedom. This transparency and honesty is NOT the behavior of asubservient slave, who would not hold up to venture his desires for freedom, even to a kind master (Willis, 2002). It is high time we re-think Uncle Tom. We should pay tribute to the deepness of Uncle Toms character, rather than degrade him into an epithet. This development in latter times of deriding Uncle Tom is perchance one of the most harmful and tragic historical developments in American culture (Allen, 2008). Despite the brutality in his life as a slave, Uncle Tom stood tall at all times. Sometimes, Uncle Tom would reprimand readers because of his corkingness. In fact, Uncle Tom couldve run away from Arthur Shelby who trusted him with money.Yet, Uncle Tom never took advantage of Shelby, because of his deep-seated commitment to his master (Willis, 2002). In the novel, Ms. Stowe does not provide a background on Uncle Tom. Therefore, one doesnt come whether his allegiance to Shelby was something that was inculcated with him since childhood if he was born in the Shelby plantation (Willis, 2002). However, it is implied in the story that Shelbys address of freedom to Uncle Tom could have made Uncle Tom loyal, although Shelby never confirms when he will free Uncle Tom (Willis, 2002). Shelby even betrays Tom by selling him when he ran into debt (Willis, 2002).No matter what, Uncle Tom still continue to trust white people, and trust in God. Many readers disliked this behavior (Willis, 2002). Speaking of faith, Uncle Toms unwavering faith was put to the test when St. Clare sold him to Legree. Even though Uncle Tom maintained his loyalty and faithfulness to his master, he did contemplate about escaping (Willis, 2002). To note, escape for Uncel Uncle Toms Cabin 7 Tom was not exactly in the physical sense of escape, but in spiritual escape (Willis, 2002). On the other hand, Legree realized that Uncle Tom was a valu able-bodied slave who had capacities for large amounts of work.At the analogous time, Legree to a fault recognized that he would have to break Uncle Toms spirit at some point, if he were to maximize Uncle Toms value (Willis, 2002). To recall, during their first confrontation, Legree ordered Uncle Tom to whip a slave girl. Uncle Tom refused by honestly telling Legree that his soul will not surrender to a pernicious (Willis, 2002). He even egged on Legree by saying that if he died as a result of beatings, hence that would just send him faster to heaven (Willis, 2002). This illustrates that Uncle Tom has been contemplating death, and ultimate escape from slavery.He was pragmatic about Legree, though, and knew with a certainty that Legree will not have second thoughts about killing him for resisting (Willis, 2002). A lowest confrontation yet occurs between Legree and Uncle Tom, when the former asked Uncle Tom to divulge where two runaway slave girls have gone to (Willis, 2002). Ms. Stowe reiterated that as two slaves brought Uncle Tom before Legree, Uncle Tom acknowledged the power of Legree. Yet, at the same time, he affirmed that God gave him the strength to face death, rather than be traitor to the two mixed-up runaways Legree was after (Willis, 2002).He sat his basket down by the row, and, looking up, said, Into thy hands I retrieve my spirit Thou hast redeemed me, oh Lord God of truth (Willis, 2002) Like Jesus Christ, Uncle Tom resigned to his faith to Legree. Legree symbolizes the Uncle Toms Cabin 8 evils of slavery, while Uncle Tom can be lik ened to the garden angelica who resisted Satans temptations (Willis, 2002). Through this moments, Uncle Toms courage, nobility and humility surfaces when he tells Legree that he is able to shed his blood for the sake of the innocent in the sameway that Jesus Christ did (Willis, 2002). Legree deals Uncle Tom his death blow. When he died, he had forgiven his killers. Uncle Tom used passive resistance to the hilt until it brought him closer to his God through death. No. Uncle Tom was not an Uncle Tom. Uncle Toms was a more puritanical kind of Christianity (The strength of ,2008). Therefore, if a reader is searching for a revolutionary role-model, someone who captains his own fate in the most shaming circumstances, then he/she will not find that hero in Uncle Tom (Younge, 2004).However, one seldom finds revolutionary role models. Uncle Toms sense of duty condescension his slavery, is depressing. When his wife urges him to escape together with Eliza, he says Masr always found me on the spot he always will. I never have broke trust and I never will (Younge, 2004). Moreover, his unwillingness to align his principles to everyones own good, is frustrating. When tempted by a slave to kill Legree while the latter was drunk, Uncle Tom said No good never comes of wickedness. Id sooner chop my right hand offUncle Toms Cabin 9 The Lord hasnt called us to wrath. We must suffer, and wait his time (Younge, 2004). Uncle Tom instilled in us his belief that he would rather wait for his true freedom in heaven, as opposed to fighting for his freedom on earth. I t is from this same well of belief is Uncle Tom able to preserve his basic humanism, despite daily exposure to degradation and deprivation of respect (Younge, 2004). It is in his stoic faith and consistency do we realize Uncle Toms integrity (Younge, 2004).Through his integrity, he was able to stand for himself, encourage and comfort his fellow slaves, yet at the same time, restrain himself from abhorring the whites (Youn ge, 2004). Hecne, to understand why this epitome of dignity, self-respect and faith has becme an epitome for subservience and betrayal, we have to look at politics, film and the theater (Younge, 2004). Stage renditions of Uncle Toms Cabin tookaway radical yet subtle anti-slave messages, turning the story into one, big, minstrel show (Younge, 2004). In fact, Uncle Tom was the first cinematic role played by a first lead in a black film in the year 1914 (Younge, 2004).