Uncle Toms Cabin Essay - 896 Words

Few books can truly be said to have altered the course of history, and even fewer can be said to have started an entire war. Uncle Toms Cabin, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, was one such novel. It is a realistic, although fictional view of slavery, that burned into the consciousness of America the images of brutal beatings and unfair slave practices. Uncle Toms Cabin helped to turn the tide of public opinion against slavery in the 19th century. This controversial novel was initially written to question slavery and to convince people of its immorality. It was the first book that brought the problem of slavery in America to the attention of the world. It became not only a bestseller, but a social documentary of the lives of slaves. The†¦show more content†¦This is an allusion to other unjust practices of the time, and shows that the racial inequities that prevailed even outside the institution of slavery. This is one way that Stowe provokes the reader towards a cause for ab olitionism, and show the need for change. Because his Kentucky plantation was overwhelmed by debt, Shelby makes plans to trade some slaves to a slave dealer in exchange for debts being canceled. The dealer selects Uncle Tom as payment for the debt. Eliza quickly decides to run away, quickly followed by her husband George Harris. George just happens to go to the same place where Eliza and Harry are being hidden. Uncle Tom, meanwhile, is on a boat en route to New Orleans. After gallantly saving the life of young Eva St. Clare, he is rewarded by being bought by her father, Augustine. Augustine is married to a selfish woman who claims to be sick and takes no interest in her daughter. So it is on his return trip from Maine where he has picked up his cousin Ophelia who will care for Eva that Augustine buys Tom. Unused to Southern customs and slavery, Ophelia tries to bring order to the St. Claire plantation, but the pampered slaves do not cooperate. Eva, who has always been frail, was dying and asks her father to free his slaves. This is yet another death which shows the tragedy of the institution, a death that simply cannot be left unavenged. This instance beseeches the readerShow MoreRelated Uncle Toms Cabin Essay1088 Words   |  5 Pages Uncle Tom’s Cabin By: Harriet Beecher Stowe nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Throughout the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin the setting changes.It starts out in Kentucky.Tom is later sold to New Orleans and then to a plantation up the Red River.At each new place Tom goes his faith in God is put to the test,but Tom stays pious and refuses to turn away from God.In Kentucky Tom is owned by Andy Shelby,a kindly master,who has fallen in to debt and is forced to sell his slaves.Tom is sold to a slave traderRead MoreEssay on Uncle Toms Cabin1417 Words   |  6 Pageswhom all became more outspoken and influential in reform movements, including temperance and womens suffrage. The main point of Harriet Beecher Stowe in the writing of Uncle Toms Cabin was to bring to light slavery to people in the north. In this she hoped to eventually sway people against slavery. The novel Uncle Toms Cabin focuses on the lives of two slaves, who both start under the ownership of a Mr. Shelby, who is known as a man who treats his slaves well. Mr. Shelby, however, was indebtedRead MoreUncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe666 Words   |  3 PagesUncle Tom’s Cabin was valuable because it opened the eyes of American citizens to the harsh reality of slavery and proved its need for abolishment. Harriet Beecher Stowe proved the wrongness and cruelty of many southern slave owners by mentioning the splitting up of slave families in Uncle Tom’s Cabin. In the beginning of the book, Stowe developed the nasty and feelingless character of Mr. Haley, a slave trader. He decided to buy Harry from Mr. Shelby and wanted to separate the young child from hisRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Uncle Tom s Cabin 1058 Words   |  5 Pagesbecause of litigious topics such as drug use, homosexuality, cultural insensitivity, sexual content, political viewpoint, religion, or other controversial topics. Uncle Tom’s Cabin gives the reader an insight into the lives of a group of fictitious slaves as they tend to their ‘masters’ and attempt to escape slavery. Uncle Tom’s Cabin was written in a time of great tension and was banned because of the controversy of the topic of slavery, but despite its just disputable nature, abolitionists likeRead MoreAnalysis Of The Novel Uncle Tom s Cabin 1345 Words   |  6 Pagesin their treatment of race, notably, Huckleberry Finn.† (Annette Gordon-Reed). I believe that Stowe’s novel was taken seriously as a woman’s novel. Uncle Tom’s Cabin was very influential in that time period, and still is today. The novel is commonly noted as a big influence that began the Civil War, and people still refer to it today. Uncle Tom’s Cabin is used very commonly today as a reference to slavery and the time period, and in many literature courses throughout high school and c ollege. It isRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Uncle Tom s Cabin 864 Words   |  4 Pagescruelty are shocking to our ear and heart† but there are many of them in the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin (Stowe 272). Uncle Tom, Augustine St. Clare, Evangeline St. Claire, and Eliza Harris are just a few of the main characters in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s amazing story about being taken captive and set free. The book has many settings; the main locations being Canada, New Orleans, and a plantation in Kentucky. Uncle Tom’s Cabin is a book that has shaped the past and will continue to shape the future. TheRead MoreUncle Tom s Cabin And Searching For Sugar Man1139 Words   |  5 Pagesselfless acts which has created incredibly touching stories and has added a different dynamic to a story without trying. I believe that in Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Searching for Sugar Man (Malik Bendjelloul, 2012) there were many acts of selflessness which allowed for both of these works to stand out from others. The story of Uncle Tom’s Cabin in itself was fascinating, but Tom and very few other characters showed selfless acts which made the story even more interesting. As for Searching for Sugar Man, SixtoRead MoreUncle Tom s Cabin Review Essay1792 Words   |  8 Pages A Review on Uncle Tom’s Cabin Hannah Ballenger American Heritage 2313 Britney Handcock April 20, 2015 Uncle Tom’s Cabin Review Essay Throughout history there have been many books, fiction and non-fiction, documenting slavery in America, but Uncle Tom’s Cabin was arguably the most influential because of the mood of the nation when it was published. Many Americans were ready to abolish slavery, though few of them would vocalize their opinions, particularly women, who were expectedRead MoreUncle Tom s Cabin By Harriet Beecher Stowe1357 Words   |  6 PagesUncle Tom’s cabin Uncle Tom s Cabin from the author Harriet Beecher Stowe, was first published in 1852 was a book that tackled the repulsive acts of slavery. In this paper I will discuss my overview and opinion on this book. It is clear if you have a general idea of this book you would know how to this novel ultimately inspired the civil war. As said by our 16th Abraham Lincoln when he met the author â€Å"so you’re the women who brought this Great War† Uncle Tom’s cabin has had a great influence onRead MoreUncle Tom s Cabin By Harriet Beecher Stowe1008 Words   |  5 Pagesdiscrimination, people search for ways to make change. Harriet Beecher Stowe did so through a work of literature known to many as Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Uncle Tom’s Cabin focused on the horrors of slavery in the 1800’s. Stowe believed that slavery was a horrible sin against God and decided to write the book in hopes that it would change people’s views on the issue(Carlson). Uncle Tom s Cabin contributed to changing America through societal, legal, and educational factors. Harriet Beecher Stowe was born into