The Character of Uncle Tom Essay Example for Free

The Character of Uncle turkey cock EssayHarriet Beecher Stowes novel Uncle tom turkeys Cabin made such a momentous statement in American culture, at the time it was published, until today, in the 21st century. Some secondary schools had the book banned from their roster of books in their libraries, chiefly because of its supposedly controversial nature (The violence of ,2008). The rea watchword why the book has been the root of much controversy is that Ms. Stowe injected a lot of melodrama into her story, to the point that readers considered it a mock of reality. Some of Ms.Stowes detractors contend that she did not sufficiently show the real horror of slavery, but instead, narrating the softer aspect of slavery in her novel (The strength of ,2008). published in the early 1850s, Uncle tomcats Cabin was said to have contributed to the tension in America over slavery, and encouraged the abolitionist movement (The strength of ,2008). Abolitionists are those who fought for the abolition of slavery in America. Ms. Stowe was said to be a woman who was involved in religious and feminist causes (The strength of ,2008). Ms.Stowes do work on the American northern states was undisputed. In fact, Uncle tomcats Cabin was said to have led to Civil War (The strength of ,2008). It is often report 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 dame who made this big war (The strength of,2008). Uncle tomcats Cabin 4 Despite this, many historians complain that Ms. Stowes novel is historically inaccurate, and that Ms. Stowe grossfully hypertrophied the evils in slavery so she can drive home her point. These issues remain turgidly debated, excep t for one. The character of Uncle Tom has been detrimentally re-created a light speed 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 supercharged with demeaning African Americans with his overly subservient behavior (The strength of ,2008).Modern times have derided Uncle Tom, and insist that his nature undermines the real struggles of black freedom through ingratiating himself with their purity overseers and master. Ironically, I believe that Ms. Stowe created Uncle Tom to illustrate the brutality and cruelty of slavery during those times, and packaging Uncle Tom into a person filled with humility, high-handedness and ingrained with a strong, Christian faith (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 Uncl e Tom.He is one of the long-suffering slaves of Arthur and Emily Shelby, and a dear friend of their very young person son, George, who called him Uncle Tom. Faced with the possibility of losing their farm because of debts, the Shelbys decide to sell Tom, and the son of Mrs. Shelbys maid, Harry. When the maid, Eliza, finds out rough this, she escapes with her son (Allen, 2008). Tom was sold and while change of location 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 trader Uncle Toms Cabin 5 and took him to live on their orchard 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 lastly shoots in a scuffle. Eliza convinced George to bring the wounded Loker to a Quaker settlement nearby, for medical attention (Allen, 2008). In New Orleans, St. Clare tries to prov e to his cousin Ophelia that preconceived notion 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 wife 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 generously comforted the opposite 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 Uncle 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, kind, 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 dare to venture his desires for freedom, up to now to a kind master (Willis, 2002). It is high time we re-think Uncle Tom. We should pay tribute to the depth of Uncle Toms character, rather than degrade him into an epithet. This development in latter(prenominal) times of deriding Uncle Tom is perhaps one of the most harmful and tragic historical developments in American culture (Allen, 2008). Despite the brutality in his deportment as a slave, Uncle Tom stood tall at all times. Somet imes, Uncle Tom would annoy readers because of his goodness. In fact, Uncle Tom couldve run away from Arthur Shelby who trusted him with money.Yet, Uncle Tom neer took advantage of Shelby, because of his deep-seated loyalty to his master (Willis, 2002). In the novel, Ms. Stowe does not provide a background on Uncle Tom. Therefore, one doesnt know whether his loyalty 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 promise 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 continued 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 simply in the physical sense of escape, but in spiritual escape (Willis, 2002). On the other hand, Legree realized that Uncle Tom was a valuable slave who had capacities for large amounts of work.At the same time, Legree also 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 mortal (Willis, 2002). He even egged on Legree by saying that if he died as a result of beatings, then that would just delight 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 final confrontation notwithstanding 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 helpless runaways Legree was after (Willis, 2002).He sat his basket down by the row, and, looking up, said, Into thy hands I commend my spirit kilobyte 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 likened to the archangel who resisted Satans temptations (Willis, 2002). Through this moments, Uncle To ms courage, nobility and humility surfaces when he tells Legree that he is able to shed his railway line 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 defense 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 champ in Uncle Tom (Younge, 2004).However, one seldom finds revolutionary role models. Uncle Toms sense of duty despite 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 involuntar iness 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 kinda 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 (Younge, 2004). Hecne, to understand why this epitome of dignity, self-respect and faith has becme an epito me for subservience and betrayal, we have to look at politics, film and the arena (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).