Christianity in Uncle Tom's Cabin

Uncle Tom 's Cabin and Christianity

by Huqun Instructor: Xiena

Class 01，Grade 2007，English Department(Business English)
School of Foreign Languages
Wuhan University
March, 2011

Contents
Introduction………………………………………………………………1
1. Characters…………………………………………………………….. 1. Tom……………………………………………………………….. 2. Little Eva………………………………………………………….. 3. Sambo&Qimbo……………………………………………………. 4. Eliza………………………………………………………………..
2. The Bible’s Influence………………………………………………….. 2.1 Introduction about the Bible……………………………………… 2.2 Reflections of Christianity in the Paper……………………………
3. Tom &Christianity……………………………………………………..
Conclusion………………………………………………………………..

Abstract

With the application of the renowned Canadian literary critic Northrop Frye’s theory of archetype, the author in this thesis attempts to analyze various characters, such as Uncle Tom, little Eva, Sambo and Qimbo and some pious, ideal Christian mothers in Uncle Tom’s Cabin in terms of Biblical archetype, to reveal the Christianity in this novel, and to probe into Mrs. Stowe’s solution to the institution of slavery. She hopes this thesis will be of any help to Chinese readers to appreciate this classic novel in a new way.

Key Words: Biblical archetype character Christianity

摘要

本文作者采用加拿大著名文学批评家诺思洛普 弗莱的原型批评理论，从圣经原型的角度出发, 试图分析《汤姆叔叔的小屋》中的各类人物形象，比如汤姆叔叔、小伊娃、萨姆波和昆波以及几位虔诚的理想基督教徒母亲，以揭示这部小说中的宗教理念，并探讨斯托夫人解决奴隶制的办法。本文作者希望这篇论文对中国读者能从新的角度来欣赏这本经典著作有所帮助。

关键词：圣经原型 人物形象 基督教理念

Introduction It’s commonly agreed that Uncle Tom’s Cabin is an anti-slavery novel. Yet, anti-slavery spirit is not contradictory or incompatible with spirit of Christianity. In fact, they co-exist quite harmoniously in Uncle Tom’s Cabin. This thesis will mainly focus on Christianity in Uncle Tom’s Cabin and attempt to analyze various characters, such as Uncle Tom, little Eva, and some pious, ideal Christian believers to reveal

Bibliography: Holy Bible (New Revised Standard Version, Chinese Union Version), Mark, chapter 15, verse, 34. China Christian Council. Quotations from the Bible in the thesis are to this version. Harriet Beecher Stowe. Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Hertfounshire: Wordsword Edition Limited Cumberland House, 1995. P.387. The following citations from the same book will be marked with pagination in the parentheses in the text. Lauter, Paul. The Heath Anthology of American Literature, Volume 1. Toronto: D.C.Heath andCompany, 1990. McMichael, George. Anthology of American Literature, second edition, Volume 2. London: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. Perkins, and Bradley, and Beattly, and Long. The American Tradition in Literature, seventh edition, Volume 1. McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, 1976. Rubinstein, Annette T. American Literature Root and Flower, Volume 1. Beijing: Foreign Langue and Research Press, 1988. Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Hertfounshire: Wordsword Edition Limited Cumberland House, 1995.