Critical Reflection of Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Critical Reflection of Uncle Tom’s Cabin
August 14 2012 Christianity had an essential role in the abolition of slave trade in American Society. American Christianity impressively contributed to American Revolution (1775-1783) as well as Civil War (1861-1865) (Parfait 47). Even though, the role of Christianity in slavery remained abstruse as some Christians, especially from the Southern America supported slavery, its importance in anti-slavery struggle remained noteworthy. Slavery was generally a great evil that overwhelmed the American society since the early colonial era. In the Harriet Beecher Stowe’s anti-slavery novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852), there is a comprehensive demonstration of the role of Christianity, especially in setting pace for the Anti-Slavery Revolutions, Abolitionism and Civil War in American society. Stowe illustrates the austere practice of Christianity through her characters, mainly Uncle Tom, who undergoes a prolonged suffering as a slave until his vicious death. Through him, Stowe manages to indicate moral codes of the Christian religion such as honesty, humility, forgiveness, endurance, faithfulness and suffering. In comparison to the vices, brutality and corruption that the slaves undergo, Stowe manages to establish the relationship between the slavery trade system and the religion, especially the Christianity, where they antagonize each other. Therefore, throughout the book, Stowe tries to explain that the incorporation of the moral or pious ciphers endorsed by a proper religious system is very essential in wiping out social injustices and evils from a society. In doing so, she demonstrates the importance of religion in shaping the American society. Generally, from reading the book, it is very clear that Stowe dominates it with anti-slavery ideas and feelings. Therefore, it is agreeable to say that Stowe objectively and purposefully wrote the book because of the foundation of abolitionism (Ryan 84). However, from her
August 14 2012 Christianity had an essential role in the abolition of slave trade in American Society. American Christianity impressively contributed to American Revolution (1775-1783) as well as Civil War (1861-1865) (Parfait 47). Even though, the role of Christianity in slavery remained abstruse as some Christians, especially from the Southern America supported slavery, its importance in anti-slavery struggle remained noteworthy. Slavery was generally a great evil that overwhelmed the American society since the early colonial era. In the Harriet Beecher Stowe’s anti-slavery novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852), there is a comprehensive demonstration of the role of Christianity, especially in setting pace for the Anti-Slavery Revolutions, Abolitionism and Civil War in American society. Stowe illustrates the austere practice of Christianity through her characters, mainly Uncle Tom, who undergoes a prolonged suffering as a slave until his vicious death. Through him, Stowe manages to indicate moral codes of the Christian religion such as honesty, humility, forgiveness, endurance, faithfulness and suffering. In comparison to the vices, brutality and corruption that the slaves undergo, Stowe manages to establish the relationship between the slavery trade system and the religion, especially the Christianity, where they antagonize each other. Therefore, throughout the book, Stowe tries to explain that the incorporation of the moral or pious ciphers endorsed by a proper religious system is very essential in wiping out social injustices and evils from a society. In doing so, she demonstrates the importance of religion in shaping the American society. Generally, from reading the book, it is very clear that Stowe dominates it with anti-slavery ideas and feelings. Therefore, it is agreeable to say that Stowe objectively and purposefully wrote the book because of the foundation of abolitionism (Ryan 84). However, from her
Cited: Parfait, Claire. The Publishing History of Uncle 's Tom 's Cabin, 1852–2002.Aldershot: Ashgate, 2007. Posner, R.: Public Intellectuals: A Study of Decline, page 239, USA: Harvard University Press, 2002 Ryan, Tim. Calls and Responses: The American Novel of Slavery since Gone with the Wind. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2008. Stowe, Harriet. Uncle Tom’s Cabin. USA: National Era & John P. Jewett and Company, 1852 Weinstein, Cindy. The Cambridge Companion to Harriet Beecher Stowe, Cambridge University Press, 2004.