“Character of Negroes” One of the many ways slavery has been justified is through characterizing “Negroes” as individuals of low morality and as individuals who are animalistic. An example of such forms of justification could be seen through “Tom’s Mistress and Her Opinions” in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin. In “Chapter VII: Moral Character of Negroes” from An Appeal in Favour of that class of Americans Called Africans, Lydia Maria Child. Marie St. Clare, the mistress of Tom is very quick to reiterate some of the common complaints that Park cites in Child’s work. In the chapter “Tom’s Mistress and Her Opinions” Mrs. St. Clare is very insistent on complaining particularly about Mammy. The reason as to why she is so persistent against
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Eva is very close to Mammy and it could be argued that Marie, as a mother, is very jealous of this since she does not share the same emotional bond as Eva and Mammy as evidenced in the scene in which Eva greets Mammy first before anyone else when they arrive at St. Clare’s home as well as through her constant doting on Mammy. Furthermore, Marie exclaims “And just as if Mammy could love her little dirty babies as I love Eva!” (181). One could interpret Mare’s exclamation as her believing that the slaves are an “unfeeling race” as Park states. Park suggests that the “Negroes” have been made to become an “unfeeling race” because they have been stripped of their bonds. However, in the case of Mammy, Park’s suggestion is untrue as Marie’s belief is untrue. Despite being forced to leave her family behind, Mammy is able to create a deep bond with Eva, a white child, who is so connected by the bond is unable to accept the grand narrative promoted by her biological mother. It is due to this bond that Marie may have been forced to make the unprovoked remark of Mammy and her children. In the conversation with Ophelia and St. Clare, no topic regarding Eva and motherhood had never been mentioned. However, Marie felt that it was necessary to point which suggests that the motherhood of Mammy is of significant
Eva is very close to Mammy and it could be argued that Marie, as a mother, is very jealous of this since she does not share the same emotional bond as Eva and Mammy as evidenced in the scene in which Eva greets Mammy first before anyone else when they arrive at St. Clare’s home as well as through her constant doting on Mammy. Furthermore, Marie exclaims “And just as if Mammy could love her little dirty babies as I love Eva!” (181). One could interpret Mare’s exclamation as her believing that the slaves are an “unfeeling race” as Park states. Park suggests that the “Negroes” have been made to become an “unfeeling race” because they have been stripped of their bonds. However, in the case of Mammy, Park’s suggestion is untrue as Marie’s belief is untrue. Despite being forced to leave her family behind, Mammy is able to create a deep bond with Eva, a white child, who is so connected by the bond is unable to accept the grand narrative promoted by her biological mother. It is due to this bond that Marie may have been forced to make the unprovoked remark of Mammy and her children. In the conversation with Ophelia and St. Clare, no topic regarding Eva and motherhood had never been mentioned. However, Marie felt that it was necessary to point which suggests that the motherhood of Mammy is of significant