St. Claire Character Analysis

Circumstances can be used for one's benefit or failure. They can shape a person into a wiser and refined person, or they can crush one's character and soul. St. Claire and Legree from Uncle Tom's Cabin are examples of such a case. How are they extremely contradictory yet so similar? Not only do both of them have similar beginnings alongside being slave masters, they develop into almost complete and utter opposites. St. Claire and Legree are dramatically different in how they treat their slaves. While Legree is very harsh and almost inhumane towards his slaves, St. Claire is easygoing and even compassionate. For instance, after Tom had just been purchased by St. Claire, his new master states, " Well, I think I shall put you in a coachy, on …show more content…
Claire and Legree, it can be quite astounding to realize that they have similar beginnings. They both had strong Christian mothers who were very devout in the faith. While neither of them officially converts to Christianity, their responses to their mothers' faiths are largely diverse. St. Claire, being of a more gentle temperament, seems to half-heartedly embrace it. In the beginning of the story, he generally disregards it, saying that "...it's up and down with me, ̶ up to heaven's gate in theory, down in earth's dust in practice." St. Claire always tries to avoid the issue by not having any serious discussions about his faith. In the end, nonetheless, he has been reading his recently deceased daughter's Bible and thinks of his mother often. He even starts singing the Latin hymn his mother used to sing. St. Claire confirms his mother's positive influence when, at his death, he declares that he sees his mother. Legree had a devout Christian mother as well, but his response is quite the opposite. When Tom comes to his plantation and displays his faith, Legree is determined to beat every trace of Christianity from Tom's body. His mother's piousness seems to have made no effect on Legree as a person at all. He thinks of his mother more frequently as the book continues, however. Legree is convinced that he sees his mother at one point, when in fact, it was one of his slaves playing a trick on his mind. "Well, he slept, for he was …show more content…
Claire have dramatically different mentalities, but in the end, they reap the same result of slavery. They have similar beginnings as they are both brought up by Christian mothers, however, the effect and result of their mothers' piousness are a starkly opposite. St. Claire is easy going and is compelled to be endlessly merciful towards his poor slaves. Legree, on the other hand, thinks of his slaves as no more than animals while treating them as if they are just another piece of property for his own benefit. People can start off in similar circumstances, but the result of them can be as paradoxical as the joyful and pure day is from the silent and perilous