Harriet Beecher Stowe uses two main factors on why slavery should be abolished. Slavery breaks up family ties which causes a slaves performance to be decreased. Slavery also instills a sense of ownership upon a human, making them feel that they can never truly be free. Slavery caused many hardships among African Americans. Stowe surrounds the plot for Uncle Tom’s cabin around Uncle Tom and Eliza. Uncle Tom was set to be sold to a slaver trader a long with Harry, who is Eliza’s son. When Eliza learns this, she tells informs Uncle Tom and escapes with Harry. Here is when we can see the negative effects of slavery. Like Eliza, many slaves attempted to escape in fear that their family would be split up. Stowe made note of this by saying in contrast how the slave
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While Eliza’s fate is one where she and her son are reunited with her husband and all become freed, Uncle Tom’s is not so positive. Uncle Tom refused to flee, resulting in him being sold where he is beaten. He died a slave and Eliza’s husband, George pays for the slaves that lived with Uncle Tom’s freedom. He urged them to never forget his story. Although Uncle Tom had numerous opportunities to escape, he chose not to. Due to his death while still a slave, if he had chosen to escape he could have still been alive. Reading this makes me take a deeper look into Uncle Tom’s character. Based on the fact that Mr. Shelby initially didn’t want to sell Uncle Tom makes me think 1) he had grown accustomed to Uncle Tom and had him for a while 2) Uncle Tom was an older gentleman. Because of these two things Uncle Tom’s choice not to escape was of fear and ignorance. Although slavery was bad, he had grown accustomed to being a slave. Added the fact the Mr. Shelby was considered a decent slave master, Uncle Tom most likely was well dressed and well feed. As a slave, he had duties and work that he must attend to, however his labor was not that of a slave with a harsh slave master.
While Eliza’s fate is one where she and her son are reunited with her husband and all become freed, Uncle Tom’s is not so positive. Uncle Tom refused to flee, resulting in him being sold where he is beaten. He died a slave and Eliza’s husband, George pays for the slaves that lived with Uncle Tom’s freedom. He urged them to never forget his story. Although Uncle Tom had numerous opportunities to escape, he chose not to. Due to his death while still a slave, if he had chosen to escape he could have still been alive. Reading this makes me take a deeper look into Uncle Tom’s character. Based on the fact that Mr. Shelby initially didn’t want to sell Uncle Tom makes me think 1) he had grown accustomed to Uncle Tom and had him for a while 2) Uncle Tom was an older gentleman. Because of these two things Uncle Tom’s choice not to escape was of fear and ignorance. Although slavery was bad, he had grown accustomed to being a slave. Added the fact the Mr. Shelby was considered a decent slave master, Uncle Tom most likely was well dressed and well feed. As a slave, he had duties and work that he must attend to, however his labor was not that of a slave with a harsh slave master.