The fate and the dignity of slaves in the work “uncle tom’s cabin” by harriet beecher stowe

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
HANOI PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY No 2
FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES
======

DINH QUYNH NHU

THE FATE AND THE DIGNITY OF SLAVES IN
THE WORK “UNCLE TOM’S CABIN” BY
HARRIET BEECHER STOWE

GRADUATION PAPER

Hanoi, May 2019
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MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
HANOI PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY No2
FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES
======

DINH QUYNH NHU

THE FATE AND THE DIGNITY OF SLAVES IN THE WORK “UNCLE
TOM’S CABIN” BY HARRIET BEECHER STOWE

GRADUATION PAPER

Supervisor:

Pham Thi Tuan

Hanoi, May 2019
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Ms. Pham Thi
Tuan. She is very enthusiastic to give me valuable suggestions for the problems that
I had during the process of doing the research.
Besides, I am indebted to all the lecturers at Faculty of Foreign Languages for
their help and support.
I also owe my special thanks to my family for their indispensable support and
encouragement during my thesis writing. Without their support, I wouldn’t have
completed the research on time.

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STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP
Tittle:
The fate and the dignity of slaves in the work “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by
Harriet Beecher Stowe
I certify that no part in this study has not been copied by me from any other
person‘s report without acknowledgment and this work is written by my best under
the instruction from my supervisor.
Date of submission: May, 2019.

Student

Supervisor

Dinh Quynh Nhu

Pham Thi Tuan

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ABSTRACT

“Uncle Tom's Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe has always been known as one of
the world’s most anti-slavery literary works. Published in 1852, this work had a
considerable impact on stereotypes about Negroes. This study is aimed to investigate
the fate and the dignity of black slaves represented in the work “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”.
To achieve the aims of the study, the two main research methods used are literary
analysis and literary comment. The results of the study revealed a dreadful life that
black slaves had to suffer when they were ill-treated as working tools, trading goods
or bad creatures. Along with the analysis of the slaves’ tragic life, some of their
valuable characteristics were also discussed.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP ............................................................................. iv
ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ v
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................... vi
PART 1: INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................1

1. Rationale of the study ..............................................................................................1
2. Significance of the study ..........................................................................................1
3. Research methods of the study ..............................................................................2
4. Scope of the study .....................................................................................................2
5. Aims of the study and Research questions ..........................................................3
6. Organization of the study........................................................................................3
PART 2. DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................4
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW .....................................................................4
1. An overview of novel ....................................................................................................4
1.1. Definition of novel..................................................................................................4
1.2. Elements of novel ...................................................................................................4
1.2.1. Plot.....................................................................................................................4
1.2.2. Character .........................................................................................................4
1.2.3. Setting ...............................................................................................................5
1.2.4. Theme ...............................................................................................................5
2. American Literature in the first half of the nineteenth century ....................6
2.1. Historical background ..........................................................................................6
2.2. Literature movement ............................................................................................7
2.3. Slavery in American Literature in the first half of the nineteenth century
...........................................................................................................................................8
3. “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” ...................................................................................................9
3.1. Harriet Beecher Stowe..........................................................................................9

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According to Tonkovic and Nicole (1997), life and career of Harriet Beecher
Stowe were recorded clearly. .........................................................................................9
3.1.1. Biography...................................................................................................... 10
3.1.2. Writing career ............................................................................................. 10

3.2. The work “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” ....................................................................... 11
3.2.1. General information ................................................................................... 12
3.2.2. “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” Summary ............................................................... 13
3.2.3. Elements of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” .......................................................... 14
CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOG Y .............................................................................. 18
1. Research methods of the study ........................................................................... 18
2. Data analysis procedures...................................................................................... 19
CHAPTER 3: DISCUSSION ....................................................................................... 21
1. The fate of slaves ........................................................................................................ 21
1.1. Slaves as working tools ...................................................................................... 21
1.2. Slaves as goods for trading ............................................................................... 23
1.3. Slaves as a creature ............................................................................................ 26
2. The dignity of slaves .................................................................................................. 29
2.1. Morality ................................................................................................................ 29
2.2. Faithfulness and honesty ................................................................................... 30
2.3. Courage ................................................................................................................. 30
2.4. Leniency ................................................................................................................ 31
2.5. Stance..................................................................................................................... 32
PART 3: CONCLUSION.............................................................................................. 35
1. Major findings ........................................................................................................ 35
2. Implications to language teaching and learning ............................................. 35
3. Limitations............................................................................................................... 35
4. Suggestions for further study .............................................................................. 36
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................... 37

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PART 1: INTRODUCTION

1. Rationale of the study
Human beings have the capability to express thoughts by words in both spoken
and written form. In terms of written form, literature is considered one of the most
typical forms. According to World English Dictionary, literature is “written material
such as poetries, novels, essays, etc, especially works of imagination characterized
by excellence of style and expression and by themes of general or enduring interest.”
Although the above definition is framed lexically, literature itself is beyond that
definition, for it plays such a significant role in human life. Literature is said to be a
life-view mirror reflecting almost every aspect of life in which the pen holders
transfer those life materials to the so-greedy-to-know readers. It also serves as a
means which has been used for thousand years of the fact-based education to teach
about human’s lives and moral values. Getting exposed to literature, not only do
readers shorten years to fullfill knowledge by accessing to the storehouse of all
knowledge and wisdom but they also live a thousand lifes. It is the magic merit
brought by literature that makes me fond of and take it as my graduation paper’s topic
without hesitance.
The author of this thesis has been paying special attention to study American
Literature. When approaching American Literature, the author was strongly
impressed by Harriet Beecher Stowe who is a famous American writer. In his works,
she kept to the principles of Romanticism while her method of writing was also
influenced by Realism because of historical background.
After reading several works written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author found
“Uncle Tom’s Cabin” most interesting because of the way she described black slaves
characters. This inspires researcher to carry out the study “ The fate and the dignity
of slaves in the work “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe”. This study
is expected to introduce new views on slaves’ fate and images in Stowe’s writings.
2. Significance of the study
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American literature records that there are several works that pique researchers’
interest in doing research on the work “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. I just stood chances of
getting exposed to a few research papers that dig deep in this work. Almost all of
them documented the American history of slavery, gender relation. Those studies had
powerful emotional, social and political impact on present. For example, the study
“The moral value of slavery as represented in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s
Cabin” conducted by Paz (2014) investigated how the moral power of women, the
morality of slavery and the conflict between this institution and Christianity are
presented in the book. The study named “Impact of religion on race and slavery in
Uncle Tom’s Cabin” was to trace the emergence of new trends of slavery in the
modern world, and to highlight the perspective of slavery in Uncle Tom’s Cabin in
relation to attitudes of one race to another and influence of religion on both. (Bhise,
2015).
However, there are also other aspects of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” that remain
unknown or unstudied, for example, the matter of the Whites’ treatment towards the
black slaves the and good-natured traits of slaves. Therefore, the researcher has
decided to conduct on the topic of “The fate and the dignity of slaves in the work
“Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe.”
This research paper is likely to be a further step in the process of studying new
facets of this work. It gives a more profound insight of the work as regards its values.
In addition, in terms of the issue of education, this research can enable teachers to
investigate the valuable collection of the work “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” ‘s angles and
can give students a key to the door of literary world of this work.

3. Research methods of the study
This research paper is essentially a literature research paper, therefore, it requires
specialised methods in literary field. For this thesis, the researcher has decided to use
these following methods: literary analysis method and literacy comment method.

4. Scope of the study

Within the scope of the topic, this study focuses only on the work “Uncle Tom’s
Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe. In addition, some references can be expected to
take into consideration in order to serve the aims of the study.
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5. Aims of the study and Research questions
5.1. Aims of the study
The study is hoped to fulfill the shortcomings of former research studies and to
contribute another dimensional perspective to the activities of teaching and learning
the work “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. Firstly, the aim of the study is to give readers the
valuable insight into the fate of niggers in American society in the first half of
nineteenth century illustrated vividly in the work “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. Secondly, it
is good-natured traits of slaves that the researcher wants to investigate in order to take
a new perspective towards this work.
5.2. Research questions
The study seeks to answer two following research questions:
1. What is the fate of negroes in the work “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher
Stowe?
2. What is the dignity of slaves in the work “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher
Stowe?

6. Organization of the study
This study consists of three main parts.
Part 1, Introduction, which includes the rationale, the significance, the scope, the
aims, the methods used and the organization.
Part 2, Development, some following facets are going to be displayed in three
chapters.
Chapter 1, Literature review, is to provide an overview of novel, an overview of the
American literature in the first half of nineteenth century.

Chapter 2, Methodology, presents research instruments employed.
Chapter 3, Discussion, deals with slaves’ fate and dignity.
Part 3, Conclusion, gives the summary of the research outcomes, its limitations and
suggestion for further study.
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PART 2. DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW

1. An overview of novel
1.1. Definition of novel
Novel is the word derived from the Italian word “novella” which means new.
However, because of the rise of the tendency of the shorter examplary histories, the
English word “novel” was originally used from the seventh century. (Doody, 1996)
Novel is actually a genre of fiction. A novel can be defined as “a living thing, all one
and continuous, like any other organism, and in proposition as it lives will it be found
that in each of the parts there is something of each other parts” (James, 1884, p. 6).
From another point of view, novel is understood as “ a form of a fiction in prose,
extending to over 50,000 words” (Forster, 1927, p. 8).
Though this term can be defined differently by many professionals, it is simply
defined, according to Merriam-Webster dictionary, as “an imaginative prose narrative
of significant length and a certain complexity dealing with human experience, usually
through a related sequence of events” involving a group of people in a specific setting.

1.2. Elements of novel
According to Burgess (2019), there are several elements of novel.
1.2.1. Plot
The novel’s story and its plot are two things that are usually confused.
Plot is the storyline that tells the ordered arrangement of touchpoints in a story based

on their time-sequence.
It arises out of the internal and external conflicts in the story, which builds to a
climax. Sometimes, climaxes help novel come in a new state of awareness - mainly
self-knowledge - on the parts of the major characters.

1.2.2. Character

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Character is one of the elements of novel that can be either the people, animals
or creature attributing in novel. It is character that is the foundation of a novel because
the flow of novel will involve the emotional and mental condition of characters.
There are numerous ways in which the writer and reader can define characters in
a story. Forster (1927) divided characters into two main groups: Flat characters and
round characters. He stated that in terms of flat characters, they are just extras in a
novel which despite being necessary because they support and boost the image of the
round characters, this type of character doesn’t change the story progresses. Round
characters, on the other hand, are all the major characters, including the hero or even
the villain. They are portrayed in more detail throughout the story.
It’s important to note that different genres and stories require different types of
character development.

1.2.3. Setting
When it comes to the setting of a story, it is an instant common thought of time
and place. More than that, the setting should be understood as the background in
which the story takes place. It consists of the physical location (real or invented) and
the social environment of the story (including chronology, culture, lifestyle of the
characters...).
Whatever the locale of the story, fictional characters are concerned with being in

an interactive environment because the setting actually develops who characters are.

1.2.4. Theme
It is undeniable that all fictional books have themes. Unlike plot which is the
outward details, theme is the main idea the writer wants the reader to understand and
remember.
Usually, it is likely to be a hidden element, but incredibly essential as all events
go round that invisible framework. It can be expressed in a short statement about a
particular topic such as human nature, life, or the universe.
Oftentimes, there is more than one theme that exist altogether in one novel, especially
in great works.
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2. American Literature in the first half of the nineteenth century
2.1. Historical background
Howe and Walker (2007) viewed American history chronologically by the
following events. After having defeated the British colony, in the late eighteenth
century, America was legally established. The first half of the 19th century stood out
with two significant trends. The first one belonged to Manifest Destiny which gripped
America, and the creation of a continental power was made possible by the first war
in Europe than war in North America. The other trend which dominated the first half
of the 19th century was slavery.
History.com Editors (2009) documented that period of enslaving slaves in
America was practiced in 1619, when first 20 African slaves were carried to
Jamestown. Since then, the institution of over 200-year-slave trade officially got
started. Throughout the 17th century, European settlers in North America considered
African slaves as a cheaper, more plentiful indentured labour, who were mostly poor
Europeans. Although it is impossible to give an exact number, some historians have
estimated that nearly 7 million black slaves who were the healthiest and ablest men

and women were imported to the New World during the 18th century. At that time,
that American economy developed dramatically but considerably lack labour force
led to the use of slavery as manpower, especially in southern America. Both tobacco
cultivation in Virginia and shipbuilding in Rhode Island, industries throughout the
states were supported by slavery. Their duty is to work mainly on the tobacco, rice
and indigo plantations of the southern coast, from the Chesapeake Bay colonies of
Maryland and Virginia south to Georgia or amused their masters oftentimes.
According to Slavery in America (2009), by 1850, the product of slave labor took
about 80% in the total of American exports. The estimated value of enslaved people
rose 500% during 70 years from 1790, from $200 million to around $3.059 billion.
According to History.com Editors (2009), working with full thrust in poor
condition and working until the day was over, slaves didn’t receive any better life but
lived under the govern of slave owners, instead. They were not permitted to learn how
to read and write. Even slaves’ behavior and movement were restricted, as well.
Several masters derived pleasure from taking sexual liberties with female slave who
were forced to esteem it a favour, while inobedient slaves were brutally punished. A
strict hierarchy among slaves (from privileged house slaves and skilled artisans down
to lowly field hands) helped keep them divided and have fewer chances to organize
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against their masters. Moreover, though slave could marry and raise large families
without legal basis; most slave owners would divide slave families by sale or removal.
However, it was not until the Civil War broke out in 1861 that marked an end of
slavery in the United States.
While most writers in the South used pens to oppose against the abolition of
slavery, those in the North, in contrast, supported it. (Robert J. McNamara, 2018) It
can be said that the slavery system in America in the first half of the nineteenth
century left an indelible mark on so many people including a number of pen holders,
which sparked off an intensive debate on the issue of slavery in the American

literature in the first half of the nineteenth century among them. Since then, two major
trends in American literature were practiced which would be presented later in the
next section. (Luebering, 2017)

2.2. Literature movement
Luebering (2017) showed that the history of American literature stretched across
about 400 years, which is a humble figure in comparison with other countries over
the world. By the first decades of the 19th century, truly American literature began to
come out. Though derived from British literary, some very first American short
stories and novels being truly native published from 1800 through the 1820s began
to depict American society in an unprecedented manner.
According to Luebering (2017), the first half of the nineteenth century witnesse d
the development of romanticism in the period between 1830 and 1865. This literature
trend highly valued the individual over the group, the subjective over the objective
and individuals’ emotional experience over reason. It also recorded the wildness of
nature over human-made order. Romanticism as a worldview was taken in the early
19th century by numerous American writers. There appeared a number of key new
literary figures namely Washington Irving with “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”
(1820) or Nathaniel Hawthorne with “The Scarlet Letter” (1850). While the
Romantic period was associated with liberalism and radicalism, in the long term its
effect on the growth of nationalism was probably more significant.
American Realism (2006) presented that whereas Romanticism reached its peak
in this time, Realism trend, which was more of a mirror reflecting the American
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society with the true face of slavery institution in America, just started its very first
stage. It began to lead to the term called Romantic realism which combined elements
of both Romanticism and Realism. The terms "romanticism" and "realism" have been
used in varied ways, and are sometimes seen as opposed to one another. (Stauffer and

Ruth M, 2006) Art scholar John Baur described it as "a form of realism modified to
express a romantic attitude or meaning.” (Goodrich et. Al, 1961, p. 121)
A number of novelists applied this term to themselves such as Ayn Rand who
described herself as a romantic realist (Rand, Ayn, 1971). She once wrote: "The
method of romantic realism is to make life more beautiful and interesting than it
actually is, yet give it all the reality, and even a more convincing reality than that of
our everyday existence." (Rand, Ayn, 1995, p. 242–243) Literary works following
this trend though being touched by romance, they were transitional to realism,
portrayed the facts but avoided older sentimental or romantic formulas. One of the
most typical work in this period was “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe .

2.3. Slavery in American Literature in the first half of the nineteenth century
As stated above, slavery prevailed in the United State in hundreds of years. Howe
and Walker (2007) pointed out that although, by Civil War, President Abraham
Lincoln brought back the North-South Union in the territory of the United States, the
tidal wave of public disapproval against slavery ebulliently continued on American
literature. A number of authors in the Romantic period respectively was just off to a
good start of a moving spirit in the fight against slavery. The greatest writers
associating with the movement of can be listed such as John Greenleaf Whittier who
wrote “simple but emotional poems” on behalf of abolition namely “Voices of
Freedom” (1846), “Songs of Labor” (1850). (John Higgins, 2006) or Wilbur H.
Siebert with the famous work “ The Underground Railroad from Slavery to Freedom”
(1989).
Abid Anwar in Slavery in American literature (2011) clearly presented the
slavery trend in American literature. These abolitionists might have seen slavery with
a humanistic mindset, although a large number of them resided in the North. They
strongly supported conservation of slavery in the interest of the southern economy.
8

John Pendleton Kennedy, in his famous novel “Swallow Burn” (1832), portrayed the
intimate relationship between the white masters and the black slaves. This novelist
illustrated how the masters expressed their love and affection upon their slaves. The
issue of slavery continued to stimulated the feelings of creative writers long after the
Civil War ended, so the best literary pieces were published after the political upheaval
and the social crises. Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage (1825) and Vincent
Benét’s John Brown's Body received great critical acclaim for its instances of
creativity based on the issue of slavery and the American Civil war.
It can apparently be observed that it was slavery that was the inspiration for
writers of generations to exploit in different extents. In terms of various themes
namely life, love, belief of slaves, a number of works were born. “The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn”(1884) by Mark Twain condemned the deceitful equal rights for
all men in the United state because 200-year-slave-trade was practiced in that land.
When looking at ''The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'' by Mark Twain, we cannot
help but consider the way the practice of slavery is addressed and understand how
Mark Twain’s feelings of disgust about the institution of slavery were exposed.
(Jacob O'Leary, 2012) The work “Gone with the wind”(1936) by Magaret Mitchell
showed slaves as well-treated and normal employees, but as human being, the rights
of the blacks and the whites were unequal because any intention to escape from being
enslaved would be punished. (Tim A. Ryan, 2008) The land of American literature at
this time could not have flowered fully if the writer Harriet Beecher Stowe, who was
profoundly enlighted by Romantic realism movements, had not come out the work
“Uncle Tom’s Cabin”, an antislavery novel. (Essays, UK. 2018). This work depicted
Realism trend via public opinion towards slavery in the USA. Also, it
was full of lofty sentiments. (Anwar, 2011)
3. “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”
3.1. Harriet Beecher Stowe
According to Tonkovic and Nicole (1997), life and career of Harriet Beecher Stowe
were recorded clearly.

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3.1.1. Biography
Harriet Beecher Stowe, also known as Harriet Elizabeth Beecher was born on
June 14, 1811, in Litchfield, Connecticut. She was the seventh member in of one of
the 19th century’s most remarkable families. Her father was the prominent
Congregationalist minister Lyman Beecher, and her mother died when Harriet was a
child, Harriet’s brothers were ministers, including the famous leader Henry Ward
Beecher. Her sister Catharine Beecher was an author and a teacher playing an
important role in shaping Harriet’s social views. Another sister, Isabella, became a
leader of the cause of women’s rights.
Harriet enrolled in a school founded by her sister Catharine, following the
traditional academic course reserved for young men at that time. At the age of 21, she
moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where her father had become the head of the Lane
Theological Seminary. There, she also joined the Semi-Colon Club, a literary salon
and social club whose members included the Beecher sisters. It was in the literary
club that gave her a chance to meet her like-minded friend, Calvin Ellis Stowe, who
later became her husband. He was a professor at the seminary and an ardent critic of
slavery. Supporting the Underground Railroad, they housed many fugitive slaves who
tried to escape from north to Canada.
She died on 1 July 1896 in Hartford, Connecticut aged 85. Her house “The
Harriet Beecher Stowe House” was next door to fellow author Mark Twain.

3.1.2. Writing career
Tonkovic and Nicole (1997) pointed out main events in Harriet Beecher
Stowe’s life.
Harriet Beecher Stowe was one of the great figures in American literature.
Writing came naturally to her. But it wasn’t until she moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, with
Catharine and her father in 1832 that she found her true writing voice. In Cincinnati,

Stowe was a teacher at the Western Female Institute, another school run by Catharine,
where she had some first steps in her writing career with several short stories, articles
and co-authored a textbook. Stowe’s uncle invited her to join the Semi-Colon Club,
which gave Stowe the chance to improve her writing skills and open network with
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several publishers and influential people in the literary world. At this time period, she
was under the impact of American Romanticism. (Tonkovic and Nicole, 1997)
In 1846, she published “The Mayflower: Or, Sketches of Scenes and Characters
Among the Descendants of the Pilgrims.”
In 1850, the Fugitive Slave Law was passed by Congress, which forced Stowe’s
family to move to Brunswick, Maine. There, that she herself witnessed slaves dying
during a communion service at Brunswick's First Parish Church and her child’s death
inspired her to write her story. She said that, "Having experienced losing someone so
close to me, I can sympathize with all the poor, powerless slaves at the unjust
auctions. You will always be in my heart Samuel Charles Stowe.” (Hedrick, 1994,
p. 208) On March 9, 1850, Stowe wrote to Gamaliel Bailey who was an editor of the
weekly anti-slavery journal The National Era what she planned to bring the story
about the problem of slavery to life. (Hedrick, Joan D. 1994)
Shortly after on June 5th, 1851, the newspaper The National Era published the
first installment of her “Uncle Tom's Cabin” in serial form with the original subtitle
"The Man That Was A Thing". (McFarland, P. 2007)
In 1868, Stowe became one of the first editors of Hearth and Home magazine,
one of several new publications appealing to women. Her inspiration for women was
praised in “Woman in Sacred History” in 1873. (Biography.com Editors, 2014)
“Uncle Tom’s Cabin” was the work bringing good reputation for her during her
entire writing career. With that anti-slavery work, she was highly regarded by both
readers and Abraham Lincoln. The goal of the book was to educate northerners on
the realistic horrors of the devastating facts of slavery that were happening in the

south. The other purpose was to try to make people in the south feel more empathetic
towards the people they were forced into slavery. (Anwar, 2011)

3.2. The work “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”
Among a few novels which I had a chance to study at university, the work “Uncle
Tom’s Cabin” written by Harriet Beecher Stowe has had the most considerably
significant impact on me. There, page by page, the novel vividly drammatizes the
experience of slavery in the North and the South of America in the first half of the
11


nineteenth century. In that dark period of time, the plight of slaves among the whites
was described strikingly in the novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe. In addition, the novel
gives readers a concrete outlook of the dignity of slaves exuding from their miserable
situations. Therefore, besides its literary merit, this novel of Harriet Beecher Stowe
is highly regarded due to its great influence in shaping public opinion against slavery,
especially in Europe.
However, these facets of the topic has still been new to anyone before me to deal
with, and I consider it an opportunity to express my own perspectives about slavery
in the novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. As regards my limited experience, the research
paper of mine would pay attention to analyse “The fate and the dignity of slaves in
“Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe”.

3.2.1. General information
Introduction to Uncle Tomitudes: The Popular Reaction to Uncle Tom’s Cabin
(2015) gave general information about this work.
Due to the death of Stowe’s son and the pass of Fugitive Slave Act, she
considered those facts as inspiration to write “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” on the purpose
of indicating the inhumanity of the law and showing her sympathy with the poor and
slaves. “Uncle Tom’s Cabin or or Life Among the Lowly”, novel by Harriet Beecher

Stowe, first published in the form of serialisation on National Era in 1851 and in book
form in 1852. As an abolitionist novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin gained wide popularity,
particularly among white readers in the North, by vividly depicting the experience of
slavery. It was the first time the white in particular and other people in general could
understand thoroughly the miserable life of those who used to be known as inferior.
This book received a lot of attraction of readers all over the world. 300,000 copies
are sold in the North alone just in the first year of publication. (Wheatcroft, 2011)
Any of Stowe's readers could hardly impose the Fugitive Slave Law which was
passed in 1850. Despite being banned in most of the south, this work was likely to
put another log on the fire. The number of copies of this book was sold even more in
Great Britain than in the United States. In the British Isles, the book consumption
reached up to the top of a million and a half. This influential power of prose made
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many members of the British Parliament take pleasure in the idea of a divided United
States. Ten years after the publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin, the British people made
it difficult for its government to support the Confederacy, even though there were
strong economic ties between them and the South. (Wheatcroft, 2011)
However, a number of slavery supporters denounced this book. They blamed
Stowe for having wrongly dramatized slavery and slave owners and announced that
apart from runaway slaves, all enslaved blacks were in the good care of kind-hearted
masters. However, being accused of giving distorted information about slavery,
Stowe made up her mind to confirm her story by starting to write “ A Key to Uncle
Tom’s Cabin”. (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, n.d.). Categorized in to
Romantic Realism, this work not only pointed out the bitterness of feeling in extreme
abolitionists but also inspired the free colored people with self-respect, hope, and
confidence and encouraged people to have a kindlier feeling toward the negro race .
(Wheatcroft, 2011)
3.2.2. “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” Summary

This following summary is based on Uncle Tom's Cabin - Summary (2007).
“Uncle Tom’s Cabin” opened with a conversation between Mr. Shelby and a
slave trader, Mr. Haley. Due to a serious depth, Mr. Shelby was compelled to sell his
loyal servant-Tom and five-year-old Harry who is a cute and talented child of his
wife’s favorite slave’s son in order to avoid financial ruin. As Eliza, the mother of
Harry overheard that shocking news, she quickly decided to run away with her son to
Canada where her husband planned to escape. Before fleeing, she persuaded Uncle
Tom to go with her, but Uncle Tom accepted being sold to affirm his loyalty to his
master - Mr.Shelby.
Knowing Eliza and her son’s escape, Mr. Hadley ran after her and almost caught
her. Luckily, she escaped into Ohio by jumping on pieces of floating ice across the
river. Then, Mr. Haley raised a group of slave catchers to follow her and returned to
collect the other slave, Tom.
Tom accompanied Mr. Haley on the way to the South. On the steamboat to New
Orleans, Tom saved little Eva from drowning. The girl's father made up the decision
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to buy Tom to be Eva's personal servant. Eva was a really lovely and well-behaved
child, devoted to her servants and family. In contrast, Eva’s mother who was more of
a typical slave owner was always Imperious toward her slaves to satisfy her endless
demands.
Tom became near and dear with little Eva. They discussed their mutual Christian
faith on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the illness of Eva got more serious, then she
died. Augustine wanted to free all his slaves but was killed before completing all the
legal paperwork. Therefore, Tom and many of the other St. Clare slaves were sold at
auction. Meanwhile, Eliza and her husband George are reunited in a Quaker camp.
After several chases of slave catchers on the way, they finally escaped to Canada
successfully.
Tom was enslaved by Simon Legree who was famous for maltreating his slaves

until they died. The never-ending cycle of buying and ill-treating slaves of him made
Tom be no exception. Tom still maintained his honest and kind behavior despite
Legree’s abuse. Once he was told to beat another slave but he refused.
When two female slaves, whom Legree used to satisfy his pleasure, hid in
Legree’s house, Legree thought that they already fled and supposed Tom to know
where they are. However, Tom just prayed and refused to reveal Cassy and
Emmeline’s shelter. Legree beat Tom to near death. In the moment of dying, Tom
couldn’t stop thinking about God and his entire life. His old master’s son, George
Shelby, arrived to set Uncle Tom free but it was too late. He buried Tom then takes a
steamboat to Kentucky. There, he met Cassy and Emmeline, who were fleeing the
plantation and Emily de Thoux, who was George Harris's sister, and discovered that
Cassy was Eliza’s mother. In Kentucky, Shelby gave freedom for his slaves. Cassy ,
Emmeline, and Emily arrived in Canada where they could reunite with Eliza and
George. The Harris family and Cassy eventually emigrate to Liberia to found a
freedom colony for ex-slaves.
3.2.3. Elements of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”
Shmoop Editorial Team. (2008) proposed the elements of the work “Uncle Tom’s
Cabin” in detail as follows:
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3.2.3.1. Plot
Being in depth, master Shelby had to sell Tom and Eliza’s son named Harry to
the slave trader Haley in order to avoid losing his prospect. While Tom agreed to be
sold to prove his loyalty to his master, she took her son and fled to the North, with
the hope to unite with her husband George in the land of freedom, Canada.
Haley and other slave hunter chased her, but Eliza luckily escaped by crossing
the floating ice Ohio River. Haley hired Loker and other people in the aim of bringing
Eliza and Harry back. Thanks to the Quakers’ help, Eliza, Harry and George reunited
and successfully came to Canada.

At the same time, Tom was taken to a ship which was on the way to a slave
market. On the boat, Tom had a chance to meet a little girl named Eva and helped her
from being fell into the river. Therefore, her father, Augustine St. Clare, gratefully
agreed to buy Tom from Haley. Since then, Tom became the St. Clares’ slave in New
Orleans, where he and his little friend Eva shared their belief in Christianity.
Unfortunately, Eva got serious illness and died, Augustine was also killed later. After
that, St. Clare’s wife, Marie, sold Tom to a vicious master named Simon Legree. Tom
and other slaves including Emmeline whom the Legree used as a sex slave were taken
to rural Louisiana with a group of new slaves, , replacing his previous sex slave Cassy.
To his plantation. Once, Tom received a severe beating from Legree when he refused
to whip a female slave as Legree’s order. Here, Tom met Cassy who was separated
from her daughter by slavery and anticipated to escape with Emmeline. When Legree
asked Tom about two girls’ trace, Tom refused to tell and was beat to near death.
George Shelby arrived with money in order to set Tom free, but he was too late
because Tom was gradually exhausted and passed away.
Cassy and Emmeline meet George Harris’s sister on the way to Canada, where
Cassy realized Eliza who was her lost daughter. They travelled to Liberia together,
and George Shelby came back to the Kentucky farm and set all the slaves free. He
told them to think of Tom’s cabin as an evidence of his sacrifice and encouraged
everyone to follow his good quality.

3.2.3.2. Characters
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In the work “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”, the flat characters are Eva, Augustine,
Ophelia. Eva is a sensible little girl who is Tom’s best friend in Augustine’s house.
Augustine, Ophelia and others play a role as extras in the novel because they support
the round character’s image.
The round characters in this work include Uncle Tom, George Shelby, Eliza,

George, Simon Legree. The image of Uncle Tom is built as a mature man with good
dignity of honesty, loyalty, kindness and devoutness. Uncle Tom’s death in the story
is a martyr, which means he sacrificed for other slaves’ freedom. His good spirits
inspired others to be better including the whites and the blacks. Eliza and George are
involved in one of the exciting parts of the story in which they struggled with the fate
of black slaves. George Shelby appeared in the work as Mr. Shelby’s son who freed
all of the slaves in his household after Uncle Tom’s death. Simon Legree- is infamous
for his cruelty to slaves and lonely personal life. He helped push the story up to
climax when beating Tom to death. He is a representative for most of the white slave
owners who support slavery.

3.2.3.3. Setting
The work takes the main settings in the mid-19th century on the Shelby plantation
in Kentucky, where Uncle Tom lives in a cabin with his wife and children and in the
state of Louisiana, where exists a fierce slavery system and Uncle Tom died there.

3.2.3.4. Theme
According to Shmoop Editorial Team (2008), in the work “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”,
various themes can be used to serve the author’s purpose in the process of creating
her story such as slavery, race and religion.
First of all, slavery is a theme that readers can obviously realise. “Uncle Tom’s
Cabin” was written to illustrate the evil and inhumanity of slavery in the midnineteenth century because it was a current and hot topic for debate. Harriet Beecher
Stowe used her pen to come out the truth about the misery of the slaves themselves
and portrayed this immoral system.

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Secondly, Stowe in this work used many racial stereotypes in the nineteenth
century. Black characters were depicted in racist terms as inferior. The novel showed

that the domination of one group of people by another based on race must be
unacceptable.
In term of religion, it can be said that as a Christian, Stowe inspired her work the
spirit of religious faith. The novel asserted that true faith would help people overcome
difficulties in life.

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CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOG Y

1. Research methods of the study
In this research paper, in order to reach the proposed aims, some main instruments
involved qualitative research methods were used. There are two main reasons why
researcher applied qualitative research methods because this study researches on the
content of the work “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe and aims to
point out the fate of negroes and their dignity.
According to Patton (2002), qualitative research methods generate words rather
than numbers, as data is collected for analysis to understand some aspects of social
life. However, Patton (2002) also stated that the advantages and disadvantages of
qualitative research could not be denied. On the one hand, qualitative research does
not require a strict design plan before it begins, which gives the researcher the
freedom to develop new ideas. In addition, the researcher gains more detailed and
rich information in the form of comprehensive writings. Last but not least, the kind
of research looks at context and social meaning, which is particularly advantageous
in the social sciences. On the other hand, qualitative research also has its own
drawbacks. Employing qualitative research methods, the researcher is heavily
involved in the process, which may lead to a subjective view of the study as well as
its subjects; therefore, the given view in researcher’s study can be slightly biased.
After considering its merits, shortcomings and the study’s aims, the researcher

decides to apply two literary methods, as follows:

1.1. Literary analysis method
According to Ken (2003), the literary analysis method is the method of searching
and judging the work in terms of contents and art in relation with the author, the work
and the its’ background.
This method was used throughout the thesis in order to come out the fate and the
dignity of slaves.

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