Book Review - Uncle Tom's Cabin
The latest in our continuing series of the classics was Harriet Beecher Stowe's classic anti-slavery work, Uncle Tom's Cabin. What an amazing work it was/is. Originally published as a weekly series, the entire work was published in 1852 and sold an incredible 300,000 copies in a few years. It's actually never gone out of print at all.
Her stories of the lives of several slaves and their owners is extremely moving (though quite dramatic and simplistic in parts) and must have been outrageous for her day. She chides Northerners, Southern slave owners, "good" Christians and anyone who doesn't rail against slavery for their willingness to participate or even tacitly support the institution.
Stowe came from a family of preachers and there's a heavy Christian tone to the book. The most Christianlike characters are generally the slaves with their belief that God will save them, in this world or the next. An understandable belief because without it, why would anyone go on living? The Quakers are also represented well but the purest character is a young white girl named Eva who truly loves all of God's creatures without regard to status or color.
Probably everyone is familiar with the term "Uncle Tom" and it's clearly meant as derogatory. What I didn't know was that the original Tom was actually a noble character with a clear moral code and a devout belief in God. His character is Christlike in his willing to suffer for others and follow the will of God.
Simon Legree is another cultural reference - I always thought of it as being a really mean guy. I'm embarassed to say, I don't think I knew it was from this work. Legree is the ultimate bad guy and the only character who doesn't embrace the Lord by the end of the text.
Our group discussed what a powerful effect this publication had on the US society at the time. Abraham Lincoln actually said it was the book that started the war. We wondered if anything published today could trigger such a sweeping change in our world. We came to the conclusion, probably not.
I suggest to anyone that Uncle Tom's Cabin should be required reading material for us all.
Her stories of the lives of several slaves and their owners is extremely moving (though quite dramatic and simplistic in parts) and must have been outrageous for her day. She chides Northerners, Southern slave owners, "good" Christians and anyone who doesn't rail against slavery for their willingness to participate or even tacitly support the institution.
Stowe came from a family of preachers and there's a heavy Christian tone to the book. The most Christianlike characters are generally the slaves with their belief that God will save them, in this world or the next. An understandable belief because without it, why would anyone go on living? The Quakers are also represented well but the purest character is a young white girl named Eva who truly loves all of God's creatures without regard to status or color.
Probably everyone is familiar with the term "Uncle Tom" and it's clearly meant as derogatory. What I didn't know was that the original Tom was actually a noble character with a clear moral code and a devout belief in God. His character is Christlike in his willing to suffer for others and follow the will of God.
Simon Legree is another cultural reference - I always thought of it as being a really mean guy. I'm embarassed to say, I don't think I knew it was from this work. Legree is the ultimate bad guy and the only character who doesn't embrace the Lord by the end of the text.
Our group discussed what a powerful effect this publication had on the US society at the time. Abraham Lincoln actually said it was the book that started the war. We wondered if anything published today could trigger such a sweeping change in our world. We came to the conclusion, probably not.
I suggest to anyone that Uncle Tom's Cabin should be required reading material for us all.
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