How Does Harriet Stowe Use Religion
Courtney Mehmen
How does Stowe use religion and the characters in the book to argue that slavery is inherently evil and immoral? In what specific instances do southerners use religion to defend slavery?
In the book, Uncle Tom's Cabin, by Harriet Stowe, she writes many different dynamic opportunities to show us how she felt about the problems of America in the 1850's era. She was very avid about anti-slavery and wanted to show the North what truly happened in the South when it came to slavery. She also uses feminism (or, oppression of women) as a base idea in her book, as well as religion which promotes the idea that slavery is against Christian ethics. In the first chapter of the story, Mr. Shelby is making a heavy decision to trade his slave or lose this property. He is talking with Mr. Haley about the best slave he has- Tom- to trade for settlement of the property. Tom is described as, "steady, honest, capable... good, sensible, pious fellow...he got religion (1,2)." Tom is one of their hardest and most honest slaves they have. Even under the harshest conditions, later in the book, Tom chooses to keep his faith. Even as he was being sold from the Shelby's and departing from his wife, he reminded her that their god was a just god and to keep her faith. The Shelby's choose to treat their slaves kindly, unlike the South and it is …show more content…
proceeded with opportunities where he might not receive the same treatment as before. Tom was treated well as a driver at the St. Clare's estate until St. Clare died. He was sold and found the new life of a slave under a cruel master. In the later chapters, Stowe shows us both the true treatment of a slave under a cruel owner and also how religion was used for slavery. Throughout the book, Stowe uses many different characters to show the different themes. First off, we have Mr. and Mrs. Shelby (Arthur and Emily), property owners and slaveholders.
"Mr. Shelby was a fair average kind of man, good-natured and kindly (6)," although his continual use of slaves did point out a spot of hypocrisy. "Mrs. Shelby was a woman of high class, both intellectually and morally... she added high moral and religious sensibility and principle, carried out with great energy and ability into practical results (7). " She was also a Christian woman who did not believe in slavery and often talked with her husband to turn away from slavery. She was a very virtuous woman who believes slavery undermines all Christian principles in which she believes. Later in the book, she quotes to her husband, " "This is God's curse on slavery! – a bitter, bitter, most accursed thing! – a curse to the master and a curse to the slave! I was a fool to think I could make anything good out of such a deadly evil. It is a sin to hold a slave under laws like ours, – I always felt it was, – I always thought so when I was a girl, – I thought so still more after I joined the church; but I thought I could gild it over, – I thought, by kindness, and care, and instruction, I could make the condition of mine better than freedom – fool that I was! (23). " This shows us how truly moral Mrs. Shelby was in her Christian faith. The way Harriet wrote out her female characters, as Mrs. Shelby, Eva and Miss Ophelia, demonstrated her portrayal of the women as more compassionate, brave and moral then the men.. Little Eva was the youngest and the most innocent. She said to her father after Tom had saved her from drowning in the ocean that he ought to pay whatever it takes, for the sake of Tom's happiness. Sweet Eva mentioned also, as they arrived home, that she enjoys having more slaves because that gives her more people to love. Stowe thoroughly rings religion, actual Christianity, through Eva as well as Uncle Tom. Eva is the pure light and Uncle Tom is the Christian who falters but continually stands up for his faith. Eva declines to stay home one day so that she can go to church. "...God wants to have us; and he gives us everything you know; and it isn't much to do... (122)." Most of the South did share the same religion as the St. Clare family but did not agree with Eva's love for her friends. In Eva's eyes, blacks and whites were equals. In the South, it was preached that blacks were personal property and whatever was done to them was done in the name of god. Stowe keeps the plantations usually nice until she unleashes the truth about the violent and murderous ways of many cruel owners when Prue dies. While Miss Ophelia was originally from the North and came down to the St. Clare's to help her cousin. She was written with a firm, neutral disposition. She is very smart and acknowledges the slaves as humans, although doesn't protest slavery in general. When Eva hugs and kisses Mammy, one of the house slaves, Ophelia is taken back at the level of love that Eva has for the slaves and thinks it a little overwhelming. But then, she also states, after hearing Marie complaining yet again of how selfish her slaves are, "why...I suppose you think your servants are human creatures...? (116)." In the end, Eva helps her find that she can't love Topsy without the love of Christ within her and helps her shed her prejudice against blacks. The men were made to be less emotional and less moral, although, Uncle Tom broke that trend. It could be implied that white women had the same oppression of having no power as blacks but it is never stated as such. St. Clare is a lot like Mr. Shelby, in the sense that religion is in their home and that they tolerate having slaves although by no means of getting rid of them. Throughout the time with St. Clare, we see him slowly start to show more emotion. When Prue, a neighbor slave was whipped to death, Ophelia accused St. Clare of defending violent slavery. St Clare replies with, "didn't you ever keep doing wrong, after you've repented..?...I don't think my feelings about slavery are peculiar. I find many men who, in their hearts, think of it just as I do. The land groans under it; and bad as it is for the slave, it is worse, if anything, for the master. It takes no spectacles to see that a great class of vicious, improvident, degraded people are among us, are an evil to us as well as themselves (157)." This is an extraordinary leap in the book in which he is admitting that the way the slaves are sometimes treated is inhumane, unjust and clearly a voice that Stowe tried to bestow onto the Southern ways. St. Clare, after Eva's death, is also struck with a religious turn point. He has such a hard time finding God yet Uncle Tom is persistent to have his master cherish god. As he lays dying after a fight, St. Clare shouts, "Mother!" and dies- just as Eva told of the peace and joy before her death. This is Stowe showing us the power of Christianity and how it could save our souls. This is a big climax in the book where Stowe writes in, hoping that it would also alter the lives of slaveholders souls in the South, and lead to the end of slavery. However, Stowe does not hold back the truth that is slavery- that the slave is completely in his masters hands. She shows on the Legree plantation, cruelty makes people even more cruel and there is absolutely no religion tolerated. As Uncle Tom learns about his new plantation it is said," he saw enough of abuse and misery to make him sick and weary; but he determined to toil on with religious patience, committing himself to Him that judge righteously...(237)." Continually doing the hard work he can, Uncle Tom helps others out. He helps out Cassie and in return, is beaten nearly to death for it. This scene very much points out his status as a strong martyr, for, he would rather be beaten than to beat another slave. After he is beaten, Cassy comes to tend to his wounds and she exclaims that there is no god and it is not worth praying. Uncle Tom, lying in his own blood and pain has her get his bible and has her read a passage from it. He doubts himself as he said, "-it seemed to come so natural to him, and we have to fight so hard for it? Oh Lord, help us! (244)." But rises up to tell Cassy the bold truth about his beliefs. In an attempt to run away, Cassy tells Uncle Tom of her plan. Legree comes to Uncle Tom demanding to know where she was and he refused to speak. Legree beats him all night and when he was finished, had two overseers continue for him. Even as the men are beating Uncle Tom into death, he prays and remains faithful until the end, praying for the overseers hearts. As if a sad miracle, Mr. Shelby's son shows up after searching for some time for Uncle Tom, right as he was dying. George, the son, claimed to Legree that he would have him tried for murder. He also stated, after seeing his long time friend, Uncle Tom, die that he would avenge him by driving away all slavery as he could. In this aspect, as he was home again, he freed all of his father's slaves, saying, "It was on his grave, my friends, that I resolved, before God, that I would never own another slave, while it was possible to free him; that nobody, through me, should ever run the risk of being parted from home and friends, and dying on a lonely plantation, as he died. So, when you rejoice in your freedom, think that you owe it to that good old soul, and pay it back in kindness to his wife and children. Think of your freedom, every time you see UNCLE TOM'S CABIN; and let it be a memorial to put you all in mind to follow in his steps, and be honest and faithful and Christian as he was (295)." Stowe, in her last chapter of Uncle Tom, proclaims that if the men and Christians of the North truly knew what slavery was, then it wouldn't be open for discussion and that it wouldn't be of any problem- because it simply wouldn't be.
She strongly states all terms and purposes of which she wrote the book. Her passionate writing beheld the truth behind the slavery in the South which was brought attention to the North. She held accountable the evils of those who were ignorant and those who defied their Christian principles. In this book, she showed through both religion and characters that slavery was an absolute
wrong-doing.
How does Stowe use religion and the characters in the book to argue that slavery is inherently evil and immoral? In what specific instances do southerners use religion to defend slavery?
In the book, Uncle Tom's Cabin, by Harriet Stowe, she writes many different dynamic opportunities to show us how she felt about the problems of America in the 1850's era. She was very avid about anti-slavery and wanted to show the North what truly happened in the South when it came to slavery. She also uses feminism (or, oppression of women) as a base idea in her book, as well as religion which promotes the idea that slavery is against Christian ethics. In the first chapter of the story, Mr. Shelby is making a heavy decision to trade his slave or lose this property. He is talking with Mr. Haley about the best slave he has- Tom- to trade for settlement of the property. Tom is described as, "steady, honest, capable... good, sensible, pious fellow...he got religion (1,2)." Tom is one of their hardest and most honest slaves they have. Even under the harshest conditions, later in the book, Tom chooses to keep his faith. Even as he was being sold from the Shelby's and departing from his wife, he reminded her that their god was a just god and to keep her faith. The Shelby's choose to treat their slaves kindly, unlike the South and it is …show more content…
proceeded with opportunities where he might not receive the same treatment as before. Tom was treated well as a driver at the St. Clare's estate until St. Clare died. He was sold and found the new life of a slave under a cruel master. In the later chapters, Stowe shows us both the true treatment of a slave under a cruel owner and also how religion was used for slavery. Throughout the book, Stowe uses many different characters to show the different themes. First off, we have Mr. and Mrs. Shelby (Arthur and Emily), property owners and slaveholders.
"Mr. Shelby was a fair average kind of man, good-natured and kindly (6)," although his continual use of slaves did point out a spot of hypocrisy. "Mrs. Shelby was a woman of high class, both intellectually and morally... she added high moral and religious sensibility and principle, carried out with great energy and ability into practical results (7). " She was also a Christian woman who did not believe in slavery and often talked with her husband to turn away from slavery. She was a very virtuous woman who believes slavery undermines all Christian principles in which she believes. Later in the book, she quotes to her husband, " "This is God's curse on slavery! – a bitter, bitter, most accursed thing! – a curse to the master and a curse to the slave! I was a fool to think I could make anything good out of such a deadly evil. It is a sin to hold a slave under laws like ours, – I always felt it was, – I always thought so when I was a girl, – I thought so still more after I joined the church; but I thought I could gild it over, – I thought, by kindness, and care, and instruction, I could make the condition of mine better than freedom – fool that I was! (23). " This shows us how truly moral Mrs. Shelby was in her Christian faith. The way Harriet wrote out her female characters, as Mrs. Shelby, Eva and Miss Ophelia, demonstrated her portrayal of the women as more compassionate, brave and moral then the men.. Little Eva was the youngest and the most innocent. She said to her father after Tom had saved her from drowning in the ocean that he ought to pay whatever it takes, for the sake of Tom's happiness. Sweet Eva mentioned also, as they arrived home, that she enjoys having more slaves because that gives her more people to love. Stowe thoroughly rings religion, actual Christianity, through Eva as well as Uncle Tom. Eva is the pure light and Uncle Tom is the Christian who falters but continually stands up for his faith. Eva declines to stay home one day so that she can go to church. "...God wants to have us; and he gives us everything you know; and it isn't much to do... (122)." Most of the South did share the same religion as the St. Clare family but did not agree with Eva's love for her friends. In Eva's eyes, blacks and whites were equals. In the South, it was preached that blacks were personal property and whatever was done to them was done in the name of god. Stowe keeps the plantations usually nice until she unleashes the truth about the violent and murderous ways of many cruel owners when Prue dies. While Miss Ophelia was originally from the North and came down to the St. Clare's to help her cousin. She was written with a firm, neutral disposition. She is very smart and acknowledges the slaves as humans, although doesn't protest slavery in general. When Eva hugs and kisses Mammy, one of the house slaves, Ophelia is taken back at the level of love that Eva has for the slaves and thinks it a little overwhelming. But then, she also states, after hearing Marie complaining yet again of how selfish her slaves are, "why...I suppose you think your servants are human creatures...? (116)." In the end, Eva helps her find that she can't love Topsy without the love of Christ within her and helps her shed her prejudice against blacks. The men were made to be less emotional and less moral, although, Uncle Tom broke that trend. It could be implied that white women had the same oppression of having no power as blacks but it is never stated as such. St. Clare is a lot like Mr. Shelby, in the sense that religion is in their home and that they tolerate having slaves although by no means of getting rid of them. Throughout the time with St. Clare, we see him slowly start to show more emotion. When Prue, a neighbor slave was whipped to death, Ophelia accused St. Clare of defending violent slavery. St Clare replies with, "didn't you ever keep doing wrong, after you've repented..?...I don't think my feelings about slavery are peculiar. I find many men who, in their hearts, think of it just as I do. The land groans under it; and bad as it is for the slave, it is worse, if anything, for the master. It takes no spectacles to see that a great class of vicious, improvident, degraded people are among us, are an evil to us as well as themselves (157)." This is an extraordinary leap in the book in which he is admitting that the way the slaves are sometimes treated is inhumane, unjust and clearly a voice that Stowe tried to bestow onto the Southern ways. St. Clare, after Eva's death, is also struck with a religious turn point. He has such a hard time finding God yet Uncle Tom is persistent to have his master cherish god. As he lays dying after a fight, St. Clare shouts, "Mother!" and dies- just as Eva told of the peace and joy before her death. This is Stowe showing us the power of Christianity and how it could save our souls. This is a big climax in the book where Stowe writes in, hoping that it would also alter the lives of slaveholders souls in the South, and lead to the end of slavery. However, Stowe does not hold back the truth that is slavery- that the slave is completely in his masters hands. She shows on the Legree plantation, cruelty makes people even more cruel and there is absolutely no religion tolerated. As Uncle Tom learns about his new plantation it is said," he saw enough of abuse and misery to make him sick and weary; but he determined to toil on with religious patience, committing himself to Him that judge righteously...(237)." Continually doing the hard work he can, Uncle Tom helps others out. He helps out Cassie and in return, is beaten nearly to death for it. This scene very much points out his status as a strong martyr, for, he would rather be beaten than to beat another slave. After he is beaten, Cassy comes to tend to his wounds and she exclaims that there is no god and it is not worth praying. Uncle Tom, lying in his own blood and pain has her get his bible and has her read a passage from it. He doubts himself as he said, "-it seemed to come so natural to him, and we have to fight so hard for it? Oh Lord, help us! (244)." But rises up to tell Cassy the bold truth about his beliefs. In an attempt to run away, Cassy tells Uncle Tom of her plan. Legree comes to Uncle Tom demanding to know where she was and he refused to speak. Legree beats him all night and when he was finished, had two overseers continue for him. Even as the men are beating Uncle Tom into death, he prays and remains faithful until the end, praying for the overseers hearts. As if a sad miracle, Mr. Shelby's son shows up after searching for some time for Uncle Tom, right as he was dying. George, the son, claimed to Legree that he would have him tried for murder. He also stated, after seeing his long time friend, Uncle Tom, die that he would avenge him by driving away all slavery as he could. In this aspect, as he was home again, he freed all of his father's slaves, saying, "It was on his grave, my friends, that I resolved, before God, that I would never own another slave, while it was possible to free him; that nobody, through me, should ever run the risk of being parted from home and friends, and dying on a lonely plantation, as he died. So, when you rejoice in your freedom, think that you owe it to that good old soul, and pay it back in kindness to his wife and children. Think of your freedom, every time you see UNCLE TOM'S CABIN; and let it be a memorial to put you all in mind to follow in his steps, and be honest and faithful and Christian as he was (295)." Stowe, in her last chapter of Uncle Tom, proclaims that if the men and Christians of the North truly knew what slavery was, then it wouldn't be open for discussion and that it wouldn't be of any problem- because it simply wouldn't be.
She strongly states all terms and purposes of which she wrote the book. Her passionate writing beheld the truth behind the slavery in the South which was brought attention to the North. She held accountable the evils of those who were ignorant and those who defied their Christian principles. In this book, she showed through both religion and characters that slavery was an absolute
wrong-doing.