Major Works Data Sheet
Title: Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Author: Harriet Beecher Stowe
Date First Published: In book form, on March 20, 1852 by John P. Jewett
Genre: Historical fiction
Biographical information about the author: Harriet was an American abolitionist and author, who had written more than 20 books; and her pen name, was Christopher Crowfield. Harriet’s main goal with Uncle Tom’s Cabin was to persuade her Northern readership of the urgency of ending slavery. This novel was a response to the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which made it illegal to give aid or help to a runaway slave. Harriet continually highlights the importance of Christian…show more content… Name- Uncle Tom
Role in story- He is the central figure and protagonist in the novel. His story is the main narrative. Uncle Tom is a family man with a wife and two children. Tom is a slave on the Shelby farm in Kentucky. He is eventually sold to another family in Louisiana because the Shelby’s have fallen into debt. Later on in the novel, Tom is sold again to the Legree plantation where he lives out the rest of this life, and eventually dies a martyr’s death.
Significance- Tom’s unfailing love for God is what continuously shows his strong moral and Christian values. The main significance of his faith is that even though Tom knew that standing up to Simon Legree was the right thing to do, it might also end up hurting him. Because of this, Tom dies a martyr’s death. Through Tom’s death, he is an inspiration to all slaves; they can look at his life, and what he stood for as a symbol of freedom and devout faith.
Adjectives- Honest, good, faithful, respectful, responsible, very honest, intelligent, trustworthy, and a deeply religious man that places his whole lie in the hands of the all trusting and knowing…show more content… Women and the influence they have on men- The women in the novel have a higher moral character then the men in the novel do. The women try to change the men’s idea of slavery and how wrong it is and to change their minds. The women are setting the moral example to follow, hoping that the men would change their minds and ideas about slavery.
2. Religion vs. the hypocrisy of white Christians who believed that slavery was okay- Religion was a major theme in the novel because it is a prominent characteristic of many of the lead characters. One of the main principals in the novel about religion is that God will redeem the people on earth who had suffered by giving them glory in heaven. This theme is laced all throughout the novel. Having faith and being a Christian brings its own rewards and reminds the readers that the view on slavery in the novel is an unchristian
