Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

Uncle Tom is a pious, loving, forgiving, trustworthy, dedicated, industrious, selfless and peaceful slave. Uncle Toms character was largely influenced by Bibles ideals and values. If I was Uncle Tom, I would have taken advantage of several opportunities that presented themselves to me and freed myself from the shackles of slavery. He failed to take advantage of many opportunities that would have made him a free man. If I was Uncle Tom, I would have avenged the injustices committed on me, my family and my race. He was a victim of many injustices, yet he did nothing to ensure the perpetrators pay for their actions. I would have championed for abolition of slavery had I been Uncle Tom. Uncle Tom failed to take advantage of his influence and little education to advocate for emancipation of African Americans and mulattos from slavery.

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If I was Uncle Tom, I would have escaped from slavery and not stayed put. Despite all the opportunities that availed themselves and would have made him free from ugly hands of slavery, he did not escape. Before Uncle Tom was sold by Arthur Shelby to the slave trader, Arthur had originally intended Uncle Tom to be sold together with Harry, a son of Arthur Shelbys maid. On acquainting herself with what her master was planning, the maid successfully escapes with his son leaving only Uncle Tom to be sold. This is despite the fact that Eliza had warned Tom and his wife about the imminent danger. Matter of fact, Uncle Tom refused to run away and gave in to the hands of Haley, the slave trader. The sale of Uncle Tom reveals that Arthur Shelby was ungrateful for the many years Uncle Tom had worked for him. Uncle Tom was an honest man who worked steadily and tirelessly in managing Shelbys farm. Arthur Shelby being in a financial abyss does not justify him selling Uncle Tom. Tom had always been faithful to his master; the act of Arthur Shelby selling Tom is tantamount to betraying a man who has never been nothing but loyal to you. If I was Uncle Tom and for many years I had been faithful and worked tirelessly for my master yet he sells me to slavery, I would have surely escaped if an opportunity arose. Eliza, the maid, was hurt when she learnt that the slave master she had been loyal to for many years had come to a decision of selling his only son. Eliza had gone through tribulations in her pursuit of having children; she had lost two children by miscarriage before she successfully gave birth to Harris. Eliza had mourned the death of her children with a profound grief to the extent that her mistress at that time implored her to take her mourning a notch lower. The birth of Harris had brought profound happiness in Elizas life. Eliza loved Harris to death because before she had him, she had long asked God to bless him with a child. Tom had on opportunity to escape from his new slave master, St. Clare but he did not. St. Clare treated Tom with humanity and kindness. St. Clare never imposed any sanctions on Uncle Tom; he treated his slave as if he was a free person. If I was Tom, I would have taken advantage of the non-restrictive conditions around St. Clares farm and escaped from slavery. However, Tom was profoundly touched by the Christian faith that Eva, St. Clares daughter and him shared. Uncle Tom went ahead to develop a close bond with Eva. Eva was against slave trade and advocated for all human beings to be treated equally regardless of the color of their skin. During those times, many slaves who escaped aimed to travel to Canada because most of the fugitive slaves who had escaped to Canada became free men. There were stories during that era of fugitive slaves fleeing to Canada and becoming self- sufficient, free people. After Eliza escaped from Shelby, she met her husband who had earlier escaped from his slave master and they made a decision to travel to Canada so that they may become self- sufficient, free people.

If I was Uncle Tom, I would have avenged all the injustices committed on me, my family and my race. He had suffered a lot in the hands of several slave masters. Uncles Tom first slave master was a benevolent man but due to a financial crisis, he decided to sell Uncle Tom so that he may clear his debts. Being sold to another slave master meant that Uncle Tom had to be separated from his loving family; he had a wife and children. Despite the hurt and suffering that Uncle Tom went through in the hands of different slave masters, he did not avenge on them. Uncles Tom long-suffering is attributed to his Christian values. He is forgiving; despite being beaten savagely by Legrees henchmen he forgives them. Uncle Tom and Eva had a close relationship because they both advocated for love and forgiveness. Evas affection for Tom developed after he rescued her from drowning. The gesture Tom displayed by rescuing Eva from drowning made Eva request her father to buy Tom from Haley, the slave trader. Uncle Tom later accompanied Eva to their home where they developed a close-knit relationship. Their close-knit relationship was later compounded by their Christian faith, values and beliefs. If I was Uncle Tom, I would not have forgiven the men who beat him savagely following the escape of Cassy and Emmeline. Uncle Tom was selfless to the extent that he encouraged his fellow slaves, Cassy and Emmeline to escape from their slave master yet he remained in his slave masters plantation. The men beat him after realizing that Cassy and Emmeline had escaped in his presence; matter of fact, Uncle Tom had encouraged them to escape. Uncle Tom later succumbed to the injuries inflicted on him by the beatings and died.

George Harris, Elizas husband had learnt the hard way that slave masters are ungrateful; a lesson that Uncle Tom failed to learn. George Harris was a handsome young man who had been married to Eliza before the two of them became separated by slavery. George Harris had been an invaluable slave to his master; he exhibited ingenuity in his undertakings and was rated the best worker in the bagging factory he worked. Despite George Harris limited education, he had invented the machine that was used for cleaning of hemp; a mark of genius. George Harris had always been pleasant at the factory and was generally, the favorite worker. George soon attracted a lot of attention from other slave masters who were surprised that a mere slave could invent a machine of so much value. After a short period, the attention that George was receiving started irritating his master. The irritation by Georges master later developed into insecurity. Georges master later demoted and ordered him to work by hoeing and digging so that he may stop receiving all the attention. The gesture by Georges master made him hate his life; there is an instance where he avers that he wished he had never been born. A slave hunter by the name Tom Locker attempted to stop Eliza and his family from travelling to Canada but eventually, they succeed in crossing to Canada and become free. Emmeline and Cassy successfully escape from the plantation owned by their slave master, Simon Legree leaving behind Uncle Tom who had encouraged them to escape. Eventually, the duo of Cassy and Emmeline met a sister of George Harris who helped them cross to Canada and became free from the bondages of slavery. Later in the story, Cassy uncovers that her daughter who was sold into slavery is Eliza; the separated family becomes united and they live harmoniously thereafter.

I would have championed for abolition of slavery had I been Uncle Tom. Uncle Tom had developed substantial influence on his masters due to his industriousness and capability to carry out his undertakings. Arthur Shelby described him as a pious, honest and faithful slave. St. Clare described Uncle Tom as a religious, invaluable and pious individual. Simon Legree, Uncle Toms third slave master was astonished by his commitment to Christian ideals and values. Legree is moved by the fact that despite beating Tom in a vicious manner, Tom doesnt stop having faith in God and providing solace to the other slaves by reading them inspirational verses from the Bible. Given that Uncle Tom had positively touched the lives of his three slave masters, he would have had a major impact if he stood up as one of the pioneer African Americans championing for the abolition of slavery. Before St. Clares death, he had pledged to free Uncle Tom but this never materialized. Following St. Clares death, his wife Emily- a self-absorbed woman reneged on his promise to ensure that Uncle Tom is made a free man. If I was Uncle Tom, I would have made sure that I am at the frontline of advocating for respect of African Americans lives and rights by leading a movement that would have ensured that all slaves are freed. Uncle Tom was a little bit educated and had the necessary exposure that was required to lead a movement aimed at freeing African American slaves. Despite the qualities Uncle Tom had that would have championed the freedom of the slaves, he decided to take a back seat on the matter. I will be justified to state that Uncle Tom let down his race. George Harris, a mulatto, understood the importance of human freedom and played a major role in emancipating the black man from both mental and physical slavery. Harris facilitated the crossing of his family from the United States into Canada. African Americans who crossed from America into Canada often acquired a free- man status. Following the successful crossing of Harris and his family into Canada, many other fugitive slaves who ran away from their slave masters were inspired to successfully cross into Canada.