Chapters 1-5

This forum is for the discussion of Uncle Tom's Cabin, Chapters 1-5.

This book starts out with the setting of the Kentucky farmer. The life of slavery was hard. Aside from the work the families were broken up and their feelings were not taken into account.

I read that Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote this book so the Northern people could see how the Southern people with their slaves lived. She was from Connecticut. I wonder where she got all her information.

The characters that intrigue me are George, Eliza and Harry. It was such a sad situation that they were forced into. They were at least happy to stay as a family, but that wasn’t good enough for the owners. I don’t agree with the slavery situation, but if it had to happen, they could have at least kept the families together. The Shelby’s tried to do that.

We aren’t into the book enough to find out what happens to Tom, but because of the name of the book, we can figure that Tom will either stay or come back. Who knows?

When I was young, I watched the mini-series “Roots.” It moved me and really showed the life and tragedy of the slaves. I think it was the late seventies. Do you remember it Karen?

In these chapters we are introduced to some of the main characters and themes of the story. We see that even though the Shelby's are 'good' slave owners, their actions ruin the families of their slaves, which points our that no slavery is 'good'.

Very cool that you saw that, the Shelby's and other "good" slave owners have the same dilemna.

the first chapters outine the way of life for a landowner in a slave holding state. I don't think they were typical. It sounded like they were nicer to their people than most and only had to sell Tom and Harry under duress. eliza is a quadrooon, meaning she is half white. How interesting that that she would automatically fall under the 'slave'

It is interesting, but think about how many cultures hold onto being 1/16 this or 1/32 that or even 1/64. It doesn't surprise me that on the flip side, slave owners would hold on to a 1/2 black individual.

Later in the book someone says something about the possible rise of the slave population in the future...led by those who have the sole of their mothers (black) and the knowledge of their fathers (white) to create the shift in power necessary. I think this particular population probably was more at risk than others.

Through watching Roots back in the late 70's the plantation owners had their sexual pleasures with the black slaves. It happened more than we know. I think it is in Uncle Tom's Cabin that they call them Mulatto, isn't it.

If you have a tich of black in you, you were a slave or considered black.

That's a good point, Brienne. Some races are very proud of being 1/16th something and if you are native you can collect government money if you can prove it. In the case of being black i know people who looked white would try and keep it a secret if they were part black, back in the day. Even back in the '70's! Marak OBama is considered 'black'.

You are so right.

OK now I need to vent.

I hate it when the blacks are called "Afro-American" for their own gain. How many generations is it going to be before they stop isolating their skin color and calling themselves Afro-American.

I am the first generation of my family to be born in USA. I think I should be referred to as Polish-Russian-Czech-American.

If they are going to be considered Afro-etc. then they are isolating themselves.

Lucian (a co-worker) said that on an intro to a Looney Tunes tape for his kids Whoopi Goldberg stated that "the 30-40-50's were pretty harsh on women and minorities. These facts were true, but we should just look back at these as history and enjoy the show."

He is going to bring it in so I can see it, but I admire her for that. She is moving on in her views of history. Too many people are not.

Ok - Sorry about that, it did have to relate to Uncle Tom's Cabin.

I can see how that would relate to Uncle Toms Cabin!
It's interesting to read asides to the book that show a bit of what us as individuals are like, since we don't all know one another!