Chapters 24-28

This forum is for the discussion of Uncle Tom's Cabin, Chapters 24-28

Eva doesn't weather the Lake vacation well. She starts showing signs of illness again. She sees her demise coming close.

Back to the era where religion is a strong influence, little Eva cuts some of her locks of hair off and gives them to her friends (slaves) to remind them of her and to be Christians. During her last days the slaves show their kindness and love to her. Stowe is showing us that at this point in the book there is no boundaries of love. Topsy takes a turn and becomes a loving child during this process of Eva's. Eva passes away and Tom takes the opportunity to help St. Claire become a Christian. He feels it in his heart.

Miss Ophelia gets the ownership of Topsy and has plans to take her back to the North and have her lead a Christian life. I'm sure many situations like these took place in the border states.

I think that Stowe had a great advantage living in a borderstate because it was extremely controversial.

As the tragedy of St. Claire unfolds, us as readers are set up for the impending sale of the slaves.

This book moves very fast and keeps us wondering. Up til now I had hope that everyone of the main characters would live happily ever after. NOT! I can see it coming.

I noticed in these chapters, Stowe uses the conversations and thoughts of Ophelia and St. Clare to directly tell the reader what to do. We see the conversion, and worry about what is to come since it is too late for his will.

What an emotional couple of chapters.

I think we also see idealized behavior of both the Christian and the slaves, when Tom refuses to go home to his family.

I thought Eva would die. she was to perfect to live. she was able to convince Topsy to be good just for her sake. Topsy is 'saved' by becoming good and becoming christian and getting her papers transfered o Ophelia. ophelia recognizes her own faults, partly i think by finding out that topsy could sense her repressed disgust to being touched by a black person. Eva's mom acts just like I thought she would as did St. Clare. I was not expecting his death.