Chapters 17-19

This forum is for the discussion of Uncle Tom's Cabin, Chapters 17-19.

Eliza, George and Harry escape in the night. The slave hunter Loker is on their trail. Loker corners them. George stands up and makes a declaration that he is not going to live by the laws of this country. Loker gets shot and abandoned by his crew. I read in Spark Notes that Stowe was trying to get readers (mostly from the North) to understand the human side of slavery. She portrayed the slaves as humans with families, feelings and horrible treatment from their owners. This was one way she presented this situation. I’m not sure how the Southern people felt about this book. I could only guess. It was written in the 1850’s so there was still a lot of inhumane actions still being taken place.

It amazed me that when they got back to Tom in the book that he earned St. Claire’s trust and therefore took over his finances. That is really out there. I’m glad to see that Tom found a tolerable place to live with Eva. Eva shows us her unselfishness by helping Tom write the letter that might reunite him with his family. To be so selfless in a child is astounding.

We learn of Prue and her horrible situation and Stowe gives us more horrible stories of slaves who were treated so badly. She was first a baby factory and then all her children were taken except for one. That little baby was starved to death because they wouldn’t let her take care of it. We see again that Eva is exposed to all these tragedies and it saddens her more.

Stowe has a wonderful way of portraying the evils of slavery and still lets us tolerate the book by giving us hope throughout the book that some of these characters have a small chance for happiness.

I thought that it was amazing, and showed the developing character of George, that he helped Tom Loker back to a home to receive aid. I think that this is more of Stowe's 'romanticizing' of the race.

I thought that the conversation between Ophelia and Mr. St. Clare was a bit long, and I started to feel my mind wandering.

Southerners made fun of Uncle Toms Cabin at the time it came out and really raked it over the coals in editorials and newspapers. People from the south thought it was incredibly naive. I believe there was some reference to it in Gone With the Wind. people used the word 'uncle Tom' in a deraugitory fashion back then and maybe still do.

I agree, when this book came out the southerners were very much aware of the perception that people would have of them if Uncle Tom's Cabin was read.

Stowe did a wonderful job with her messages in the book.