Scott J. Held
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Historical Fiction

Uncle Tom’s Cabin is an American classic; written by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852, it is a fictional novel that deals with slavery, racism and the prejudice against blacks in pre-Civil War America. It is set in the south in the states of Kentucky and Louisiana, and focuses on the personal struggles of one slave: Tom, a middle-aged mulatto man whose faith in his religion allows him to retain his morals and love for his fellow beings no matter what difficult circumstances he is forced to deal with. The book also follows the journey of Eliza, a black slave who escapes from her masters after hearing they were planning to sell her son Harry; she travels miles in an effort to make her way to Canada and freedom. Throughout the story the reader comes face-to-face with the hopelessness of a slave’s situation and the varying opinions on slavery across the United States.

Overall, I enjoyed Uncle Tom’s Cabin and there were many interesting messages portrayed throughout the plot. At the beginning it was a difficult book to get into because of the style of writing and the way the characters spoke, but the plot does a good job of drawing the reader in. Although Uncle Tom’s Cabin is a fictional tale, it is a good depiction of historical events in America and is actually adapted from a series of true stories the author knew of. The book deals mostly with racial stereotypes and the mistreatment of slaves but also dwells on religion and how many whites felt about slavery, revealing that the general opinion on owning slaves was not black and white. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the book was the persona of the main character; Tom’s trust and faith in God allows him to overcome any obstacle and this earns him not only respect and admiration from his fellow slaves but from some of his masters as well. Despite being depicted as a simple, well-meaning man Tom is actually a very complex character and it makes for an interesting read.

I would certainly recommend this book to a friend, because although it is not an easy book to read - particularly for non-native speakers who would have to adjust to the strange manner of speak - it is a very interesting book and one that encourages you to think about the ideals in the story. The strongest trait of Uncle Tom’s Cabin is how it deals with the issue of slavery; instead of describing it as something very straightforward - loved in the south, despised in the north; all masters are cruel, all slaves are suffering - it is an honest portrayal of how things were in a pre-Civil War USA. Harriet Beecher Stow does not say whether slavery is right or wrong, but the story has one clear message: slavery is harmful for both the slave and the master