Building from the comparative discussion of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Frederick Douglass,
perhaps, we can turn our attention to the question of Christian redemption and salvation in Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852). How does Stowe view redemption and salvation both for individual characters and for the nation as a whole?
To answer this, we may also want to consider the question of justice. How does Stowe conceive of justice? Is justice a temporal concept--that is, an idea relating to earthly time and based in views of morality that are non-religious--or does it also have an eternal, divine component that unfolds both in life and the afterlife? Does the novel present us with the realization of justice for its principal protagonists: Cassy, Emmeline, Eliza Harris, George Harris, Eva, and Uncle Tom? What does justice look like for Stowe? Again, think of justice as being both in the "here and now" and in terms of eternity.
Of course, from these questions we can return to Douglass and his views on the same questions. These are the questions of the 1850s, which we see Stowe and Douglass confronting directly.
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I actually wrote my paper on the theme of religion for our papers that are due today!
ReplyDeleteBut, to answer this question, or attempt to answer this question, I would say that Stowe writes this novel, using religion, to inform society of the harshness of slavery. I believe she uses these characters as role models for the modern society of the time. She knew that she was taking a great risk in writing this novel, but because her beliefs were so strong, she stood up for what she believed in, and she fought for justice.
I believe that she wrote this novel, not only because she believes in the rights of all people equally, but because she wanted to persuade readers to change their cruel ways, allowing slavery to exist. Granted, the characters she mentions: the Shelbys, the Birds, Mr. St. Clare - they are all very good to their slaves, with the exception of Mrs. Bird, who does not agree with slavery at all. She is the first real character, at least, in my opinion, that stands up for them. Mrs. Shelby does not believe in slavery; however, she allows it to exist, and she also houses slaves. She is good to them, though... BUT, just because she is good to her slaves, does not make the act right... the only way to set the situation right would be to set the slaves free.
Further, she illustrates Legree treating Tom and others badly on his plantation, which, I believe was the idea of the novel. She wants readers to see the reality of slavery, and she wants there to be an end to it - no more playing house (referring to the Shelbys and Mr. St. Clare) - slavery needs to come to an end. now.
She uses Christianity to prove to society that if they claim that they are good Christians, yet they own slaves - what kind of Christian are they?? I believe her main focus is to make readers think, "am i really a moral person?" She wants people to realize how they contradict themselves, and she wants her characters to help influence the abolishment of slavery.
I don't necessarily have a view of the "afterlife" idea - only because I feel that the novel did pertain to the "here and now." Maybe it was her goal to make them think, "hey, maybe I won't have eternal life if I allow slavery to exist;" however, i think she wanted people to put an end to the cruelty, rather than think of themselves and their well-being after they die, and she proves this idea with Eva and Mrs. Bird.
Further, in her characters, the good ones, she expresses that they are selfless, so to think that she was trying to get society to think of themselves and their after life, I find that a little hard to believe. She wanted people, for once, to think of others and realize that we are all equal. We follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, but we do not do as he does... And, is that something we all learn in church (sorry if this is a risky statement) - to do as Christ does? To love one another. Not to judge. To treat all people equally?
I agree with alot of Kaitlin's points. I do think that Stowe was using Christianity throughout her novel to mock Christians who own slaves. Because really, like Kaitlin says, how can you call yourself a Christian, yet own slaves?
ReplyDeleteI also think that Stowe incorporates the characters of Uncle Tom and Eva for a reason. They are meant to show religion extremeists (sp?) in my opinion. Their characters contrast with other characters in the novel who favor direct action over religion.I think Stowe's purpose for that is to make the reader draw his or her own conclusions about the importance of religion and direct action, but I think she wants everyone to individually find their own balance. Because realistically, no one could ever be as pure and perfect as little Eva, and no one could ever have as much faith as Uncle Tom does.
As for justice, I think justice in Stowe's eyes is finding happiness within. Uncle Tom dies because he refuses to give up Cassy and Emmeline's location, but he's ready and willing to die. He accepts his fate and he's content with that. I think that's more of a slap in Legree's face than any physical harm Uncle Tom could have bestowed upon Legree. Eliza and her family reach freedom in Canada and they're happy there. Emmeline kills her child because of how she became inpregnated, yet she still manages to escape and reach freedom. Stowe does not look down on Emmeline for killing her own child, I think she sympathizes with Emmeline and is happy that she reaches freedom. So for Stowe, justice is a relevant term. It has nothing to do with escaping slavery, or not escaping slavery... I think it has to do with finding happiness within.
In her novel, Stowe presents the idea of religion and justice in a unique way. Some of the characters are presented as "Christian-like," although they don't really follow the morals of a Christian. Characters like Uncle Tom posess the true morals for the religious type. He does what is really "sacrifice for the greater good." He has the chance to escape early in the novel, but chooses not to if only to remain loyal. He also felt that staying would help the other slaves. Even if something bad were to happen to hm, Uncle Tom looked out for everyone else. He posessed the faith and selflessness that would be needed for someone who truly is "Christian-like." By combining characters who posess the moral value with those who don't, Stowe was able to bring out the difference with good and evil.
ReplyDeleteStowe's novel is definitely rooted in Christian values and much of the novel is concerned with the salvation of the characters. I think Stowe's view of justice is something that unfolds both on earth and also, and perhaps more importantly, in the after-life. While I was cheering when I read that Loker was finally injured and possibly on death's door step- a fate that seemed fully justified- Stowe took the time in her narration to make sure that Loker's soul was secured, finding salvation and redemption in the kindness of the Quakers.
ReplyDeleteI believe that for Stowe, Uncle Tom's triumph over Legree through his death, truly was justice. Uncle Tom's death led to the freedom for all the slaves on the Shelby plantation and in his death he did not forsake his faith.
I also think that Douglass very much thought of justice as both a "here and now" concept and "afterlife". I think that Douglass believed that all of the slaves holders that may have been proclaiming their Christian religion while owning slaves are burning in hell.
Stowe does present readers with the type of justice that we could expect: Cassy and Emmeline get their freedom as do Eliza, and George. Uncle Tom gets his eternal freedom in heaven as does Eva. Haley never captures Eliza and and Harry, Legree's two top slaves turned to God at the end of the novel.
The impression I got was that Stowe valued Christian morality more than anything, and measured remdeption and justice accordingly. In the novel there does not seem to be a whole lot of hope presented for the salvation of the nation, but it is presented as a possibility for individuals.
ReplyDeleteIn the "here and now" there is justice more for those characters who don't die. Eva, of course, has justice in both the here and now and in eternity, having basically been a saint on earth. Tom's case is similar, having been as pious (and perhaps more so, being pushed to the very limits in ways that Eva was not) as Eva. At first I did not think there could be justice for Tom, besides his reward of Heaven, but after thinking a lot about it I have to change my opinion. As far as Tom and justice are concerned, I don't think we have much choice but to look at it from his perspective. For him, it was portrayed as the ultimate triumph; he defeated evil (for himself at least) and dying was never something he was afraid of, or even thought of as death. Considering his level of piety, it seems that Tom would be just as content with "death" as with freedom, only he was not willing to break with religion in order to free himself.
In the conclusion of Uncle Tom's Cabin, as a whole there is justice for everyone, from the slaves themselves, in their individual ways, to the slaveholders, who certainly got theirs in the end, for the most part.
While there is a "here and now" justice present in Stowe's novel, I think that ultimately all sense of justice boils down to eternity and divinity. After all, revenge is the Lord's.
ReplyDeleteFor example, here and now justice includes the escape of Cassy and Emmeline. They gained their freedom from slavery and, of course, that in itself is justice. However, Stowe clearly is not just satisfied with them escaping. In the end, she also has Cassy rededicate her life to the religion she lost. I believe, at least in a sense, that for Stowe, this is ultimate justice, when even the most trodden and weary of souls, who has done terrible things, still finds Christ in the end.
Another element of justice indeed includes show-casing the hypocrisy of supposedly good Christians who still own slaves. For each of these hypocrites something happens to them that shows to all the wrongs they are committing by staying within the system. Shelby, for example, in breaking his promise to Tom and selling Eliza's son, loses three good, loyal, dedicated slaves. So, in addition to harming themselves spiritually, they harm themselves here on Earth as well.
However, back to the spiritual element, it is worth noting that Uncle Tom's Christ-like sacrifice really is not merely justice on Earth. It is justice from God. The fact that Tom bears all of his punishment to the death is a testament to the truth of God and possibly the strength of God imparted to Tom even during the beating, and how Legree's blaspheming of God ultimately means nothing. Legree's failure to break Tom and subsequent break down come together to show justice against the cruelest of slaveholders in the book. This justice is on Earth, but from God.
Ah, if only more had the will of Uncle Tom, no?
I tend to agree with just about all the points that everyone has made so I won't bother summarizing what everyone has said. The question that I have regarding Stowe's take on justice and redemption is why is it so easy for her characters to find redemption?
ReplyDeleteWhen St. Clare dies it appears that he is reunited with his mother, or at the very least that he might be on his way to heaven. My question is what did St. Clare do to deserve that? The man may have been nice to his slaves, but he still owned them. Despite the fact that he told his dying daughter that he would free his slaves, he never actually does it. Is Stowe saying that just being nice to your slaves is enough to forgive you for having them in the first place? Does having the intention to free them, without actually doing it, make up for his ownership of slaves?
It is a similar question regarding Loker. The fact that he was so easily forgiven raised an eyebrow for me. Obviously it is likely that Stowe is trying to express her opinion that anyone can be forgiven, but I believe it is a very contradictory message she is sending. She wants to point out how wrong slavery is and how true Christians should not own slaves, but then it seems like she is saying that no matter what they do, they will find salvation. Or maybe I'm just reading this the wrong way.
That is an excellent question. However, I feel as though redemption is easy only because it appears easy. Everyone who is redeemed in the book goes through pain before they see the light. St. Clare lost his daughter, for example, and he died -before- he could free his slaves. I believe that Stowe allowed him to be redeemed because his intentions became noble.
ReplyDeleteIn the case of Loker, he gets shot and stares death in the face. Anyone can indeed be redeemed as long as, in addition to believing, they have a genuine change of heart. Loker (apparently) has one of these, so it's not really contradictory in that sense. Anyone, no matter how evil, can be saved. Of course, I view the idea of redemption purely from a Christian perspective, so you be the judge.
I will say this though. I find some of Stowe's characters hard to believe. The way people like Tom Loker behave feels inconsistent, whether or not it really is. He seems to behave the way Stowe wants him to behave rather than the way his character ought to behave according to his traits. So I agree, at least in part, with your comment on Loker.