The Social Criticisms in Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin A
THE SOCIAL CRITICISMS IN STOWE’S UNCLE TOM’S CABIN
A Thesis
Submitted to the Faculty of Letters Hasanuddin University
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain
a Sarjana Degree in English Department
EKO AJITIRTA
F211 09 417
MAKASSAR
2015
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The long journey of this study would not have been completed without the help and guidance from the almighty Allah SWT as well as kind supervision, support, and assistance from many people in a variety of ways. The writer deep thanks go to the late R.M. Soerjaphatman and beloved mother Jum’ani, S.Pd for their everlasting loves, cares, and prays so that the writer is able to reach the final destination of his study project.
The writer wishes to express his deep appreciation for the people who have made positive contribution to the writer study.
The writer sincere thanks go to Dr. Abidin Pammu, M.A. Dipl.
TESOL, the main supervisor, for his valuable feedback and correction of the thesis. I would like to convey my most sincere gratitude to him for his time and patience in providing correction of the thesis. His constant concern and guidance provides me encouragement to complete the writer study at the English Department, Faculty of Letter Hasanuddin University.
The writer deep appreciation also goes to Drs. M. Amir P., M. Hum, the writer co-supervisor, for his guidance and direction as well as his most valuable insights regarding the substance and content of the writer thesis.
I am so grateful to his expertise in literary analysis that has been so inspiring during supervision. Many thanks indeed to both of their encouragement and without whose continuous supervision and support the writer might not be able to finish this study project.
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The writer would like to use this opportunity to express sincere thanks to friends and relatives who made great contribution to my study.
My thankfulness to Reski Saleh, S.S. and Sulfadli Marda, S.S. for providing additional guidance for the writer during his thesis. I would like to express my thanks to Didin, Michox, Rijal, Aslam, Rehan, Andi, Oji,
Bandaz, Lala, Docha, Oki, Nini, Benjo, and others whom the writer could not mention all for the moments we have share in Campus. My thanks go to all members of Redemption 09 for the great memory during my study.
Last, but least, thanks for all members of PERISAI FS-UH who have shared their friendliness to the writer.
Makassar, 19 Mei 2015
Writer
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Abstrak
Eko Ajitirta. 2015. The Social Criticism in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin (Di bimbing oleh Abidin Pammu dan M. Amir P.)
Penelitian ini dimaksudkan untuk mempelajari kondisi sosial di Amerika sebelum pecahnya Perang Saudara. Pada masa itu perbudakan masih dianggap normal dan terdapat banyak regulasi untuk mendukung praktik-praktik perbudakan. Penulis novel sadar bahwa para budak juga manusia yang memiliki cinta, emosi, perasaan, dan harga diri. Perbudakan mengandung tindakan yang tidak manusiawi dan melanggar Hak Asasi Manusia, sehingga praktik-praktik perbudakan harus dihentikan. Cerita ini menarik untuk di kaji karena menggambarkan perbandingan yang jelas antara fiksi dan kenyataan dalam sejarah negara Amerika.
Penelitian ini menggunakan strukturalisme genetic yang mengkombinasikan analisis terhadap elemen intrinsik dan elemen extrinsik. Pendekatan intrinsik difokuskan kepada elemen-elemen di dalam novel sementara pendekatan ekstrinsik digunakan menganalisa aspek sosial di dalam novel. Peneliti memanfaatkan beragam refrensi yang berhubungan dengan latar belakang penulisan novel dan kondisi sosial pada masa novel ini ditulis.
Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa perbudakan dapat dilihat sebagai kondisi yang natural terjadi di Amerika pada masa itu. Warga kulit putih Amerika menyaksikan kemunculan perbudakan, tapi tidak melakukan usaha-usaha untuk mencegah terjadinya tindak kekerasan terhadap para budak. Perbudakan bahkan dilihat sebagai suatu keuntungan dalam hal-hal tertentu oleh rakyat Amerika. Bagaimanapun, perbudakan tetap dianggap sebagai hal yang tidak manusiawi karena perbudakan memicu terjadinya kondisi sosial yang tragis. Situasi tersebutlah yang memicu kaum Pembebas untuk menjunjung tinggi keadilan sosial bagi kemanusiaan di Amerika.
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Abstract
Eko Ajitirta. 2015. The Social Criticism in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin (Supervised by Abidin Pammu and M. Amir P.)
This thesis addresses the social condition in America before Civil War. Slavery at that time was still considered normal and as such regulation was established to deal with it. The author was aware that slave was part of human that concerned love, emotion, feeling, and pride. The Slavery contained dehumanization that against civil rights so it must be eradicated every where. The story atracted the public because it presents a comparison between the history and reality in American.
Genetic structuralism, a combination of both intrinsic and extrinsic element was used to analyze the novel. The intrinsic approach concerns the elements of the novel while the extrinsic approach deals with the social aspects of the novel. This aspect can be enriched through reading related references that have relation with the background of the novel and social condition at the time of writing.
The result of the analysis demonstrated that slavery was merely seen as a natural condition in America at the time. The white people witnessed the emergence of slavery but no efforts were performed to prevent such cruelty. Slavery was even seen as advantages in some part of America. However, slavery was considered inhuman because it encouraged tragic social condition. This situation encouraged the Abolitionists to eradicate dehumanization that against social justice in American society.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE ...... i
LEGITIMACY...... ii
APPROVAL ...... iii
AGREEMENT ...... iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ...... v
ABSTRAK ...... vii
ABSTRACT
...... vii i
TABLE OF CONTENTS ...... ix
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ...... 1
1.1. Background of Research ...... 1
1.2. Scope of the Problems ...... 4
1.3. Research Questions ...... 4
1.4. Objectives of the Writing...... 4
1.5. Sequence of the Chapters ...... 5
CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW ...... 6
2.1. Theoretical Background ...... 6
2.2. Intrinsic Element ...... 7
2.2.1. Theme ...... 8
2.2.2. Plot ...... 9
2.2.3. Character and Characterization ...... 10
2.2.4. Setting ...... 11
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2.3. Genetic Structuralism ...... 11
2.3.1. Slavery ...... 12
2.3.2. Racism ...... 15
2.3.3. Discrimination ...... 17
2.3.4. The Civil War ...... 20
CHAPTER III METHODS of
RESEARCH...... 2
7
3.1. Method of Collecting Data ...... 27
3.2. Method of Analyzing Data ...... 28
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS ...... 2
9
4.1. Intrinsic Element ...... 29
4.1.1. Character and Characterization ...... 29
4.1.2. Setting ...... 34
4.1.3. The Plot ...... 38
4.1.4. Theme ...... 50
4.2. Slavery ...... 51
4.2.1. Slave as Property ...... 51
4.2.2. The Unpaid and Mistreated Slaves ...... 55
4.2.3. The Prohibitions for The Slave ...... 56
4.2.4. The Punishments for The Slave...... 61
4.3. Racism ...... 65
x
4.4. Discrimination ...... 66
4.4.1. Discrimination in Realistic Competition ...... 67
4.4.2. Discrimination in Social Competition ...... 67
4.4.3. Discrimination in Consensual Discrimination ...... 68
4.5. The Quakers and The Underground Railroad ......
...... 69
4.6. Relationship between The Novel and The Civil War ...... 70
4.7. The Criticism in The Story by The Author ......
...... 76
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION and SIGNIFICANCE of THE
STUDY ...... 7
8
5.1. Conclusion ...... 78
5.2. Significance of the Study ...... 80
BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 81
APPENDIX ...... 88
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of Reaserch
The social aspect is one of the most popular research that has
been the main concern of many professional researchers and
educators. This is generally understood because human beings are
social creature who cannot live without interaction with other people.
The social condition has both advantages and disadvantages to
human life. People may live peacefully and comfortable if they live in
a good society. For example, some people would be happy if the
society with healthy neighborhood; the social where people
understand to each other and they treat other people based on
Character of Human Right and Freedom.
There are some kinds of social condition that people may find
such us education, violence, food supply, racism, discrimination, and
slavery. In some cases those social conditions emerge in the same
time and place. Some social conditions may appear as reaction to the
other social condition. One social condition can be a trigger to another
social condition which is like a butterfly effect.
Many social conditions are reflected in literature such as novel,
poem, drama, and so on. Literature itself is one of human creations
that can provide and describe human experiences between humans,
and humans experience with the environment. Literature involves all
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 1
aspects of human life that expresses various feelings; emotions,
thoughts and views about life and truth. The literary works employed
language as its medium.
Literary work especially novel is usually concerned with fictitious
people or events since they are produced through the imagination of
the author. Although the source of imagination or inspiration
sometimes comes from reality, for instance, living society or politics
are mixed with the author’s interpretation of those events. Because of
this, the production of a literary work is usually considered as the
author’s imaginative invention or creative work of writing.
The story is based on the process of composing views,
interpretation, and judgments about events that ever happened or
processing of the events that took place only in the author’s
imagination. The series of events that occur in the novel are the idea
and author’s experience because the novel also has an educational
function and expansion of thinking, and it can serve as guidelines for
actions. According to Wellek (1990:282) “The novel is a picture of real
life and manner, and of the time and which it is written. The romance
is lofty and elevated language describes what never happened nor is
likely to happen”.
However, since the source sometimes emerges from the real
thing, there are still universal values that can be obtained. Moreover,
the authors, as human being, cannot rid themselves of their feelings
and emotions. Human qualities are possibly involved to motivate the
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 2
story. If these matters were considered, human ideals, goals, and
feelings may be found.
Meanwhile, reading literary work does not only permit us to
understand life from all its aspect, but also the same time it permits us
to know how an author interprets life, what it means to them. Besides
that, it also permits a person to interpret how they think life could be,
that is, in an ideal level.
In reading a novel, a reader can find many experiences about
daily life as Guerin say:
A novel, that is, an extended prose narrative dealing with characters within the frame work of plot …but both character and situation or events may be drawn from real life. It may emphasize action or adventure or it may concrete on character delineation (that is, the way people grow or deteriorate or remain static in the happening of life); or it may illustrate a theme either aesthetically or propagandistically. (Guerin, 1979:49)
The writer decides to analyze the novel of an American woman
writer, Harriet Beecher Stowe, she is one of the nineteenth century
novelists. She is one of many American authors whose concern to
slavery.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin is written in the sentimental and
melodramatic style common to the nineteenth century sentimental
novel and domestic fiction also called women’s fiction. These genres
are the most popular novels of Stowe’s time and tended to feature
female main characters and a writing style which evoked a reader’s
sympathy and emotion. Even though Stowe’s novel differs from other
sentimental novels by focusing on a large theme like slavery and by
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 3
having a man as the main character, she still set out to elicit certain
strong feeling from her readers. The power in this type of writing can
be seen in the reaction of contemporary readers.
1.2 Scope of Problems
The social condition on the period before civil war was the
background that encourages the author to write the social critics in
America and the way the author presents the social critics in the novel
Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The emphasis of the writing is on social criticism
reflected in Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
1.3 Research Questions
1. What are the social conditions reflected in Uncle Tom’s Cabin?
2. How social criticisms are presented in the novel by the author?
1.4 Objective of Writing
Base on the scope of problems, the writer formulates the
objective of writing as follows;
1. To describe the social conditions reflected in the novel Uncle
Tom’s Cabin.
2. To provide a description how criticisms are reflected in the novel
Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 4
1.5 Sequence of Chapters
This thesis consists of five chapters that related to each other.
Those are:
Chapter one covers introduction chapter, the background of
research, the identification of problems, scope of problems, research
question, the objective of the writing, and the sequence of chapter.
Chapter two presents the theoretical background, the element of
novel, the explanation about social condition in literature study, and an
overview of American Civil War.
Chapter three is the methodology which used by the writer and
the source of data then continued by Chapter four that conclude the
data presentation and description of research that consist of data
analysis.
Chapter five is closing chapter. It contains the conclusion about
the research and significance of the study.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 5
CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW
3.1 Theoretical Background
Novel is a long narrative in literary prose, usually in story form, and
the most popular form of literature. Novel also is a long fictional story
in prose could be the author’s view of life and some problem of life, or
the author’s criticism. Novel is also a prose narrative that presents
characters and actions in a plot. It can happen in a certain time. Novel
as one of fiction classification may be or can be the picture or human
life in reality (in Kennedy, 1991: 276)
Moreover, the writer concludes that a novel is a picture real of life,
people, and manners when it’s written. The writer chooses the novel
Uncle Tom’s Cabin because the novel gives the picture real of life,
which in daily life people have an explanation for his or her action to
do something. Uncle Tom’s Cabin is the novel that fulfill about the
motivation, which the main character, Stowe, have some motivation to
achieve her goal. This novel focused on her journey towards self-
experience, faith, and freedom.
There are two approaches in analyzing the literary works. They
are intrinsic and extrinsic approach. Intrinsic approach is a kind of
approach which analyzes literary works based on the text and
structural point of literary works; characters, plot, setting, style, point
of view, etc. Extrinsic approach is a kind of approach which analyzes
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 6
the relationship between the content of theory, religion, psychology,
social, biography, and so on. (Renne Wellek and Austin: 1970)
3.2 Intrinsic Element
The structure of literary works consists of form and content. The
form is the writing style of the author, whereas the content is the idea
expressed by the authors in their works. The form and the content
cannot separate, because both of them are similarly important. Literary
works structure consist theme, plot, and character and
characterization. Those elements build the literary work.
Hawkes in Pradopo, quoted in Farida (2004:2002) says:
Structuralisme itu pada dasarnya merupakan cara berpikir tentang dunia yang terutama berhubungan tanggapan dan deskripsi struktur-struktur. Menurut pikiran strukturalisme, dunia (karya sastra merupakan dunia yang diciptakan pengarang) lebih merupakan susunan hubungan dari pada hubungan benda-benda. Oleh karena itu kodrat tiap unsur dalam struktur itu tidak mempunyai makna dengan sendirinya, melainkan maknanya ditentukan oleh hubungan dengan semua unsur lainnya yang terkandung dalam struktur itu.
Based on the statement above, the writer assumes that
structuralism avoids extrinsic element in analyze literary works.
Structuralism approach is the first step in understanding a literary
work. Next, it is important to analyze the word outside the literary work
to look upon the literary with its relevant to social, history, and cultural
aspects.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 7
Structurally there are two kinds of approaches, intrinsic and
extrinsic approach. This is emphasized by Semi in Farida (2004:25)
that is:
Struktur luar dan struktur dalam ini merupakan unsur atau bagian yang secara fungsional berhubungan satu sama lainnya. Bila kedua unsur itu satu sama lain tidak berhubungan maka ia tidak dapat dinamakan struktur. Dan tentu saja struktur itu sendiri harus dilihat dari satu titik pandangan tertentu. Struktur luar atau ekstrinsik dianggap sebagai bagian dari struktur yang membangun sebuah fiksi bila ia kita anggap member pengaruh terhadap keseluruhan struktur fiksi itu, terutama bila fiksi atau karya sastra itu sendiri dianggap sebagai mimesis atau penceminan kehidupan atau interpretasi tentang kehidupan.
Structural approach is use to analyze the literary works objectively.
Structuralism focuses to the intrinsic element of literary works, such as
theme, plot, character and characterization, and setting.
3.2.1 Theme
Reading literary work such as novel is not only for
pleasure but it also wants to know what the author’s message
or to question the meaning that consists in the story. According
to Nurgiyantoro (2005:85) the invention of theme should be
questioning what the motivation, how the attitudes and views on
the issue, what he or she thinks, and he or she did, and how
decisions are taken. Theme has common generalization, wider,
and abstract. The author gives the theme in the story implicitly
and obsesses the whole story. The author delivers his/her
story’s message by the theme.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 8
3.2.2 Plot
Plot is a sequence of incidents or events that make up a
story. Plot in the story, can be said such things never seem
concrete. Plot is formed by the idea of the readers. Luxemburg
et.al (1992:149), said that plot is the construction made by the
readers about sequence of events in logically and
chronologically mutual resulting from or experience by the
characters.
Generally, plot is the series of events in a story which are
acted by characters. This is stated by Aminuddin (2004:83)
Alur adalah rangkaian cerita yang dibentuk oleh tahapan- tahapan peristiwa sehingga menjalin suatu cerita yang dihadirkan oleh para pelaku dalam suatu cerita.
In a fiction, events phases can be various. Montage and
Henshaw in Aminuddin (2004:84) divided plot into seven parts,
they are:
(1) Exposition, yakni tahap awal yang berisi penjelasan tentang tempat terjadinya peristiwa serta perkenalan dari setiap pelaku yang mendukung cerita; (2) inciting force, yakni tahap ketika timbul kekuatan, kehendak, maupun perilaku yang bertentangan dari pelaku; (3) rising action, yakni situasi panas karena pelaku-pelaku dalam cerita mulai berkonflik; (4) crisis, yakni situasi semakin panas dan para pelaku sudah diberi gambaran nasib oleh pengarangnya; (5) climax, yakni situasi puncak ketika konflik berada dalam kadar yang paling tinggi hingga para pelaku itu mendapat kadar nasibnya sendiri-sendiri; (6) falling action, yakni kadar konflik sudah menurun sehingga keterangan dalam cerita sudah mulai mereda sampai menuju; (7) conclusion, yakni penyelesaian cerita.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 9
3.2.3 Character and Characterization
Character is one of intrinsic elements of the novel that
have an important role in the story. Intrinsic elements that make
a story still alive and able to engage the mind of reader in the
story. Therefore, it can be said that there is no story without the
character in the story. Character is the one who gives a specific
character in accordance with the role which it aspires, creates,
and develops the conflict base on the storyline. Halsey
(1987:163) said that “character is a person represented in a
novel, play, motion picture, or the like”. Character is the result
of authors who appear in the imagination which was then given
a form and character in accordance with the wishes of the
author. Character is the “nature or character contained in the
figures, that is how the quality of the mind and soul character
that sets it apart from other characters” (Sudjiman, 1990:80)
Process of giving a form on the character of the figures
referred to the characterization. Characterization is a method or
way of the writer creates character, so that the story is not the
name of creating a character, but the role and function of the
role itself.
3.2.4 Setting
Setting is an environment which covers an event in a story
and the whole interaction with the events. Generally, setting can
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 10
be divided into three elements; place, time, and social condition.
The three elements are connected to each other, as
Nurgiyantoro has explained in Darmayanti (2007) that is:
1. Place element: this element used as location where the event occurred in that story. Place element is a place which we can be found in the reality. 2. Time element: the things which are related to those events occurred. Time element can be the time when the story is made. 3. Social element: it refers to the things which are related to the society’s social behavior at the time when the story is made.
This is the line with Leo Hamaliann’s and Fredrick R.
Karel’s statement in Aminuddin (2004:68)
Setting dalam karya fiksi bukan hanya berupa tempat, waktu, dan peristiwa, suasana serta benda-benda dalam lingkungan tertentu, melainkan juga dapat berupa suasana yang berhubungan dengan sikap, jalan pikiran, prasangka, maupun gaya hidup suatu masyarakat dalam menanggapi suatu problem tertentu.
3.3 Genetic Structuralism Approach
The founder of genetic structuralism approach is Lucien
Goldmann, an expert from France in 1936. Goldmann (in Fruk,
1994:13) stated that theory is related to human facts which were as a
meaningful structure. The human facts were result of human efforts in
his relations with the world around him. This approach appeared after
pure structuralism. In this approach, literature is considered as a
structure. However, the structure is not something static, rather a
product of a continuing historical process (Ratna, 2004;123).
Structuralism genetic does not only analyze the structure of the
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 11
intrinsic elements but also give attention to the origins of the work and
outside the building elements such as the author’s social life.
According to Suwardi (2003: 20) the study of genetic structural
approach can be formulated as follows:
1. This analysis should start from the intrinsic elements, such as
theme, plot, setting, and characters.
2. Then, the study of the social background of the the writer, because
he is part of the particular community.
3. Finally, the study of the background and history that affect the
creation of literary works created by the writer.
In this study, the writer examined the intrinsic elements including
theme, plot, character and setting. After that, the writer discussed the
background and historical influence.
3.3.1 Slavery
Slavery is system under which people are treated as
property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves
can be held against their will from the time of their capture,
purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse
to work, or to demand compensation.
Africans were the immigrants to the British New World that
had no choice in their destinations or destinies. The first African
Americans that arrived in Jamestown in 1619 on a Dutch trading
ship were not slaves, nor were they free. They served time as
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 12
indentured servants until their obligations were complete.
Although these lucky individuals lived out the remainder of their
lives as free men, the passing decades would make this a rarity.
Despite the complete lack of a slave tradition in mother
England, slavery gradually replaced indentured servitude as the
chief means for plantation labor in the Old South.
Virginia would become the first British colony to legally
establish slavery in 1661. Maryland and the Carolinas were
soon to follow. The only Southern colony to resist the onset of
slavery was Georgia, created as an enlightened experiment.
Seventeen years after its formation, Georgia too succumbed to
the pressures of its own citizens and repealed the ban on
African slavery. Laws soon passed in these areas that
condemned all children of African slaves to lifetimes in chains
(in ushistory.com retrieved on September 6, 2014)
Between 1815 and 1861 the economy of the Northern
states was rapidly modernizing and diversifying. Although
agriculture (mostly smaller farms that relied on free labor)
remained the dominant sector in the North, industrialization had
taken root there. Moreover, Northerners had invested heavily in
an expansive and varied transportation system that included
canals, roads, steamboats, and railroads; in financial industries
such as banking and insurance; and in a large communications
network that featured inexpensive, widely available
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 13
newspapers, magazines, and books, along with the telegraph.
By contrast, the Southern economy was based principally on
large farms (plantations) that produced commercial crops such
as cotton and that relied on slaves as the main labor force.
Rather than invest in factories or railroads as Northerners had
done, Southerners invested their money in the slaves and the
land. (www.britannica.com retrieved on November 01, 2014)
There was many ways the master wasdoing to their
slaves. Some of theme was doing nice and treat their slaves
well, but many of them treat them bad and cruel.
The slaveholders punished slaves through whipping,
shackling, hanging, beating, burning, mutilation, branding, and
imprisonment. Punishment was most often meted in response
to disobedience or perceived infractions, but sometimes abuse
was carried out simply to reassert the dominance of the master
or overseer. Sexual abuse of slaves was partially rooted in a
patriarchal Southern culture which treated all women, black and
white, as property or chattel. After generations, there were
numerous mixed-race (mulatto) offspring, many held in slavery.
Slavery in the United States included frequent rape and
sexual abuse of slave women, a charge which even some
Southern politicians conceded was true. Sexual abuse of slaves
was partially rooted in a patriarchal Southern culture which
treated all women, black and white, as property or chattel. From
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 14
1662 and the adoption of partus sequitur ventrem into law in
Virginia, the slave society protected sexual relations between
white men and black women, by classifying children of slave
mothers as slaves, regardless of the father's race or status.
After generations, there were numerous mixed-race (mulatto)
offspring, many held in slavery. At the same time, Southern
societies strongly prohibited sexual relations between white
women and black men, attempting to maintain racial purity.
Treatment of slaves varied, but the laws in slaveholding states
left enslaved people without defense or recourse in any case (in
www.boundless.com retrived on February 5, 2015).
3.3.2 Racism
There are some definition about racism, according to the
Oxford English Dictionary (2005) that defines racism as the
“belief that all member of each race possess characteristics,
abilities, or qualities specific to that race, especially so as to
distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races” and
expression of such prejudice.
Racism is usually defined as views, practices and action
reflecting the belief that humanity is divided into distinct
biological groups called races and that member of certain race
share certain attributes which make that group as whole less
desirable, more desirable, inferior or superior. Racism is one
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 15
consequence of a self-perpetuating imbalance in economic,
political and social power. This imbalance consistently favors
members of some ethnic and cultural groups at the expense of
other. The consequences of this imbalance pervade all aspects
of the social system and affect all facets of people’s lives (Ricky
Sherover-Marcuse: A Working Definition of Racism).
Racism is not just an ideology but is an institution. It did not
originate from bad ideas or human nature. Rather, racism
originated from capitalism and the slaves trader. As the Marxist
writer CLR James (1901 – 1989) put it, “The conception of
dividing people by race begins with the slave trader. This thing
was so shocking, so opposed to all the conception of society
which religion and philosophers had that the only justification by
which humanity could face was to divide people into races and
decide that the African were an inferior race. ”These weren’t
liberated societies. They were built on the back of slaves. And
these societies created an ideology to justify slavery. As the
Greek philosopher, Aristotle put in his book Politics, “Some men
are by nature free, and the other slaves, and that for this latter,
slavery is both expedient and right.” (socialistworker.org
retrived on September 6, 2014)
From previous definition about racism, the writer may
conclude that racism is one attitude that disparages an
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 16
individual or group base on their skin color, age, race, religion,
and nationality.
3.3.3 Discrimination
Discrimination refers to the treatment or consideration of
making a distinction in favor of against a person or a thing based
on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing
belongs rather than on individual merit. Discrimination can be
the effect of some law or established practice that confers
privileges to a certain class because of race, age, sex,
nationality and religion (dictionary.com retrived on September
6, 2014).
Base on the realistic-conflict theory and the social-identity
theory (1998), Rubin and Hewstone have highlighted a
distinction among three types of discrimination:
(blogs.law.harvard.edu/ retrived on September 6, 2014)
1. Realistic Competition is driven by self-interest and is
aimed at obtaining material resources (e.g. food, territory,
customers) for the in-group (e.g. favoring an in-group in
order to obtain more resources for its members, including
the self).
2. Social Competition is driven by the need for self-esteem
and is aimed at achieving a positive social status for the
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 17
in-group relative to comparable out-groups (e.g. favoring
an in-group in order to make it better than an out-group).
3. Consensual Discrimination is driven by the need for
accuracy and reflects stable and legitimate intergroup
status hierarchies (e.g. favoring a high-status in-group
because it is high status).
Not all types of discrimination will violate federal or
state laws that prohibit discrimination. Some types of unequal
treatment are perfectly legal, and cannot form the basis for a
civil rights case alleging discrimination. The examples below
illustrate the difference between lawful and unlawful
discrimination. In Example: An African-American man fills out
an application to lease an apartment from Landlord. The
Landlord refuses to lease the apartment to him, because he
prefers to have Caucasian tenants in his building. Here,
Landlord has committed a civil rights violation by discriminating
against that man based solely on his race. Under federal and
state fair housing and anti-discrimination laws, Landlord may
not reject apartment applicants because of their race.
(civilrights.findlaw.com retrieved on February, 9, 2015)
Most laws prohibiting discrimination, and many legal
definitions of "discriminatory" acts, originated at the federal
level through either:
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 18
1. Federal legislation, like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and
the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1992. Other federal
acts (supplemented by court decisions) prohibit
discrimination in voting rights, housing, and extension of
credit, public education, and access to public facilities.
2. Federal court decisions, like the U.S. Supreme Court
case Brown v. Board of Education, which was the impetus
for nationwide racial desegregation of public schools. Other
Supreme Court cases have shaped the definition of
discriminatory acts like sexual harassment, and the legality
of antidiscrimination remedies such as affirmative action
programs.
3.3.4 The Civil War (in ushistory.org retrieved on September 6,
2014)
The Civil War was a tragedy of unimaginable proportions.
For four long and bloody years, Americans were killed at the
hands of other Americans. One of every 25 American men
perished in the war. Over 640,000 soldiers were killed. Many
civilians also died. At the battle of Antietam, more Americans
were killed than on any other single day in all of American
history. On that day, 22,719 soldiers fell to their deaths — four
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 19
times the number of Americans lost during the D-Day assault
on Normandy in WWII. In fact, more American soldiers died in
the Civil War than in all other American wars combined.
This war started after Abraham Lincoln elected as a
president in 1860. Lincoln had become the symbol of the
frontier, hard work, the self-made man and the American
dream. His debates with Douglas had made him a national
figure and the publication of those debates in early 1860 made
him even better known. After the third ballot, he had the
nomination for President.
With four candidates in the field, Lincoln received only
40% of the popular vote and 180 electoral votes that is enough
to narrowly win the crowded election. This meant that 60% of
the voters selected someone other than Lincoln. With the
results tallied, the question was, would the South accept the
outcome? A few weeks after the election, South Carolina
seceded from the Union.
Within days of the fall of Fort Sumter, four more states
joined the Confederacy: Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee,
and Arkansas. The battle lines were now drawn. On paper, the
Union outweighed the Confederacy in almost every way. Nearly
21 million people lived in 23 Northern states. The South claimed
just 9 million people — including 3.5 million slaves — in 11
confederate states. Despite the North's greater population,
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 20
however, the South had an army almost equal in size during the
first year of the war.
The North had an enormous industrial advantage as well.
At the beginning of the war, the Confederacy had only one-ninth
the industrial capacity of the Union. But that statistic was
misleading. In 1860, the North manufactured 97 percent of the
country's firearms, 96 percent of its railroad locomotives, 94
percent of its cloth, 93 percent of its pig iron, and over 90
percent of its boots and shoes. The North had twice the density
of railroads per square mile. There was not even one rifle works
in the entire South.
The South's greatest strength lay in the fact that it was
fighting on the defensive in its own territory. Familiar with the
landscape, Southerners could harass Northern invaders. The
military and political objectives of the Union were much more
difficult to accomplish. The Union had to invade, conquer, and
occupy the South. It had to destroy the South's capacity and will
to resist — a formidable challenge in any war. Southerners
enjoyed the initial advantage of morale: The South was fighting
to maintain its way of life, whereas the North was fighting to
maintain a union. Slavery did not become a moral cause of the
Union effort until Lincoln announced the Emancipation
Proclamation in 1863.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 21
The Emancipation Proclamation created a climate where
the doom of slavery was seen as one of the major objectives of
the war. Overseas, the North now seemed to have the greatest
moral cause. Even if a foreign government wanted to intervene
on behalf of the South, its population might object. The
Proclamation itself freed very few slaves, but it was the death
knell for slavery in the United States. Eventually, the
Emancipation Proclamation led to the proposal and ratification
of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which formally
abolished slavery throughout the land.
The end was in sight. Only Lee's Army of Northern Virginia
remained as a substantial military force to oppose the Union
Army. For nine months, Grant and Lee had faced each other
from 53 miles of trenches during the Siege of Petersburg. Lee's
forces had been reduced, while Grant's had grown to over
120,000.
Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, now reduced in size to
35,000 troops, had escaped to the west. They were starving,
and Lee had asked the Confederate Commissary Department
to have rations for his infantry waiting at the Amelia Courthouse.
But when he arrived there, no rations awaited his troops, and
they were forced to forage the countryside for food. The delay
caused by his need to acquire food proved fatal to the
Confederate effort. Now 125,000 Union soldiers were
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 22
surrounding Lee's army, whose numbers had been reduced to
25,000 troops and were steadily falling. Still, Lee decided to
make one last attempt to break out. On April 9, the remaining
Confederate Army, under John Gordon, drove back Union
cavalry blocking the road near the village of Appomattox Court
House, but beyond them were 50,000 Union infantry and as
many or more were closing in on Lee from his rear.
Lee sent a note to Grant, and later that afternoon they met
in the home of Wilmer McLean. Grant offered generous terms
of surrender. Confederate officers and soldiers could go home,
taking with them their horses, side arms, and personal
possessions. Also, Grant guaranteed their immunity from
prosecution for treason. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the
two men saluted each other and parted. Grant then sent three
day's worth of food rations to the 25,000 Confederate soldiers.
The official surrender ceremony occurred three days later,
when Lee's troops stacked their rifles and battle flags.
President Lincoln's will to save the Union had prevailed.
He looked with satisfaction on the survival of his country and
with deep regret on the great damage that had been done.
Before the Civil War ended, Congress passed, and sent to
the states for ratification, the Thirteenth Amendment which
abolished "slavery" and "involuntary servitude" and authorized
Congress to enact "appropriate legislation" implementing the
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 23
abolition. The Amendment was understood to also make blacks
citizens of the United States. The House vote to propose the
Thirteenth Amendment followed the Senate vote, and barely
made the 2/3 majority requirement. Congressmen George
Julian of Indiana wrote in his diary, "I have felt, ever since the
vote, as if I were in a new country." Ratification by the states
quickly followed, and Secretary of State Seward proclaimed the
Amendment adopted on December 18, 1865.
Less than a year after ratification of the Thirteenth
Amendment, Congress used its newly conferred power to pass
the Civil Rights Act of 1866, giving black citizens "the same right
in every state to make and enforce contracts, to sue, be parties,
to inherit, purchase, sell, and convey real and personal
property; and to the full and equal benefit of all laws and
proceedings for the security of person and property as is
enjoyed by white citizens." Supporters if the 1866 law argued
that its guarantees constituted "appropriate" means of
"enforcing" the right of blacks not to be held in bondage
The Thirteenth Amendment, unlike most provisions in the
Constitution, is self-executing, in that it directly reaches-even
without action by Congress- conduct by private individuals
(slave holders). Because of this fact, Congress's power under
the Thirteenth Amendment allows it to punish forms of private
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 24
conduct when it might not be able to do so under an amendment
such as the Fourteenth, which restricts the conduct of states.
The Thirteenth Amendment has not produced nearly the
volume of Supreme Court decisions as has the Fourteenth
Amendment, or even the Fifteenth Amendment (guaranteeing
the vote to black citizens). In 1916, in Butler v Perry, the Court
rejected a challenge brought by a Florida man to a state law
that required all able-bodied men between 21 and 45, when
called to do so, to work for up to 60 hours on maintaining public
roads. The plaintiff, convicted of failing to put in his time on the
roads and sentenced to jail, argued that the law mandated
involuntary servitude in violation of the Thirteenth Amendment.
Justice McReynolds, writing for the Court, concluded "the term
involuntary servitude was intended to cover those forms of
compulsory labor to African slavery which, in practical
operation, would tend to produce like undesirable results."
(law2.umkc.ed retrieved on Octobers 27, 2014)
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 25
CHAPTER III
METHODS OF RESEARCH
This part addresses the methodology used in analyzing the novel
Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The method consists of data collection and data analysis.
6.1 Method of Collecting Data
Method of data collection is necessary to obtain reliable unit of
data in order to be able to formulate relevant findings. The writer uses
note-taking technique in order to collect the relevant data.
Furthermore, the writer tries to sort the significant problems.
Two kinds of data were collected that includes primary and
secondary data. The source of primary data is anAmerican novel titled
Uncle Tom’s Cabinwhich written by Harriet Beechen Stowe. The writer
analyzes the Dover Thrift Edition, first published 2005. It is an
unabridged republication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin; Life among the lowly,
originally published in book form by John P. Jewett & Company,
Boston, and Jewett, Proctor & Worthington, Cleveland, in 1852. The
novel is consists of 45 chapters with 384 pages.The writer read the
novel several times and quoted some important elements related to
the topic.The secondary data are obtained from other sources like;
books, articles, and journal about social theories, social aspect and
American civil war to support the idea of this writing.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 26
6.2 Method of Analyzing Data
In analyzing data and answering the statement of the problems,
the writer focuses on description and life of the main character in the
novel. The writer used the descriptive analysis by using genetic
structural approach which focuses on the intrinsic and extrinsic
elements of the novel. After getting primary and secondary data, the
writer combines and compares the data that have been collected from
many resources.
The writer uses genetic structuralism theory for describing the
intrinsic aspects and the relation between the novel and its author. The
writer combines and compares primary and secondary data to analyze
the work. All events in the novel account for as primary data are
analyzed through events that the writer found in secondary data. After
analyzing both of data and comparing it each other, conclusions were
drawn.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 27
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
Uncle Tom’s Cabin is a novel by American Author who does not like slavery. This novel first appeared in 40-week serial in The National Era, an anti-slavery newspaper that was published in June 3, 1851. Then it turned to book with the same title in March, 1852, the novel soon became so popular in the first year after its publication that sold in 300.000 copies.
6.1 Intrinsic Element
In understanding the novel, intrinsic element is the most important
aspect. Stowe, the writer of the novel, elaborates these aspects to
construct the content of the novel. The elements of the novel Uncle
Tom’s Cabin include characters, setting, plot and theme.
6.1.1 Character and Characterization
6.1.1.1 Uncle Tom
Uncle Tom was initially seen as a noble, long-
suffering Christian slave,who was said as uncommon
fellow. He is steady, honest, capable, manages whole
farm like a clock. Tom is a good, steady, sensible, pious
fellow. He got religion at a camp–meeting, four years
ago; and Mr. Shelby believedthathe really did get it.
He’ve trusted him, since then, with everything he
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 28
have,–money, house, horses,–and let him come and go
round the country; and he always found true and square
in everything.” (Stowe, 2005:3-4)
Throughout the book, far from allowing himself to be
exploited, Tom stands up for his beliefs and is sincere
admired even by his enemies.
6.1.1.2 Eliza
Eliza is Mrs. Shelby personal maid, George’s wife,
and Harry’s mother. Eliza is a young beautiful and
brave mothers. She planed to escape after she hears
that her son, Harry, sold to Mr. Haley along with Uncle
Tom. She hear her masters have conversation when
she pass by them room. After that she run to her room
and take her son while saying; “Poor boy! Poor fellow!”
said Eliza; they have sold you! But your mother will save
you yet!” (Stowe, 2005:32)
She takes her son and some clothes then run across
Ohio River on patches of ice. She mether husband,
George, in Quaker place and emigrates together to
Canada, then France and finally Liberia.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 29
6.1.1.3 Augustine St. Clare
Augustine St. Clare is Tom's second owner and
father of Eva. Clare is the son of wealthy planter of
Louisiana. When child he sent to his uncle in Vermont.
In childhood he was remarkable for an extreme and
marked sensitiveness of character more like
sensitiveness of woman than the ordinary hardness of
men. However, the grown of this softness with the
rough bark of manhood, but few know how living and
fresh, it still lay at the core (Stowe, 2005:129). He is
complex, often sarcastic, with a ready wit.
After a rocky courtship he marries a woman he grows
to hold in contempt, though he is too polite to let it show.
St. Clare recognizes the evil in chattel slavery but is not
willing to relinquish the wealth it brings him. After his
daughter's death he becomes more sincere in his
religious thoughts and starts to read the Bible to Tom.
He plans on finally taking action against slavery by
freeing his slaves, but his good intentions ultimately
come to nothing.
One day, after he goes to look over an evening
paper, when he is reading an affray arose between two
men in the room. St. Clare and other people try to
separate them but unluckily St. Clare received a fatal
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 30
stab and died from that serious injury (Stowe,
2005:268).
6.1.1.4 Eva
Evangelist St. Clare is daughter of Augustine St.
Clare and Marie. She is little energetic young child with
feeling and heart like an angle. She is master and friend
of Uncle Tom, she presented as an absolutely perfect
child, a completely moral being and an unimpeachable
Christian. She laments the existence of slavery and
sees no difference between blacks and whites. After
befriending Tom while still a young girl, Eva becomes
one of the most important figures in his life.
Eva enters the narrative when Uncle Tom is traveling
via steamship to New Orleans to be sold.When she falls
from the steamship, Uncle Tom rescues her from
drowning. Eva begs her father to buy Tom, and he
becomes the head coachman at the St. Clare house.
He spends most of his time with the angelic Eva. Eva
often talks about love and forgiveness, even convincing
the dour slave girl Topsy that she deserves love. She
even touches the heart of her Aunt Ophelia.
Eventually Eva falls terminally ill. Before dying, she
gives a lock of her hair to each of the slaves, telling
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 31
them that they must become Christians so that they
may see each other in Heaven (Stowe, 2005:245). On
her deathbed, she convinces her father to free Tom, but
because of circumstances the promise never be
realized.
6.1.1.5 Simon Legree
Simon Legreeis a cruel slave owner. He is a
short,broad, muscular man in a checked shirt
considerably open at the bosom, and pantaloons much
the worse for dirty and wear. He have round, bullet
head, large, light-gray eyes, with their shaggy, sandy
eye-brows, and stiff, wiry, sun-burned hair (Stowe,
2005:283).He is arguably the novel's main antagonist.
Simon Legree does possess some psychological depth
as a character. He has been deeply affected by the
death of his angelic mother and seems to show some
legitimate affection for Cassy. Nonetheless, Legree’s
main purpose in the book is as a foil to Uncle Tom, and
as an effective picture of slavery at its worst. he
eventually orders Tom whipped to death out of
frustration for his slave's unbreakable belief in God.
The novel reveals that, as a young man, he had
abandoned his sickly mother for a life at sea and
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 32
ignored her letter to see her one last time at her
deathbed.
Legree demonstrates literally infernal qualities, and
his devilishness provides an effective contrast with the
angelic qualities of his passive slave. Legree’s
demoniacally evil ways also play an important role in
shaping the end of the book along the lines of the
traditional Christian narrative. Above all, Legree desires
to break Tom’s religious faith and to see him capitulate
to doubt and sin. In the end, although Tom dies and
Legree survives, the evil that Legree stands for has
been destroyed. Tom dies loving the men who kill him,
proving that his faith prevails over Legree’s evil.
6.1.2 Setting
There are several setting in this novel, they are:
6.1.2.1 Setting of Time
The novel tells us that all story happened at America
in 19th century.
6.1.2.2 Setting of Places
The writer finds several important setting of places in
the novel they are:
6.1.2.2.1 Kentucky
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 33
This place when this story begun, Uncle
Tom first masters house, Mr. Arthur Shelby
and his family. In Kentucky also Uncle Tom
wife and children live and all people his love.
6.1.2.2.2 River Boat that sail in Mississippi River
This place is the place where Mr. Haley
takes Uncle Tom to sell in slave market
before they meet man who interesting to buy
Uncle Tom who help his child, Eva, who
sunk in the river.
6.1.2.2.3 Quakers Family’s Place
This place is where senator Bird take
Eliza and Harry hide in them escape to
Canada. In this place also they meet George
Harris, Eliza Husband, and together they
escape to Canada.
6.1.2.2.4 New Orland
New Oland is where Augustine St. Clare
lives. This is Uncle Tom next stop, in his new
master house.
6.1.2.2.5 St. Clare’s Family Lake House
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 34
St. Clare’s family lake house is place
when little Eva took when his health drop. In
this place when Augustine St. Clare meet his
twin brother, Alfred St. Clare who come to
visit them. He took his older Son, Henrique
St. Clare, and Dodo, Henrique personal
slave, with him.
6.1.2.2.6 Legree’s Cotton plantation
This is place of Uncle Tom next master
after his former master die. Legree buy
Uncle Tom from slave market before he
takes him to his plantation. In this place
Uncle Tom meet Cassy and give her spirit to
live again by his kindness. He tells her to run
from this place. In this place Uncle Tom dies
because torture from his master, Legree,
who want to break his faith to God. Uncle
Tom dies after he meets George Shelby who
looking for him who wants to buys him and
take him back to Kentucky, but it’s to late.
George takes Uncle Tom body and buries
him under the tree outside the plantation.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 35
6.1.2.2.7 Canada
This is a free land where George Harris
takes his family run. These place is where
Eliza meets her mother, Cassy, that
separate from her when Eliza was a girl. At
the same time George Harris met his sister,
Emily. They are meets after get information
from George Shelby on the boat and took by
missionaries that have been give protection
to George and Eliza to their home. After few
days they all go to France because George
wanted education. It takes 4 years in
university. Political situation in France forced
them to move, they are heading off to the
place that George choose in Africa, the place
where men were liberated from slavery
condition, this republic become
acknowledged nation on earth,
acknowledged by France and England,
Liberia.
6.1.3 The Plot
6.1.3.1 Beginning
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 36
This story began when Mr. Shelby, a Kentucky
farmer, faced his lost farm because of debt. In order to
pay his debt he decided to sell his beloved slave, Tom.
But the debt collector said that Tom himself could not
afford to cover all his debt, so, he also asked one boy
to sell with Tom. In this case, Harry, Eliza boy, who
come when they are chatting are the subject to sell with
Tom. (Stowe, 2005:3-4)
6.1.3.2 The Rising Phase
When Mr. and Mrs. Shelby arguing in their room after
Mr. Shelby agree to sell Tom and Harry;
“I’m sorry to say that I am,” said Mr. Shelby. “I’ve agree to sell Tom.” “What! Our Tom?–that good, faithful creature!– been your faithful servant from a boy! O, Mr. Shelby!–and u have promised him his freedom, too,–you and I have spoken to him a hundred times of it. Well, I can’t believe anything now,–I can believe now that you could sell little Harry, poor Eliza’s only child!” said Mrs. Shelby, in a tone between grief and indignation (Stowe, 2005:29)
Eliza heard what they talking about then goes to
Harry room and take her boy run to save him. With hard
feeling, she took her son and go. Eliza mumbling, Dear
Missis! Don’t think me ungrateful,–don’t think hard of
me, any way,–I heard what you and Master said to-
night. I am going to try save my boy–you will not blame
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 37
me! God bless and reward you for all your kindness!”
(Stowe, 2005:32)
Mr. Haley who comes the next day to collect his new
slave heard that Eliza take her boy, Harry, his new
young slave, escape become angry and run after them.
When Mr. Haley so close to catches them, Eliza takes
her boy and run across Ohio River by leap from ice floe
that floated on the river.
“Lord bless you, Mas’r, I couldn’t help it now,” said Sam, giving way to the long pent-up delight of his soul. “She looked so curi’s, a leapin’ and springin’–ice a crackin’–and only to hear her– plump! Ker chunk! Ker splash! Spring! Lord! How she goes it!” and Sam and Andy laughed till tears rolled down their cheeks. (Stowe, 2005:53)
After crossing the river Eliza make the way to
Senator Bird house. Senator then takes them to
Quakers settlement. In this place Eliza get news that
her husband had escaped from his master. Eliza was
shocked; her blood flushed to her check in sudden
glow, and went back to her hurt as soon as possible.
She sat down and before Rachel Halliday told her that
she should have a courage, her husband was safe and
his friend who brought him to this place. (Stowe,
2005:117-118) After George, Eliza’s husband, arrived,
they all planed to escape to Canada the free country.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 38
After failed to catch Eliza and Harry, Mr. Haley
returned back to Shelby farm and took Tom to slave
market by River boat. On the river boat Tom met Eva
and her father Augustine St. Clare and because of his
generosity, Tom get Eva’s attention and become close
to her. Eva says to Uncle Tom that she will ask his
father to buy him.
“My papa can buy you,” said Eva, quickly; “and if he buys you, you will have good time. I mean to ask him to, this very day.” (Stowe, 2005:125)
One day, when Eva playing on the boat she falling to
the river. Tom who saw that accident jump to the water
and save Eva from drowns. On the next day St. Clare
have talk to Mr. Haley to buy Tom.
“Wal,” said Haley, “if I should say thirteen hundred dollars for that ar fellow, I shouldn’t but just save myself; I shouldn’t, now, re’ly,” “Poor fellow!” said the young man, fixing his keen, mocking blue eye on him; “but I suppose you’d let me have him for that, out of a particular regard for me.” (Stowe, 2005:126)
Looking his father arguing with slave trader, Eva
comes to his father to push him to buy Tom. She said
that she want to makes him Happy.
“Papa, do buy him! It’s no matter what you pay,” whispered Eva, softly, getting up on a package, and putting her arm around her father neck. “You have money enough, I know, I want him.” “What For, Pussy? Are you going to use him for rattle-box, or a rocking-horse, or what?” “I want to makes him happy” (Stowe, 2005:127)
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 39
After Tom bought by St. Clare, he becomes more
care to Eva. Until one day after some argue about
slavery and black people with his cousin, Miss. Ophelia,
St. Clare buy new slave, Topsy, which he give her to
educate in order to show that her opinion about black
people was wrong. This little Topsy always try
something bad in any condition. She stealing, lying, and
doing something naughty until someday Eva comes
and touches her heart. Eva said that if she becomes a
good girl some one will loves her because Eva loves
her. With that’s world makes Topsy crying and promise
to Eva that she will be nice girl.
“But people can love you, if you are black, Topsy, Miss Ophelia would love you, if you were good.” Topsy gave the short, blunt laugh that was her common mode of expressing incredulity. “Don’t you think so?” said Eva “No; she can’t bar me, ‘couse I’m a nigger! – she’d‘s soon have toad touch her! There can’t anybody love nigger, and nigger can’t do nothin’! I don’t care,” said Topsy, beginning to whistle. “O, Topsy, poor child, I love you!” said Eva, with sudden burst of feeling, and laying her little thin, white hand on Topsy’s shoulder; “I love you, because you haven’t had any father, or mother, or friends; –because you’ve been a poor, abused child! I love you, and I want you to be good. I am very unwell, Topsy, and I think I shan’t live a great while; and it really grieves me, to have you be so naughty. I wish you would try to be good, for my sake; –it’s only a little while I shall be with you.” (Stowe, 2005:239)
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 40
After Tom has lived with the St. Clare for two years,
Eva grows very ill. Before she dies she calls all his
slaves to come to her room. She said to them all that
she will die soon; this makes all her slaves crying. Eva
gives message to all of them after she die they should
be more Christian, they must keep reading or ask
people to read bible to them (because not all of them
can read). After that she gives her a curl of her hair so
if they look that hair they will remember her and
remember that she waiting them in heaven.
“I know,” said Eva, “you all love me.” “Yes; oh yes! Indeed we do! Lord bless her!” was the involuntary answer of all. “Yes, I know you do! There isn’t one of you that hasn’t always been very kind to me; and I want to give you something that, when you look at, you shall always remember me, I’m going to give all of you a curl of my hair; and when you look at it, think that I love you and am gone to heaven, and that I want to see you all there.” (Stowe, 2005:244-245)
After Eva dies Uncle Tom becomes more closed to
St. Clare. Uncle Tom amuses and accompanies St.
Clare in his sorrow. Until One day St. Clare remember
his promise to Eva that he will set Tom Free
“Well, Tom,” said St. Clare, the day after he had commenced the legal formalities for his enfranchisement, “I’m going to make a free man of you; –so have your trunk packed, and get ready to set out for Kentuck.” (Stowe, 2005:259)
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 41
But before all procedure to makes Tom free man
finished, St. Clare go into a café to read an evening
paper. As he was reading, two gentlemen had serious
problems and fight. St. Clare and two other peoples try
to separate them, and St. Clare get fatal stab and take
to his house.
St. Clare could say but little; he lay with his eyes shut, but it was evident that he wrestled with bitter thoughts. After a while, he laid his hand on Tom’s, who was kneeling beside him, and said, “Tom! poor fellow!” “What, Mas’r?” said Tom, earnestly. “I am dying!” said St. Clare, pressing his hand; pray!” “If you would like a clergyman–” said the physician. St. Clare hastily shook his head, and said again to Tom, more earnestly, “Pray!” And Tom did pray, with all his mind and strength, for the soul that was passing, –the soul that seemed so steadily and mournfully from those large, melancholy blue eyes. It was literally prayer offered with strong crying and tears. (Stowe, 2005:269)
After St. Clare die, Uncle Tom and all other slave are
takes to slave market, and bought by Simon Legree,
who have cotton plantation. In the beginning Tom will
be set as foreman but he refused to whip another slave,
so he got torture by Legree.
“And now,” said Legree, “come here, you Tom. You see, I telled ye I didn’t buy ye just for common work; I meant to promote ye, and make a driven of ye; and to-night ye may jest as well begin to get yer hand in. Now, ye jest take this yer gal and flog her; ye’ve seen enough on’t to know how.”
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 42
“I beg Mas’r’s pardon,” said tom; “hopes Mas’r won’t set me at that. It’s what I an’t used to, – never did, –and can’t do, no way possible.” “Ye’lllarn a pretty smart chance of things ye never did know, before I’ve done with ye!” said Legree, taking up a cowhide, and striking Tom a heavy blow cross the check, and following up the infliction by a shower of blows. (Stowe, 2005:301- 302)
Legree begins to hate Tom more when Tom refuses
to tell where cassy and Emmeline is. Legree's
continuously torture Tom and threat to kill him.
“Speak!” thundered Legree, striking him furiously. “Do you know anything?” “I know, Mas’r; but I can’t tell anything. I can die!” Legree drew In long breah; and, suppressing his rage, took Tom by the arm, and, approaching his face almost to his, said, in terrible voice, “Hark ‘e Tom!–ye think ‘cause I’ve let you off before, I don’t mean what I say; but, this time, I’ve made up my mind, and counted the cost. You’ve always stood it out agin’ me: now I’ll conquer ye; or kill ye!–one or t’ other. I’ll count every drop of blood there is in you, and take ‘em one by one, till ye give up!” (Stowe, 2005:348-349)
After take several punches from Legree, Tom finally
be dying and waiting for his death while he still pray for
them who torture him.
6.1.3.3 The Climax
This novel tells us about two different stories. First is
Eliza who ran with her son and finally met her husband
and then escaped to Canada together and the second
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 43
is Tom story with his new masters. And the way his
finally arrive in the Catton plantation and die there.
Because this novel has two different story so, it has two
climaxes:
1. When George Harris takes his family to Canada, on
the way, near the border, they get chased by slave
hunter. In order to pass the way they must fight the
slave hunter. George Harris and his group have
advantage because they are in uphill. George bullet
hits Tom Loker, one of the slave hunters, and
makes the other run. They finally escape to Canada
after bring Tom Loker to Quaker place to get a
treatment.
“I’m George Harris. A Mr. Harris, of Kentucky, did call me his property. But now I’m a free man, standing on God’s free soil; and my wife and my child I claim as mine. Jim and his mother are here. We have arms to defend ourselves, and we mean to do it. You can come up if you like; but the first one of you comes within the range of our bullets is a dead man, and the next, and the next; and so on until the last.” (Stowe, 2005:167)
A short, puffy man, stepping forward, and blowing
his nose as he did so and said:”Young man, this
an’t no kind of talk at all for you. You see, we are
officer of justice. We’ve got the law on our side, and
the power, and so forth; so you’d better give up
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 44
peaceably, you see; for you’ll certainly have to give
up, at last.” And George Harris Continued:
“I know very well that you’ve got the law on your side, and the power,” said George, bitterly. “You mean take my wife to sell in New Orleans, and put my boy like a calf in trader’s pen, and send Jim’s old mother to the brute that whipped and abused her before, because he couldn’t abuse her son. You want to send Jim and me back to be whipped and tortured, and ground down under the heels of them that you call master; and you laws will bear you out in it, – more shame for you and them! But you haven’t got us. We don’t own your laws; we don’t own your country; we stand here as free, under God’s sky, as you are; and, by the great God that made us, we’ll fight for our liberty till we die.” (Stowe, 2005:168)
2. In moment of Uncle Tom death, George Shelby
arrives at the plantation. He is looking for his
beloved friend and mentor, Tom. But it’s all too late,
Tom finally die after see his young former master
and go with peace after knowing that he not be
forget by the people his love.
When George entered the shed, he felt his head giddy and his heart sick. ”Is it possible,–is it possible?” said he, kneeling down by him. “Uncle Tom, my poor, poor old friend!” Something in the voice penetrated to the ear of the dying. He moved his head gently, smiled, and said, “Jesus can make a dying-bed feel soft as downy pillows are.” Tears which did honor to his manly heart fell the young man’s eyes, as he bent over his poor friend.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 45
“O, dear Uncle Tom! do wake, –do speak once more! Look up! Here’s Mas’r George, –you own little Mas’r George. Don’t you know me?” “Mas’r George! Said Tom, opening his eyes, and speaking in a feeble voice; “Mas’r George!” He looked bewildered. Slowly the idea seemed to fill his soul; and the vacant eye became fixed and brightened, the whole face lighted up, the hard hands clasped, and tears run down the cheeks. “Bless the Lord! It is, –it is, –it’s all I wanted! They haven’t forget me. It warms my soul; it does my heart good! Now I shall die content! Bless the Lord, oh my soul!” “You shan’t die! You mustn’t die nor think of it! I’ve come to buy you, and take you home,” said George, with impetuous vehemence. “O, Mas’r George, ye’re too late. The lord’s bought me, and is going to take me home, –and I long to go. Heaven is better than Kintuck.” (Stowe, 2005:353)
6.1.3.4 The Falling Phase
After buried Tom under the tree out side Legree
plantation, George Shelby meet Cassy and Emmeline
on the small traven when waiting the next boat. When
the boat arrived George Shelby help Cassy aboard. On
the boat George also meet French lady, named De
Thoux. Madame De Thoux becomes interested talks
with George after know that George came from
Kentucky.
“Do you know,” said Madame De Thoux to him, one day, “of any man, in your neighborhood, of the name Harris?” “There is an old fellow, of that name, lies not far from my father’s place,” said George. “We never had much intercourse with him, thought.”
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 46
“He is a large slave owner, I believe,” said Madame De Thoux, with a manner wit seemed to betray more interested than she was exactly willing to show. “He is,” said George, looking rather surprised at her manner. “Did you ever know of his having–perhaps, you may have heard of his having a mulato boy, named George?” “O, certainly,–George Harris,–I know him well; he married a servant of my mother’s but has escaped, now, to Canada.” “He has?” said Madame De Thoux, quickly. “Thank God!” George looked a surprised inquiry, but said nothing. Madame De Thoux leaned her head on her hand, and burst into tears. “He is my brother,” she said. “Madame!” said George, with a strong accent of surprise. “Yes,” said Madame De Thoux, lifting her head, proudly, and wiping her tears, “MR. Shelby, George Harris is my brother!” (Stowe, 2005:360)
Cassy who hear the conversation between George
Shelby and Madame De Thoux become interested
when George talking about Eliza.
At this point in the story, she touched his arm, and, with a face perfectly white with interest, said, “Do you know the names of the people he bought her of?” A man of the name of Simmons, I think, was the principal in the transaction. At least, I think that was the name on the bill of sale.” O, my God!” said Cassy, and fell insensible on the floor of the cabin. (Stowe, 2005:361)
6.1.3.5 The Resolution
After take information from George Shelby, Cassy
and Madame De Thoux after George Harris and Eliza
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 47
to Canada. They finally meet pastor of Amherstberg
and take them to George Harris house. The pastor have
arrange some plan to introduce them all but,
...Madame de Thoux upset the whole Plan, by throwing her arm around George’s neck, and letting all out at once, by saying, “O, George! Don’t you know me? I’m your sister Emily.” Cassy had seated herself more composedly, and would have carried on her part very well, had not little Eliza suddenly appeared before her in exact shape and form, every outline and curl, just as her daughter was when she saw her last. The little thing peered up in her face; and Cassy caught her up in her arms, pressed her to her bosom, saying, what, at the moment she really belived, Darling, I’m your mother!” (Stowe, 2005:363)
In other place, on one morning, all slaves of Shelby
estate are convened together in great hall by George
Shelby. He appeared with a bundle of papers in his
hand, containing a certificate of freedom to every one.
But many of them refused that paper.
“We don’t want to be no freer than we are. We’sallers had all we wanted. We don’t want to leave de old place, and Mas’r and Missis and the rest!” “My good friend,” said George, as soon as he could get a silence, “there’ll be no need for you to leave me. The place wants as many hands to works it as it did before. We need the same about the house that we did before. But, you are now free men and free women. I shall pay you wages for your works, such as we shall agree on. The advantage is that in case of my getting in debt, or dying,–things that might happen,–you cannot now be taken up and sold. I expected to carry on the estate, and to teach you what, perhaps, it will take you some time to learn,–how to use the rights I give you as free men and women. I expect you to
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 48
be good, and willing to learn; and trust in God that I shall be faithful, and willing to teach. And now, my friends, look up, and thank God for the blessing of freedom.” (Stowe, 2005:370-371)
6.1.4 Theme
From the explanation above Uncle Tom’s Cabin haves
several ideas of themes like the children worker like what
happened to Topsy who forced to work by her former master,
the punishment of the slaves sometimes so cruel even when do
simple mistakes, they have limited access to something and
they forced to work even when they sick. Unhumanization of
the slaves, this happened to all slaves in the story. The right to
be human was taken from them, they not more than a property.
Generally, the writer concludes that the theme in this novel is
“The badness of slavery in America”.
6.2 Slavery
The slavery spread quickly in the American colonies. At first the
legal status of Africans in America was indentured servants, they
managed to become free after several years of service. From the
1660s, however, the colonies began enacting laws that defined and
regulated slave relations. Central to these laws was the provision that
black slaves, and the children of slave women, would serve for life.
This premise, combined with the natural population growth among the
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 49
slaves, meant that slavery could survive and grow in America
(www.innercity.org).
As writer explains in the previous chapter that slavery is system
when people threat not like a human. There are conditions that seen
as follow:
6.2.1 Slave as Property
There are many reasons the writer take topic slavery as
property. There are situation where the slaves were not treated
like a human but as commodity. The writer divides this into
three; slave can be sold, slave can be payment of an obligation,
and slave as auction thing that the writer will explain below:
6.2.1.1 Slave can be Sold
The treatments of the slave holder or slave master are
sometimes so cruel. They think the slave just like a property or
commodity and treat them not more like an animal. They can
sell the slave willingly. It can be selling from master to master
or can use the slave trader to sell it to other master.
In the story,the writer found that Uncle Tom sold to
Augustine St. Clare by bargain in the riverboat in Mississippi
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 50
river. Mr. Haley takes Uncle Tom it to the plantation but while in
the riverboat he meets St. Clare who willing to buy Uncle Tom.
“All the moral and Christian virtues bound in black Morocco, complete!” he said when Haley had finished. “Well now, my good fellow, what’s the damage, as they say in Kentucky; in short, what to be paid out for this business? How much are you going to cheat me, now? Out with it!” “Wal,” said Haley, “if I should say thirteen hundred dollars for that ar fellow, I shouldn’t but just save myself; I shouldn’t, now, re’ly.” “Poor fellow!” said the young man, fixing his keen, mocking blue eye on him; “but I suppose you’d let me have him for that, out of a particular regard for me.” (Stowe, 2005:126).
Finally, Uncle Tom sold to St. Clare because Eva push her
father to buy it she said “Papa, do buy him! It’s no matter what
you pay,” whispered Eva, softly, getting up on a package, and
putting her arm around her father’s neck. “You have money
enough, I know. I want him” (Stowe, 2005:127).
6.2.1.2 Slave can be Payment of an Obligation
The slave not more than animal on this part if their master
do not have enough money they will be handover to pay their
master obligation. Sometimes even they have to leave their
family in their former master.
This happened on the beginning of the story when Mr.
Shelby should pay his debt to Mr. Haley. He gives Uncle Tom
and Harry, Eliza son, to pay off his debt.
“Well, then, Haley, how will you trade?” said Mr. Shelby, after an uneasy interval of silence.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 51
“Well, haven’t you a boy or a gal that you could throw in with Tom?” “Hum!-none that I could well spare; to tell the truth, it’s only hard necessity makes me willing to sell at all. I don’t like parting with any of my hands, that’s a fact.” (Stowe, 2005:4)
6.2.1.3 Slave as Auction Things
Besides Selling, another way the slave can be change
master by an auction. In auction, slave holder can put his slave
to the slave warehouse. From slave warehouse, the people
who looking for new slave can come to see and checking the
slave he want.
This Auction happened to Uncle Tom. After Augustine St.
Clare die, marry, St. Clare wife decide to sell her house with all
furniture and their slave who not her take to her hometown, so
she take them to the slave warehouse to sell it fast at an
auction.
On the auction day before the auction begin Legree come
to the slave and check them systematically.
…He seized Tom by the jaw, and pulled open his mouth to inspect his teeth; made him strip up his sleeve, to show his muscle; turned him round, made him jump and spring, to show his paces. “Where was you raised?” he added, briefly, to these investigations. “In Kintuck, Mas’r,” said Tom, looking about, as if for deliverance. “What have you done?” “Had care of Mas’r’s farm,” said Tom. (Stowe, 2005:283)
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 52
Alongside with Uncle Tom, Legree also check Emmeline.
He put out his heavy, dirty hand, and drew the girl toward him;
passed it over her neck and bust, felt her arm. Looked at her
teeth, and then pushed her back against her mother.
When auction begin, Susan, Emmeline mother, sold first
before her daughter. She begs to her new master, a
respectable middle-aged man, to buy her daughter to.
“O, Mas’r, please do buy my daughter!” I’d like to, but I’m afraid I can’t afford it!” said the gentleman, looking, with painful interest, as the young girl mounted the block, and looked around her with a frightened and timid glance.
…The citizen bids for a few turn, contemptuously measuring his opponent; but the bullet-head has the advantage over him, both in obstinacy and concealed length of purse, and the controversy lasts but a moment; the hammer falls,-he has got the girl, body and soul, unless God help her! Her master is Mr. Legree, who owns a cotton plantation on the Red river. She is pushed along into same lot with Tom and two other man, and goes off, weeping as she goes.(Stowe, 2005:284)
That is how Emmeline should separate with her mother and
take to Legree plantation alongside with Uncle Tom.
6.2.2 The Unpaid and Mistreated Slaves
The plantation owner focused the cultivation of the planter's
crop was the priority. Beyond these duties, slaves might also
be expected to clear land, build a fence, or perform other odd
jobs as the circumstances might dictate. Larger plantations
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 53
usually brought harsher working conditions. Overseers might
be assigned to monitor the work. As they had little connection
to the slave, they tended to treat the slaves more brutally.
Sometimes a slave, called a driver, would be enticed into
holding this position. Accordingly, drivers were hated in the
slave community. Living quarters were small and struggle and
food usually consisted of a few morsels of meat and bread
(www.ushistory.com). It can see from what Quimbo, Legree
driver slave, do; He throw down a coarse bag, which contained
a peck of corn and said “that, nigger, grab, take car on‘t,-yo
won’t get no more, dis year week.” (Stowe, 2005:295)
Another condition is shown in the novel like what happened
to George Harris, Eliza husband, before he run. Firstly he works
at a factory and all his salary are given to his master, he not
receive anything from his work. Some day he makes a machine
on that factory and the factory owner love what he does, but
this rumor hear by his master and his master hate it. So George
forbids going to that factory again. After two weeks the factory
owner comes to make another deal with Mr. Harris, George
master, to allow George to keep work with him on the factory
but Mr. Harris refused it and said: ”It’s free country, sir; the
man’s mine, and I do what I please with him, - that’s it!” (Stowe,
2005:13).
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 54
6.2.3 The Prohibitions for The Slave
6.2.3.1 Slave Code
Slaves did not accept their fate without protest.
Many instances of rebellion were known to
Americans, even in colonial times. These rebellions
were not confined to the South. In fact, one of the
earliest examples of a slave uprising was in 1712 in
Manhattan. As African Americans in the colonies grew
greater and greater in number, there was a justifiable
paranoia on the part of the white settlers that a violent
rebellion could occur in one's own neighborhood. It
was this fear of rebellion that led each colony to pass
a series of laws restricting slaves' behaviors. The laws
were known as slave codes (in www.ushistory.com
retrived on September 6, 2014).
Although each colony had differing ideas about
the rights of slaves, there were some common
threads in slave codes across areas where slavery
was common. Legally considered property, slaves
were not allowed to own property of their own. They
were not allowed to assemble without the presence of
a white person. Slaves that lived off the plantation
were subject to special curfews.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 55
In the courts, a slave accused of any crime
against a white person was doomed. No testimony
could be made by a slave against a white person.
Therefore, the slave's side of the story could never be
told in a court of law. Of course, slaves were
conspicuously absent from juries as well.
Slave codes had ruinous effects on African
American society. It was illegal to teach a slave to
read or write. Religious motives sometimes prevailed,
however, as many devout white Christian’s educated
slaves to enable the reading of the Bible. These same
Christians did not recognize marriage between slaves
in their laws. This made it easier to justify the breakup
of families by selling one if its members to another
owner.
This is happen in Uncle Tom. He is just tech to
read bible on Mr. Shelby place by Mr. Shelby son. He
never teaches to write. The writer found in the story
when he wants to write letter to his family on
Kentucky. When he misses his family so much he
imagines.
…There he seemed to see familiar faces of comrades, who had grown up with him from infancy; he saw his busy wife, bustling in her preparation for his evening meals; he heard the merry laugh of his boys at their play, and the chirrup off the baby at his knee…
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 56
In such a case, you write to your wife, and send messages to your children; but Tom could not write,-the mail for him had no existence, and the gulf of separation was unabridged by even a friendly word or signal. (Stowe, 2005:122)
6.2.3.2 Fugitive Slave Law
Fugitive Slave Law is a law that providing the
slave to escape and cross states border. The slave
will have punishment if they break this law. Many
Northern states also passed personal-liberty laws that
allowed fugitives a jury trial, and others passed laws
forbidding state officials to help capture alleged
fugitive slaves or to lodge them in state jails.
As a concession to the South a second and more
rigorous fugitive slave law was passed as part of the
Compromise of 1850. By it "all good citizens" were
"commanded to aid and assist federal marshals and
their deputies in the prompt and efficient execution of
this law," and heavy penalties were imposed upon
anyone who assisted slaves to escape from bondage
(In www.infoplease.com retrived on November 1,
2014).
In line with the writer found on the story, when
Eliza escaping with her son, Harry. She chased by her
son buyer, Mr. Haley and some her master slaves
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 57
who actually makes Mr. Haley slower to find Eliza.
After found Eliza and her son cross Ohio River by ice
brick. Knowing that he cannot after them again, Mr.
Haley go to slaves hunter to make arrangement if they
can give him back his slaves the slaves hunter will get
reward. This also was happened in reality as we can
see in the picture below:
From the picture the writer concludes that if there
slave run from their master they will chased by his
master. If the master can not found it he will use leaflet
like that to make slave hunter chase his running slave
or he can come to slave hunter personally.
On the story the writer found that when George
Harris, Eliza husband, who run from Mr. Harris, Mr.
Harris make a leaflet that the people read on the bar.
“What’s that?” said the old gentleman, observing some of the company formed in a group around a large handbill. “Niger advertised!” said one of the company, briefly. Mr. Wilson, for that was the old gentleman’s name, rose up, and, after carefully adjusting his valise and umbrella, proceeded deliberately to take out his spectacles and fix them on his nose;
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 58
and, this operation being performed, read as follows: “Run away from the subscriber, my mulato boy, George. Said George six feet I height, a very light mulatto, brown curly hair; is very intelligent, speak handsomely, can read and write, will try to pass for a white man, is deeply scarred on his back and shoulders, has been branded in his right hand in letter H. “I will give four hundred dollars for him alive, and same sum for satisfactory proof that he has been killed.” (Stowe, 2005:90)
6.2.3.3 The Punishment for The Slave
The punishment of the slave is difference. On the
chapter two the writer mention some punishment that
slaves gets if they doing something bad.As writer
found in the story,the punishment is so cruel and
sometimes it is end by the death of the slave.
First is Prue the old slaves who come to St. Clare
house to sold rusks and hot rolls that get drunk and
try to forget her misery. On the next few days when
there is new woman come to deliver rusks and rolls to
change Prue, Dinahask:
“Lor!” said Dinah, “What‘s got Prue?” “Prue isn’t coming anymore,” said the woman mysteriously. “Why not?” said Dinah. “she an’t dead, is he?” “We doesn’t exactly know. She’s down cellar,” said the woman, glancing at Miss Ophelia.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 59
After Mrs. Ophelia had taken the rusks, Dinah followed the woman to the door. “What has got Prue, any how?” she said. The woman seems desirous, yet reluctant, to speak, and answered, in low, mysterious tone. “Well, you mustn’t tell nobody. Prue, she got drunk again,-and they had her down cellar,-and thar they left her all day,-and I hearn ‘em saying that the flies had got to her,-and she’s dead!” (Stowe, 2005:186)
The next torture is got by Uncle Tom who gets a
long cruel torture by his Master, Legree. After he
arrived in the Legree plantation, he prepared become
a driver by Legree but he refuse to beat and whip
another slaves.
“And now,” said Legree, “come here, you Tom. You see, I telled ye I didn’t buy ye just for the common work; I mean to promote ye, and make a driver of ye; and to-night ye may jest as well begin to get yer a hand in. Now, ye jest take this yer gal and fog her; ye’ve seen enough on’t to know how.” “I beg Mas’r pardon,” said Tom; “Hopes Mas’r won’t set me at that. It’s what I an’t used to, - never did-and can’t do, no way possible.” “Ye’lllarn a pretty smart chance of things ye never did know, before I’ve done with ye!” said legree, taking up a cowhide, and striking Tom a heavy blow cross the check, and following up the infliction by shower of blows. (Stowe, 2005:301- 302)
After Uncle Tom received his some punch from
Legree, Legree ask him “now will ye tell me ye can’t
do it?” and Uncle Tom answered with
“Yes, Mas’r,” said Tom, putting up his hand, to wipe the blood that tricked down his face. “I’m willin’ to work, night and day, and work while
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 60
there’s life and breath in me; but this yer thing I can’t feel it right to do;-and, Mas’r, I never shall do it,-Never!”(Stowe, 2005:302)
Legree become angry with him and try to make
him leave his belief with many ways like bad language
and scolding, hard work out limit, punch, and whip
until one day after Cassy and Emmeline hiding on the
roof to planning to Run from Legree plantation and
Looking good chance to leave that place peacefully.
After looking for them with dog and all slaves he have
on the scrub for days, Legree ask Uncle Tom if he
know where they are because he know that only
Uncle Tom the slave who not join to hunt Cassy and
Emmeline but Uncle Tom refused to tell Legree and
not lie to Legree either.
“Well Tom!” said Legree, walking up, and seizing him grimly by the collar of his coat, and speaking through his teeth, in a paroxysm of determined rage, “do you know I’ve made up my mind to KILL you?” “It’s very likely, Mas’r,” said Tom, calmly. “I have,” said Legree, with a grim, terrible calmness,” dne-just-that-ting, Tom, unless you’ll tell me what you know about this yer gals!” Tom stood silent. “D’ye hear me?” said Legree, stamping, with a roar like that of an incensed lion. “Speak!” “I han’t got nothing to tell, Mas’r,” said Tom, with a slow, firm, deliberated utterance. “Do you dare to tell me, ye old black Christian, ye don’t know?” said Legree Tom was silent “Speak!” thundered Legree, striking him furiously “Do you know anything?”
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 61
“I know, Mas’r; but I can’t tell anything. I can die!” (Stowe, 2005:348-349)
Legree become possessed by an evil spirit,
blinded by furious and despotic will. Legree torture
Uncle Tom until near to die. He won’t stop and saying
“Pay away, till he gives up! Give it to him! – Give it to
him! I’ll take every drop of blood he has, unless he
confesses” but Uncle Tom just pray for Legree soul.
Tom opened his eyes, and looked open his master. “Ye poor miserable critter!” he said, “there an’t no more ye can do! I forgive ye, with all my soul!” and he fainted entirely away. “I b’live, my soul, he’s done for, finally,” said Legree, stepping forward, to look at him. “Yes, he is! Well, his mouth’s shut up, at last,-that’s one comfort!” Yes, Legree; but who shall shut up the voice in thy soul? That soul, past repentance, past prayer, past hope, in whom the fire that never shall be quenched is already burning!
Tom is dying after got to much punch from Legree
but he not die yet. Quimbo and Sambo feel guilty to
him and take care of him. They washed his wounds,
they provided a rude bed, of some refused cotton, for
him to lie down on.
“O, Tom!” said Quimbo, “we’s been awful wicked to ye!” “I forgive ye, with all my heart!” said Tom, faintly. “O, Tom! do tell us who is Jesus, anyhow?” said Sambo;-“Jesus, that’s been standin’ by you so, all this night!-Who is he?” The word roused the failing, fainting spirit. He poured for tha few energetic sentences of that wondrous One,-his life, his death, his everlasting presence, and power to save.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 62
They wept,-both the two savage men. “Why didn’t I never hear this before?” said Sambo; “but I do believe!-I can’t help it! Lord Jesus, have mercy on us!” “Poor critters!” said Tom, “I’d be willing to bar’ all I have, if it’ll only bring ye to Christ! O, lord! Give me these two more souls, I pray!” (Stowe, 2005:350)
The kindness of Uncle Tom is seen on this part.
Even he is dying by peoples who was wicked to him,
he still show his kindness and forgiveness, he also
give enlighten to Sambo and Quimbo and also pray
for them with all his heart.
6.3 Racism
In the previous chapter the writer explain that racism is result of
slavery. The cruel treatment of the slave master to their slave is one
kind of racism. The words that slave master to their slaves or the
words that slaves master said about their slaves are another kind of
racism.
In the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin some racial attitude sows in many
examples. The one was clearly shown is when our main character,
Uncle Tom, forced to leave his believes, his religion in order to whip
another slave. Uncle Tom last master, Legree, think that the slaves do
not need religion and he want to make him to leave it but Uncle Tom
will not do that and pervert die than leave the religion he hold.
“Humph! pious, to be sure. So, what’s yer name,-you belong to the church, eh?” “Yes, Mas’r,” said Tom, firmly.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 63
“Well, I’ll soon have that out of you. I have none o’yer bawling, praying, singing niggers on my place; so remember. Now, mind your self,” he said with a stamp and fierce glance of his gray aye, directed at Tom, “I’m your church now! You understand,-you’ve got to be as I say.” (Stowe, 2005:286)
Another racism the writer found in the story is in the chapter sixteen,
Tom mistress and her opinion. In this part clearly describes common
opinion about the opinion of the slave holder to their slaves. In the
story Marie said that the slaves are the plague of her life.
“I don’t know, I’m sure, except for a plague; they are the plague of my life. I believed that more of my ill health is caused by them than by any one thing; and ours, I know, are the very worst that ever anybody was plague with.” “O, come, Marie, you’ve got the blues, this morning.” said St. Clare. “You know ‘t isn’t so. There’s Mammy, the best creature living,-what could you do without her?” (Stowe, 2005: 143)
The true that Stowe wants to describe in this chapter is Marie just
too lazy and spoiled to their slaves. She pushes her personal maid,
Mammy, to work very hard even when she sleep Mammy has to keep
her by her side and not give Mammy enough rest.She complaining
when Mammy fall sleep and said that Mammy is selfish because she
did not pay attention when she sleep.
6.4 Discrimination
Discrimination can occur when the victim and the person who
inflicted the discrimination are the same race or color. It is unlawful to
harass a person because of that person’s race or color. Harassment
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 64
can include, for example, racial slurs, offensive or derogatory remarks
about a person's race or color, or the display of racially-offensive
symbols. Although the law does not prohibit simple teasing, offhand
comments, or isolated incidents that are not very serious, harassment
is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or
offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse
employment decision (In www.eeoc.gov retrived on February 9, 2015).
6.4.1 Discrimination in Realistic Competition
In the novel it is clearly described that the land holder
or owner of a plantation in the south are looking for slave
to work in their farm. From this act the writer conclude that
discrimination in realistic competition to obtaining material
to make their live easier. They are looking for slaves to
work to them with no salary to those slaves.
6.4.2 Discrimination in Social Competition
The writer found in the novel that this discrimination in
social competition is really happened. The slave masters
are scared when their slave is more famous than them.
This happened with George Harris. He is work in the
factory by order of his master, Mr. Harris, when he makes
a machine to make work easier and faster. His master
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 65
does not like what was he doing because that makes
George famous and get more respect than him.
…This same gentlemen, having heard of the fame of George’s invention, took a ride over to the factory, to see what this intelligent chattel had been about. He was received with great enthusiasm by the employer, who congratulated him on possessing so valuable a slave. He was waited upon over the factory, shown the machinery by George, who, in high spirits, talked so fluently, held him self so erect, looked so handsome and manly, that his master began to feel an uneasy consciousness of inferiority. What business had his slave to be marching around the country, inventing machine, and holding up his head among gentleman? He’d soon put a stop to it. He’d take him back, and put him to hoeing and digging, and “see if he’d step about so smart.” Accordingly, the manufacturer and all hand concerned were astounded when he suddenly demanded George’s wages, and announced his intention of taking him home. (Stowe, 2005:12)
After two weeks, the factory owner comes to make
another deal with Mr. Harris to allow George to keep work
with him on the factory but Mr. Harris refused it.
6.4.3 Discrimination in Consensual Discrimination
Discrimination in Consensual Discrimination is shown
in the story by act of Simon Legree. He tries to control
Uncle Tom with many ways. He wants to show his
hierarchy status to Uncle Tom and other slaves his
position and power. This show when Uncle Tom refused
his order and get punch to give him lesson but Uncle Tom
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 66
have stand ground to his believe and faith (Stowe,
2005:301-302). Until Uncle Tom die, Legree cannot
change his faith.
6.5 The Quakers and The Underground Railroad
The Quakers is an association of people who against war and oath.
There are many of them from England moved to America. In 17th
century in England thousands of Quakers spent time in prison for not
paying church tithes, for refusing to swear oath, for refusing to bear
arms (In trilogy.brynmawr.edu retrived on Februari 9, 2015).
The popular mythology of the Underground Railroad is filled with
story of tunnels, secret hiding places, quilt (as signal) and lawn
Jockeys. A historian Larry Gara wrote a book with title “The Liberty
Line: The Legend of the Underground Railroad” (1961). Gara claimed
that the story of the Underground Railroad, as told in the middle 20th
Century, focused almost exclusively on the assistance by white and
particularly Quakers in assisting the freedom seeker (In
trilogy.brynmawr.edu retrived on February 9, 2015).
In the story Quakeris the group of people who set frees by Jhon van
Trompe, a considerable landholder and slave owner in the state of
Kentucky. One day, he take his wallet and buy a quarter of a township
of good, rich land in the Ohio. Jhon then make out free papers for all
his people and bring them in a wagon to the land he buy (Stowe,
2005:78).
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 67
Like what Gara said in her book that the writer mentioned above.
After cross Ohio River, Eliza goes to Senator Bird house and took to
the Quakers place in that nigh. Eliza take rest few days in this Quakers
place and meet his husband. With his husband and few more people,
Eliza, get escort to border of Canada. The path they use very likely is
the Underground Railroad.
6.6 Relationship Between The Novel and The Civil War
There are many things in the novel that change the opinion of its
readers. Before reading this novel,theydid not realize that slavery is a
bad thing. They thought it was a normal behavior. First, they did not
consider the feelings of the slaves, because they thought that slaves
were properties. This opinions made the slave holders treated the
slaves unfairly in the perspective of humanity. Otherwise, those
behavior were presented in the story with the perspective of humanity
to deliver meanings that what they did were brutallities. The novel
changed the opinions of those slave holders. This became
contradictionary to the act of slavery. Then this opinion soon became
a public sentiment in America just about few days after the novel was
published.
One of the most awful case in the novel is the story of Cassy. When
Cassy was child she lived in luxury. She was in the wealthy familly and
dressed like a doll. She learned Music, French, and embroidery. Her
father died when she was fourteen. Her father died unexpectedly, and
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 68
they did not have money to cater for the debt so the creditors took an
inventory of property. She was set down to this. Her mother was slave
woman, and my father always meant to set me free but not done it yet.
Who will expect that strong, healty man is going to die. He was healty
man four hours before he died. It was the first cholera cases in New
Orleans.
Her father’s wife take her childrend and went up to her father
plantation. There was young lawyer, Henry, who they left to settle the
bussines. He come every day. One day when she walked with him in
the garden. She was lonesome and full of sorrow and that young man
spoke very polite to her said that he had loves her and will be her
friend and protector. He was buy her before and she become his
willingly, for her loved him. She put her in the beatufull house, with
sevant, horse, cariages, furniture and dresses. Every thing that
money can buy. He gave her, but she did not set any value on that all.
She only cared for him. She loved him better than her God and her
own soul. One thing that she want most is this man marry her and set
her free. For seven she have two childrend from this man. This was
her happies years of her live.
The happy years was end. Henry cousin, who was his particular
friend, comes to New Orleans. This man take him to gaming-house
and introduce him to another lady. Cassy realize that his heart was
gone from her. At this, the wretch offered to buy her and her children
to clear Henry gambling debt.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 69
Then he come, the cursed wretch, to take possession. He told her
that he was bought her and her children while showing the papers.
She cersed her and said that she prever die than live with him but he
said:
“’Just as you pleased, ‘said he; ‘but, if you don’t behave reasonably. I’ll sell both the children, where you shall never see them again.’ He told me that he always had mean to have me , from the first time he saw me; and that he had dawn Henry on, and got him in debt, on perpose to make him willing to sell me. That he got love with another woman; and that I might know, after all that, that he should not give up for few airs and tears, and things of that sort. (Stowe, 2005: 309)
Cassy could do anythig because he have her children as prissoner.
Whenever she resisted his will anywhere, he would talk about selling
them, and he made me as submissive as he desired.
One day he tooke me to ride, and when she come home, her
children were no where to found. He told her that he already had sold
them; he showed her the money, the price of her blood.
One day when she walked alone and passed by calaboose; She
say crowd around the gate and heard child’s voiced. That was Henry,
her boy, who running to her while the man on that palce after him.
Henry grab her dress until the man pull him. She tried to beg and plead
but they only laughed; the poor boy screamed and looked into her
face. She turning and got the house, run, all out breath, to the parlor,
whe she found Butler. She told him, and begged him to go and iterfere.
He only laughed, and told her the boy had got his desert, sooner the
better; what did she expect? He asked.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 70
In that moment she felt dizzy and furious. She remembered grab a
bowie-knife on the table and flying opon him. she was fainted after
that. When she woke, she was in a nice room, but not her room; and
treated by an old balck woman. A doctor also come to see her. After
a while, she found that he had gone away and left her in this house to
sold. That is why they took such pains with me.
She was so gloomy and silent so there is no one want to buy her.
One day there is gentleman named stuard. He seems have some
feeling for her; he show that something dreadful was on her heart, and
he come to see me alone, a great many times, and finally persuaded
her to tell him. He bought me, at last, and promised to do all he could
to find and buy back her children. He goes to hotel where Henry was,
they said that Henry already sold to planter up on Pearl River. Then
he faound Cassy daughter, Elise, was. An old woman keeping her. He
offered a lot money for her but they would not sell her. Butler found
out that it was fer her Stuart want to buy Elise; He send her word that
she will not never have Elise. Captain stuard was fery kind to her. He
had a splendid plantation, and took me into it. In the course of a year,
she had a son born.
...O, that child!—how I loveed it! How just like my Henry the litle thing looked! But I had made up my mind,--yes, I had. I would never again let a child live to grow up! I took the litle fellow in my arms, whe he was two weeks old, and kiss him, and cried over him; and then i gave him laundanum, and held him close to my bosom, while he slept for death... (Stowe, 2005: 310- 311)
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 71
Cassy feel no regret she said that it was one of the few things that
she glad of, now. She is not sorry , to this day; he, atleast, is out of
pain. What better than death could she gave him, poor child!.
After a while cholera came, and Captain Stuart died. She was sold
again and again. Passed from hand to hand, till she grow faded and
wrinkled. Until she had fever; Legree bought her and brought her to
his plantation.
By this story and another slave story on the novel, Stowe want to
tell the American that the slavery is wrong. The awful life of Cassy is
one from many similar story of the slave that waken the
people’sfeeling on the novel and make people have same opinion with
her. With this novel Stowe also make public sentiment about the
badness of the slavery and make the Abolitionisencourages his
movement.
The relation between novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin and American civil
war isone of the factors that cause the American Civil War.Abraham
Lincoln said when he met Stowe in Washington that “So you are the
little woman who wrote the book that started this Great War” (in
biography of Harriet Beecher Stowe).
In one of his famous debates with Stephen Douglas, Abraham
Lincoln acknowledged that “… public sentiment is everything. With
public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed.
Consequently, he who molds public sentiment goes deeper than he
who enacts statutes or pronounces decisions.” Five Stowe’s story
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 72
about slavery had a profound impact on public sentiment and helped
to direct American politics toward emancipation and greater equality
(Leeman in the journal of From Pen to Sword: Uncle Tom’s Cabin, The
Abolition, and The American Civil War, P. 2)
The writer found that this novel is the one factor that influences the
opinion of Americans to stop slavery in their land and help Lincoln to
win the election. The storydescribes the cruelty of the slaves master
and how the human right was robbed by the act of this slavery.The
white people witnessed the emergence of slavery but no efforts were
performed to prevent such cruelty. The author was aware that slave
was part of human that concerned love, emotion, feeling, and
pride.This situation generated the Abolitionists to eradicate that
against social justice for humanity in America social.
The spirits of the slaves emerged when they gain their freedom in
the civil war. As we know from the novel the spirit of the slaves who
escaped never ended. They believed that the freedom should be
taken by their own strength. The writer sees the spirit of the slaves
who joined the civil war so the America won against the slavery.
Most black Americans responded enthusiastically to Uncle Tom's
Cabin. Frederick Douglass was a friend of Stowe's; she had consulted
him on some sections of the book, and he praised the book in his
writings. Most black abolitionists saw it as a tremendous help to their
cause. Some, however, opposed the book, seeing Uncle Tom's
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 73
character as being too submissive and criticized Stowe for having her
strongest black characters emigrate to Liberia (in www.pbs.org).
Drawing on Stowe’ssuccess as a model, Douglass’s short story
“The Heroic Slave” and William WellsBrown’s novel Clotel, usually
considered the first works of published African-Americanfiction, both
appeared in the year following Uncle Tom’s Cabin’s publication, but
bothcan be read as subtle critiques of Stowe’s depiction of slavery and
slaves (in sailor.org retrived on May 6, 2015).
6.7 The Criticism in The Story by the Author
Stowe criticized social condition in America on her novel by provide
the conditions of the slaves. Stowe gives much examples of the
treatment of the slave holder to their slaves, the discrimination to the
slaves, and the racism action that the slaves received. In order to bring
more pressure about the slavery conditions to the reader, stowe write
with dramatic and melancholic styles.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin was written after the passage of the Fugitive
Slave Act of 1850, which made it illegal for anyone in the United States
to offer assistance to a runaway slave. The novel seeks to attack this
law and the institution it protected.
For most of the novel, Stowe explores the question of slavery in a
fairly mild setting, in which slaves and master have seemingly positive
relationships. At the Shelby’s house, and again at the St. Clare’s, the
slaves have kindly masters who do not abuse or mistreat them. Stowe
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 74
does not offer these setting in order to show slavery’s evil as
conditional. She seeks to expose the vices of slavery even in its best-
case scenario. Though Shelby and St. Clare possess kindness and
intelligence, their ability to tolerate slavery renders them hypocritical
and morally weak. Even under kind master, slaves suffer, as we see
when a financially struggling Shelby guiltily destroy Tom’s family by
selling Tom. A common contemporary defense of slavery claimed that
the institution benefited the slaves because most masters acted in
their slaves best interest. Stowe refutes this argument with her biting
portrayals, insisting that the slave’s best interest can lie only in
obtaining freedom. This case shown with characters Eliza, Harry,
George Harris, and Cassy whom finally life well in Liberia.
In the final third of the book, Stowe leaves behind the pleasant
veneer of life at the Shelby and St. Clare houses and takes the reader
into the Legree plantation, where the evil of slavery appears in its most
form. This harsh and barbaric setting, in which slaves suffer beatings,
sexual abuse, and even murder, introduces the power of shock into
Stowe’s argument. If slavery is wrong in the best of cases, in the worst
of cases it is nightmarish and inhuman. In the book’s structural
progression between “pleasant” and hellish plantations, we can detect
Stowe’s rhetorical methods. First she deflates the defense of the pro-
slavery reader by showing the evil of the “best” kind of slavery. She
then presents her own case against slavery by showing the shocking
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 75
wickedness of slavery at its worst. (sparknotes.com retrieve on
October 26, 2015)
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 76
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
11.1 Conclusion
Based on the analysis, the writer concludes that the novel is a part
of the American history. The novel presents the American history in
terms of slavery, racism, and discrimination. In 1500s, slavery did not
exist in America. The immigrantssailed in the ships with agreement
that they wouldprovides free services in return. Then, slavery emerged
after decades. Virgina as the first british colony legalized slavery in
1661 followed by Maryland and Carolinas. The following years, there
were more colonies came to America, and Georgia was the last
colonythat legalized this system after taking pressure from its citizen
to repealed the ban of slavery. The Laws were soon passed
recomending all children of African slaves are a slave followed by
another laws about slavery. The slavery then generated racism as a
consequence. This is also part of capitalism when slave trader made
racist devision.
The discrimination can be the effect of some law or established
practice that confers privileges to a certain class because of race, age,
sex, nationality and religion. Racism derived from with the modern
slave trader. Just as the slaveholders of ancient Greece and Rome
created an ideology that their barbaric slave system was natural, so
did the modern slave-owning class. The ideology confirmed that
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 77
slavery was natural because of race. Africans were not cosidered as
human being and therefore they were born to be slaves.
By the 1600s, English colonists had established a system of
indentured servitude that included both Europeans and Africans. In
the 1670s, The Bacon’s Rebellion involving white and black servants
against wealthy Virginia planters. After this rebels the status of
Africans began to change. They were no longer servants who had an
opportunity for freedom following servitude, but a permanent slavery
in the colonies. The English colonists in America became involved in
a rebellion of their ownIn the 1770s. This time they fight agains British
Crown. While the colonists battled the British for independence, they
continued to deny Africans freedoms and hold rights to Native
Americans.
The Quakers and The Underground Railroadwere exist in the
reality that based the writing on the novel. The Quakers had a big
contribution to initiate eradication of slavery. They helped the slaves
who gained their freedom. They provided them shelters, food, and
running lines. This running lines were more popular with the name
Underground Railroad. With this line, many slaves escaped to Canada
and untied from the slavery chain. This things that encourages the
Abolitionists to support their movement.
The social condition in America before Civil War was disorder. The
slavery was merely seen as a natural condition in America at the time.
The white people witnessed the emergence of slavery but no efforts
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 78
were performed to prevent such cruelty. Slavery was even seen as
advantages in some part of Americaand such regulation was
established to deal with it. However, slavery was considered inhuman
because it encouraged tragic social condition. The author was aware
that slave was part of humanity that concerned love, emotion, feeling,
and pride.This situation generated the Abolitionists to eradicate that
against social justice for humanity in American social life, the slavery
generates dehumanization that against civil rights so it must be
eradicated everywhere.
11.2 Significance of the Study
Finally, the writer expects this writing can be a reference to future
research and the next researcher can provide a more holistic
explanation regooding the slavery in America.
The social aspect which is discussed in this writing is based on
the history of America. The writer expects that this study can be used
to widen our perspectives study about history of American literature
that concern in slavery, racism, and discrimination. The study can be
an important contribution to venture into American Civil War.The
writer hopes that this piece of writing can be a contribution for the
students of English Department to undertake a research on
American literature.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 79
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http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/uncletom/
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 83
. Uncle Tom’s Cabin: Theme, Motif, & Symbols. Spark
Notes LLC. 2015. Retrieve October 26, 2015 from
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/uncletom/themes.html
The Biography.com. Harriet Beecher Stowe. 2015. Retrieved May 02, 2015,
from http://www.biography.com/people/harriet-beecher-stowe-
9496479. ushistory.org. 2014. Retrieve September 6, 2014, from
http://www.ushistory.org
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 84
APPENDIX
1. Synopsis
The story begins with a Kentucky farmer named Arthur Shelby
have run up large debts and faces the prospect of losing everything
he owns. Though he and his wife, Emily Shelby, have a kindhearted
and affectionate relationship with their slaves, Shelby decides to
raise money by selling two of his slaves to Mr. Haley, a slave trader.
The slaves in question are Uncle Tom, a middle-aged man with a
wife and children on the farm, and Harry, the young son of Mrs.
Shelby’s maid, Eliza. When Shelby tells his wife about his agreement
with Haley, she is appalled because she has promised Eliza that
Shelby would not sell her son.
However, Eliza overhears the conversation between Shelby and
his wife and, after warning Uncle Tom and his wife, Aunt Chloe, she
takes Harry and flees to the North, hoping to find freedom with her
husband George in Canada. Haley pursues her, but two other Shelby
slaves alert Eliza to the danger. She miraculously evades capture by
crossing the half-frozen Ohio River, the boundary separating
Kentucky from the North. Haley hires a slave hunter named Loker
and his gang to bring Eliza and Harry back to Kentucky. Eliza and
Harry make their way to a Quaker settlement, where the Quakers
agree to help transport them to safety. They are joined at the
settlement by George, who reunites joyously with his family for the
trip to Canada.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 85
Meanwhile, Uncle Tom sadly leaves his family and Mas’r George,
Shelby’s young son and Tom’s friend, as Haley takes him to a boat
on the Mississippi to be transported to a slave market. On the boat,
Tom meets an angelic little white girl named Eva, who quickly
befriends him. When Eva falls into the river, Tom dives in to save
her, and her father, Augustine St. Clare, gratefully agrees to buy Tom
from Haley. Tom travels with the St. Clare to their home in New
Orleans, where he grows increasingly invaluable to the St. Clare
household and increasingly close to Eva, with whom he shares a
devout Christianity.
Up North, George and Eliza remain in flight from Loker and his
men. When Loker attempts to capture them, George shoots him in
the side, and the other slave hunters retreat. Eliza convinces George
and the Quakers to bring Loker to the next settlement, where he can
be healed. Meanwhile, in New Orleans, St. Clare discusses slavery
with his cousin Ophelia, who opposes slavery as an institution but
harbors deep prejudices against blacks. St. Clare, by contrast, feels
no hostility against blacks but tolerates slavery because he feels
powerless to change it. To help Ophelia overcome her bigotry, he
buys Topsy, a young black girl who was abused by her past master
and arranges for Ophelia to begin educating her.
After Tom has lived with the St. Clare for two years, Eva grows
very ill. She slowly weakens, and then dies, with a vision of heaven
before her. Her death has a profound effect on everyone who knew
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 86
her: Ophelia resolves to love the slaves, Topsy learns to trust and
feel attached to others, and St. Clare decides to set Tom free.
However, before he can act on his decision, St. Clare is stabbed to
death while trying to settle a brawl. As he dies, he at last finds God
and goes to be reunited with his mother in heaven.
St. Clare’s cruel wife, Marie, sells Tom to a vicious plantation
owner named Simon Legree. Tom is taken to rural Louisiana with a
group of new slaves, including Emmeline. Legree takes a strong
dislike to Tom when Tom refuses to whip a fellow slave as ordered.
Tom receives a severe beating, and Legree resolves to crush his
faith in God. Tom meets Cassy, and hears her story. Separated from
her daughter by slavery, she became pregnant again but killed the
child because she could not stand to have another child taken from
her.
Around this time, with the help of Tom Loker—now a changed
man after being healed by the Quakers—George, Eliza, and Harry
at last cross over into Canada from Lake Erie and obtain their
freedom. In Louisiana, Tom’s faith is sorely tested by his hardships,
and he nearly ceases to believe. He has two visions, however—one
of Christ and one of Eva—which renew his spiritual strength and give
him the courage to withstand Legree’s torments. He encourages
Cassy to escape. She does so, taking Emmeline with her, after she
devises a ruse in which she and Emmeline pretend to be ghosts.
When Tom refuses to tell Legree where Cassy and Emmeline have
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 87
gone, Legree orders his overseers to beat him. When Tom is near
death, he forgives Legree and the overseers. George Shelby arrives
with money in hand to buy Tom’s freedom, but he is too late. He can
only watch as Tom dies a martyr’s death.
Taking a boat toward freedom, Cassy and Emmeline meet
George Harris’s sister and travel with her to Canada, where Cassy
realizes that Eliza is her long-lost daughter. The newly reunited
family travels to France and decides to move to Liberia, the African
nation created for former American slaves. George Shelby returns to
the Kentucky farm, where, after his father’s death, he sets all the
slaves free in honor of Tom’s memory. He urges them to think on
Tom’s sacrifice every time they look at his cabin and to lead a pious
Christian life, just as Tom did.
2. Biography of Harriet Beecher Stowe
Harriet Beecher Stowe was born on June 14, 1811, in Litchfield,
Connecticut with name Harriet Elizabeth Beecher. Her father, Lyman
Beecher, was a leading Congregationalist minister and the patriarch
of a family committed to social justice.
Harriet was one of 13 children born to religious leader Lyman
Beecher and his wife, Roxanna Foote Beecher, who died when she
was a child. Harriet’s seven brothers grew up to be ministers,
including the famous leader Henry Ward Beecher. Her sister
Catharine Beecher was an author and a teacher who helped to
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 88
shape Harriet’s social views. Another sister, Isabella, became a
leader of the cause of women’s rights.
Harriet enrolled in a school run by Catharine, following the
traditional course of classical learning usually reserved for young
men. At the age of 21, she moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where her
father had become the head of the Lane Theological Seminary.
Lyman Beecher took a strong abolitionist stance following the
pro-slavery Cincinnati Riots of 1836. His attitude reinforced the
abolitionist beliefs of his children, including Stowe. Stowe found like-
minded friends in a local literary association called the Semi-Colon
Club. Here, she formed a friendship with fellow member and
seminary teacher Calvin Ellis Stowe. They were married on January
6, 1836, and eventually moved to a cottage near in Brunswick,
Maine, close to Bowdoin College.
Along with their interest in literature, Harriet and Calvin Stowe
shared a strong belief in abolition. In 1850, Congress passed the
Fugitive Slave Law, prompting distress and distress in abolitionist
and free black communities of the North. Stowe decided to express
her feelings through a literary representation of slavery, basing her
work on the life of Josiah Henson and on her own observations. In
1851, the first installment of Stowe’s novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin,
appeared in the National Era. Uncle Tom's Cabin was published as
a book the following year and quickly became a best seller.
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 89
Stowe’s emotional portrayal of the impact of slavery, particularly
on families and children, captured the nation's attention. Embraced
in the North, the book and its author aroused hostility in the South.
Enthusiasts staged theatrical performances based on the story, with
the characters of Tom, Eva and Topsy achieving iconic status.
After the Civil War began, Stowe travelled to Washington, D.C.,
where she met with Abraham Lincoln. A possibly apocryphal but
popular story credits Lincoln with the greeting, “So you are the little
woman who wrote the book that started this Great War.” While little
is known about the meeting, the persistence of this story captures
the perceived significance of Uncle Tom’s Cabin in the split between
North and South.
Stowe achieved national fame for her anti-slavery novel, Uncle
Tom’s Cabin, which fanned the flames of sectionalism before the
Civil War. Stowe died in Hartford, Connecticut, on July 1, 1896 on
ages 85. Her body is buried at Phillips Academy in Andover,
Massachusetts, under the epitaph “Her Children Rise up and Call
Her Blessed.”
The Social Criticisms in Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 90