Uncle Tom's Cabin

Uncle Tom's Cabin is a novel by American abolitionist author Harriet Beecher Stowe which treats slavery as a central theme. The work was first published on March 20, 1852. The novel soon became the best-selling novel of the 19th century (and the second best-selling book of the century after the Bible)http://www.enotes.com/uncle-toms/ and is credited with helping to end slavery in the United States. Despite this, the book also helped create and spread common stereotypes about African Americans, many of which endure to this day.

Major Characters

Uncle Tom

Uncle Tom is the main character of the book (and the character from which the novel gets its name). Initially seen as a noble long-suffering Christian slave, in recent years his name has become an epithet directed towards African Americans because he represents the submissive slave who is punished despite his loyalty. Uncle Tom has come to represent African Americans who are accused of selling out to whites, thereby allegedly becoming bad role models for black society.

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Eliza

A slave (personal maid to Mrs. Shelby), she escapes to the North with her five-year old son Harry after he is sold to Mr. Haley. Her husband, George, eventually finds Eliza and Harry in Ohio, and emigrates with them to Canada, then France and finally Liberia.

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The character Eliza was inspired by an account given at Lane Theological Seminary in Cincinnati by John Rankin to Stowe's husband Calvin, a professor at the school. According to Rankin, in February, 1838 a young slave woman had escaped across the frozen Ohio River to the town of Ripley with her child in her arms and stayed at his house on her way further north. (Hagedorn, pp. 135-39)

Related Topics:
Lane Theological Seminary - Cincinnati - John Rankin - 1838 - Ohio River - Ripley

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Little Eva

Little Eva, whose real name is Evangeline St. Clair, is the daughter of Augustine St. Clair. Eva enters the narrative when Uncle Tom is traveling via steamship to New Orleans to be sold, and he rescues the 5-year-old girl from drowning. Eva encourages her father to buy Tom and he becomes the head coachman at the St. Claire plantation. He spends most of his time with the angelic Little Eva, however.

Related Topics:
Uncle Tom - Steamship - New Orleans - Plantation

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Eva constantly talks about love and forgiveness, even convincing the dour slave girl Topsy that she deserves love. She even manages to touch the heart of her sour aunt, Ophelia. Some consider Eva to be a prototype of the character archetype known as the Mary Sue.

Related Topics:
Slave - Mary Sue

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Eva soon falls ill, however, and, on her deathbed, gives a lock of her hair to each of the slaves, telling them that they must become Christians so that they may see each other in Heaven. As she dies, she convinces her father to free Tom, but circumstances intervene, and the deathbed promise never materializes.

Related Topics:
Christians - Heaven

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Simon Legree

A villainous slave owner whose name has become synonymous with greed.

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Topsy

A "ragamuffin" young slave girl who "just growed", but was transformed by Little Eva's love. Topsy is often seen as the origin of the pickanniny stereotype of black children.

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