Harriet Beecher Stowes Uncle Toms Cabin Essay -- Stowe Uncle Toms C

Harriet Beecher Stowe promotes two related but distinct virtuous codes in Uncle toms Cabin One that is based on Christian values, the otherwise on maternal values. Consider how, at the beginning of the novel, both Uncle Tom and Eliza decide to act when told they are to be sold. Uncle Tom puts his faith in God and lets whatever forget happen, happen. Eliza, who as well faces being spaced from her child, decides to escape. Both decisions, though opposing, are sympathetically portrayed and seem purloin to each character. The Christian model of behavior Stowe endorses is made clear by Uncle Toms martyrdom and simple faith in the literal word of the bible. still the maternal model is less clear, since at times it seems to parallel the Christian model, and at other times , as in this case, it differs radically. Eliza runs away to cherish her childs safety. Although Elizas behavior, and the actions of the other strong female characters of the novel, could easily be understood by sayi ng, a mother of course would do anything for her child, this statement straight off puts the female characters actions on a physical, real-life level, opposing them to the higher, spiritual choices of their male counter-parts. are not universal ethics, ones that are held despite the situation, commonly seen as victor to situational ethics? However this hierarchy of choice misses the quality of strength and desirability that Stowe attributes to her female characters actions. Such a hierarchy also ignores that Stowe is calling the commentator to action against slavery, and by promoting physically-based action over well-intentioned but stable abstract ideals, Stowe perhaps is giving credence to situationally-based ethics. More than just an respectable code, Stowe... ... would be interesting to write further on the ways Stowe colludes with sexist thinking or how Uncle Tom himself embodies well-nigh of these maternal skills I treat of. Although I recognize these limitations of the paper might alienate my audience to some extent, I hope that my reader will be challenged to form an feeling that accepts the validity of the strong mother figure. Also I hope that the net-page will interest my reader in other theoretical resources. Because I byword the book as a resource and a starting-point for feminist thinking, my web page is also organized in this way. I would like browsers to move up my links informative and useful in their own study of womens liberation movement and the classics of American Literature.BIBLIOGRAPHY Ruddick, Sara. Maternal Thinking. M Studies 6 1980 342-63Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Uncle Toms Cabin. New York Macmillan Co., 1926.