UNCLE TOM'S CABIN AND LASTING EMOTIONAL IMPRESSIONS

UNCLE TOM'S CABIN AND LASTING EMOTIONAL IMPRESSIONS

My blog entry of March 30, 2012 was about classics.  Since then I have been in the hospital for lymphoma with 6-week periods of 2 chemo sessions each.  During my first 6 weeks I read the classic Uncle Tom’s Cabin.  It was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe who became convinced that Christianity and slavery were absolutely incompatible.

 

I don’t believe any book has affected me as much as that one did.  I was so moved that when my husband called me at the hospital I couldn’t talk for choking back the tears.  No words could come out of my mouth.  I can’t remember a time when that has ever happened while reading a book.

I cried, rather sobbed silently, when little Eva was dying.  I was saddened when Tom died and didn’t get to be reunited with his family.  I was spiritually uplifted when Tom would share his faith and trust in God and would not do wrong even when horrendous wrongs were done to him. 

 

As I was reading the book, I was impressed by the spiritual tone throughout the novel. Tom read his Bible and often talked about trusting in God, no matter what happened.  He taught those around him about the love God had for everyone.  He knew that no matter what the cruel masters did to him, if Tom was faithful to God, God would reward him, if not here in this life, in the eternal life.  What a witness he was for the Lord, even while he was dying due to the cruel whip of an evil master!

Could the fact that there is a strong Christian theme throughout the story be one reason for banning this great work in these modern times?  Many who want to ban this classic say it’s because of its alleged racist portrayal of blacks and the use of the “N” word.  These people are not looking at the real picture.  This book was written to show Godly people the sins of slavery!  It was written to make people aware of the horrors and inhumane treatment of a race of people who had no one but God to trust in to help them. It was written to shame the hypocritical Christians into action and abolish slavery.

This classic, written during a troubled period of time in American history, should be read by everyone to remind us of man’s inhumanity to man and not repeat such actions.  It should be read to remind us of our Christian heritage, which like it or not is part of our history.