Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin raises questions about the nature of freedom. In the beginning of the book, Eliza learns that her son Henry will be sold to a new master. She decides at once to take a huge risk and escape to Canada with her son. She succeeds in evading Mr. Haley, and makes it to Canada securing freedom for herself and her son. She was able to accomplish this because she had not been broken when compared to other characters such as Tom. Tom is a loyal honest man, but he has lost the spirit that Eliza shows in her split-second decision to save her family by escaping.
Eliza maintains a fighting spirit that the institution of slavery is designed to strip away. Tom has no fighting spirit. This combined with his naturally compassionate disposition results in his destruction. Instead of running away in the face of the severe cruelty of Simon Legree, Tom stays. Instead, he encourages other slaves to escape which results in his violent end. I believe there are two distinct types of freedom portrayed in this book. One is the typical definition of not having a master and being able to do what you want. The other is purely mental and much more difficult to take away. It is having the courage to say no and act on that instinct. This mental freedom is what Tom did not poses, while Eliza did. This was the difference between these two characters, and the reason Eliza survives.
I think Tom became a content, compassionate, and ‘helpful’ slave because his initial owners were kind to him. Under their ownership, Tom was able to live a relatively comfortable life and found position among the slaves. However, following being sold, Tom suffers as a slave and is eventually killed. Slave owners were not always directly cruel but they promoted a system that was cruel in nature.
This ties directly into how the term “Uncle Tom” is used today. A lot of people, when they reference “Uncle Tom,” use the term in a negative way. However, when you read how and why Tom died, I really think it changes the tone of the term. He ultimately died in order to help two enslaved women escape their bondage. That is almost the epitome of self-sacrifice.
I think Uncle Tom was so kind and honest because of his religious zeal. Tom initially had a kind owner, however, after being sold Tom was exposed to the cruel reality of slavery in the south. But, Tom remained faithful and disallowed discrimination to ruin his life. I think you bring up an interesting observation that although Tom was a slave, he was mentally free. His religious zeal prevented the realities of slavery to fully dictate his life.
Uncle Tom and Eliza represent two very different themes in this novel. Tom is selfless, religiously very passionate, and more passive. Eliza is very aggressive and refuses to give in to her current circumstances. She will stop at nothing to be free from the miserable and tormenting hell that is slavery.
I think Tom illustrated his belief til his death, as he was a truly kind,devote and accommodating person. However, I think his belief was so strong that he did not consider showing resistance at all. It seemed like he could accept things pretty easily.
I saw it less as Tom did not possess the same form of mental freedom as Eliza, but rather that he was an extremely loyal man. He, unlike Mr. Shelby, remained enforcing his moral codes upon himself, never betraying his ideas. With Eliza, it was less about freedom for herself and more of desperation for her child. She refuses to lose another child in any capacity and risks everything for her son.