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The Symbolism And Importance Of Uncle Tom's Cabin

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Stowe, herself being a white woman strongly sympathized with the black slaves and became an active abolitionist by working for the cause of antislavery war. This novel is one of her attempts for the cause of the Blacks in the civil war and highlights the evil and immorality in practice of slavery; besides reflecting Stowe’s unflinching faith in Christianity as the sole redeemer of individual and society. Will Kaufman says: ‘‘The novel helped lay the ground work for the civil war.” Stowe was an active abolitionist and wrote the novel in response to the second Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which declared that all runaway slaves should be brought back to their masters. It is credited to have fuelled the abolitionist cause in the 1850s (Goldner 84). The story is about a middle-aged black man, Tom, who undergoes several hardships in the backdrop of institution of slavery in America. The novel portrays plight of the blacks from the every angle and the struggle for deliverance from this curse is depicted in a sentimental yet realistic manner. Tom bears every hardship bravely, works for his fellow slaves and through his faith in Christian love attains a peaceful death, also paving way for liberation of his fellowmen. The significance of the title Uncle Tom’s Cabin becomes explicit towards the end of the book, when George Shelby frees his slaves. He tells them that, when they look at Uncle Tom’s cabin, they should remember the cost of their freedom and dedicate themselves to

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