by

There are few characters more culturally reviled in American literature than Uncle Tom, the titular character of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s iconic novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. He is the object of such distain, that to call a person of colour an ‘Uncle Tom’ is considered one of the harshest insults. Urban Dictionary, for instance, defines an Uncle Tom as a “black man who will do anything to stay in good standing with ‘the white man’ including betray his own people”. The irony is that Uncle Tom was a hero to his own people and served to challenge the institution of slavery. Far from selling out his own people, he endured torture and death to save their lives. Though some might throw out the term ‘Uncle Tom’ as if it were an insult, Uncle Tom offered a template for a noble hero and served as a Christ-like figure who sacrificed himself that others might be free. Though his name is spoken in the same breathe as Judas, the truth is that there is no figured in American literature who is more misconstrued than Uncle Tom, and rather than a prototype of cowardice and perfidiousness, Uncle Tom should be viewed as a heroic icon who is the model of loyalty and bravery and who challenges preconceptions about perceived race.

One of the most troublesome associations with the Uncle Tom being used as a pejorative term, is that it is meant to imply that one will betray his or her own people to ingratiate themselves to an oppressor: Tom, however, does the opposite, taking on punishment meant for others to spare them the pain. In one scene, Tom sees that a woman’s cotton pile is short, and “At the risk of all that he might suffer… came forward… and put all the cotton in his sack into the woman’s” (378). When the slaver Legree hears of this, he orders Tom to whip the woman. Upon Tom’s initial refusal, he is struck severely across the face. He is then again instructed to whip the woman, but again refuses, resulting in a “bitter raillery” of violence carried out against Tom (382). If Tom were the type to betray his own people with the aim of making himself obsequious to a slaver, this would be an ideal time to do so. Instead, though, Tom refuses to whip others who have been enslaved, and as a result feels the brunt of the punishment.

Tom displays this same level of courage and bravery later in the novel, leading to fatal consequences. Though Tom is complacent himself, and choose to yield to the authority of those who have enslaved him, he does not prescribe the same for Cassy, and young woman who is also enslaved by Legree. He encourages her, and another slave named Emmeline to escape (424), and when Legree comes to Tom to get information about their escape, Tom refuses to give him any, even when Legree tells Tom that he will be killed. This sacrifice gives the two women the time they need to escape. As he dies, Tom forgives those who had oppressed and killed him, eventually moving two men to give their souls to Christ. Though supplicating to one’s oppressor might seem an example of cowardice, this is a personal choice for Tom, and one that benefits others who have been enslaved. Unlike the epithet suggests, Tom’s actions do not serve to give him a reprieve whilst others suffer. When George Shelby, the son of a slavery who sold Tom despite promising him freedom, comes to buys Tom’s freedom and learns of Tom’s fate, he is so moved by Tom’ altruism that he sets free those who were enslaved by his family. In embodying Christ-like martyrdom, Tom shames those who have accepted slavery as a lawful institution into rejecting it, serving to free a multitude of enslaved persons. Far from turning over others to his own benefit, Tom sacrifices his life that others might be free.

Aside from offering a template of fortitude and self-sacrifice, Tom also offers a figure that transcends the stereotypes associated with people of African descent in the era by framing people of colour as spiritual and highlighting the hypocrisy of a ‘Christian’ society that embraces slavery. When he refuses to whip the woman whom he helped, Tom cites his faith, and though Legree asserts that he has authority over Tom in both “body and soul”, Tom asserts that though Legree may be his corporeal master, his soul belongs to God. The fact that it is Legree who calls Tom a “blasted black beast” in the same passage, and mocks Tom for being “a pious dog” (382), highlights that it is the ‘Christian’ society that lacks the spirit of Christ. This is reinforced by the fact that whilst Legree uses a rhetoric that suggests Tom is an animal. Theologians and philosophers have often differentiated humanity from other life on Earth by alluding to the presence of the soul, but it is Tom who embraces the notion of the soul, and Legree who rejects it, thereby framing Legree as the animal, and thereby highlighting the overt hypocrisy present in Christina society at the time. Tom’s faith comes in elsewhere in the novel, such as when he develops a relationship with Eva, the daughter of a slaver. Their relationship is based on their shared faith. Though Eva is white, Tom proves capable of sharing his spirituality with her, placing the two on parity terms from a spiritual perspective. Tom also preaches to other enslaved people about his faith, sharing his beliefs with them and giving them strength. Though some might suggest that Tom’s adoption of the faith of the oppressor proves his weakness of character, his approach ultimately suggest that he is a kindred spirit to leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Rather than reinforcing stereotypes of the maliciously subservient slave, Tom seems to be a spiritual leader who is more like Martin Luther King than he is like Samuel L. Jackson’s ‘Stephen’ in Django Unchained.

Tom also transcends disparaging stereotypes of people of African descent by acting as a sagacious figure and serving as a mentor for a number of white people in the novel. This is first demonstrated through George Shelby, who is upset when his parents sell Tom as he views Tom as a mentor. This is driven home by the novel’s epilogue as George is moved by Tom’s sacrifice and frees those he and his family had enslaved. Tom likewise serves as a mentor of sorts to Eva, as the two share their thoughts on spirituality. Though there are a number of instances where Tom serves as a mentor to other people of colour, it is these two instances of such mentorship that prove most central to transcending stereotypes based on perceived race as Tom serves as a spiritual and moral teacher of white people. This proves not only that people of colour can be placed on parity terms with white people, but that they can indeed excel the standard set by their fair-skinned counterparts. Though some might suggest that placating to white youths and embracing their faith is emblematic of a person with Stockholm Syndrome, Tom uses that influence to change how each of these people view the institution of slavery, causing them to eventually reject it and inspiring others to do the same.

After the success of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a number of ‘sister’ publications were released, often depicting a character that was far removed from the one Stowe had created for her seminal novel. Neither these, nor the minstrel presentations of Uncle Tom were approved of or endorsed by Stowe, but the lack of copyright laws in America at the time gave her no authority over her character. As a result, the original Uncle Tom saw his virtues replaced by demeaningly eager subordination and his bravery and fortitude superseded by an enslaved man who gleefully placated to his enslavers. This is the source from whence the pejorative use of ‘Uncle Tom’ was derived. This association, however, is an insult to the source material, and serves to demean a figure who should stand as a heroic icon within the canon of American literature. To allow the name to be debased is to dilute the virtue that brought fame to the character and corrupts what should be a positive figure. Uncle Tom is not a stock character; he is a hero in the truest sense and should be seen as such. The term ‘Uncle Tom’ should not be handed out to the pundits of colour who are trotted out by Fox News whenever they need to legitimize their prejudicial views on perceived race; it should be a worn as a badge of honour and reserved solely for those who have made the greatest sacrifices for their people.

If you enjoyed this post and would like updates on my latest ramblings, be sure to follow me on Twitter @LiteraryRambler, on Facebook, and add me to your RSS feed.

Works Cited

Stow, Harriet Beecher. Uncle Tom’s Cabin. New York: Signet Classics. 1981. Print.