Uncle Tom's Cabin Book Notes Summary

Topic Tracking: Violence

Chapter 17

Violence 1: Here, a slave violently responds to his pursuer, whereas in most of the book, violence is dealt to slaves at the hands of cruel masters and overseers. George shoots at Loker to defend himself and his family, and does so only because he sees no other means of defense. He is ready to kill, or die, to prevent his wife and child from suffering at the hands of brutal tyrants.

Chapter 19

Violence 2: Prue, a downtrodden slave, got drunk again and was beaten to death by her master.

Chapter 23

Violence 3: Henrique proves that despite his young age, he is already capable of violence, as he has learned and observed such behavior from his father. Here, and throughout the book, Stowe uses the actions of her characters to show the violence humans are capable of when they have complete power over others. The case of Henrique shows this, as he is only a child himself.

Chapter 33

Violence 4: Cruel treatment leads Sambo and Quimbo to become equally violent to the other slaves. The violence of slavery is shown as a vicious cycle, causing those treated violently to turn violent.

Chapter 40

Violence 5: Legree's fury is so boundless that he tries to beat Tom to death, despite the fact that his death would mean a loss of money, the only thing Legree truly loves. By sacrificing his own body to save Cassy and Emmeline, Tom passes the ultimate test of his faith.