So far Uncle Tom’s Cabin has not been my favorite read, and
I am having a hard time getting through the assigned reading. I find it interesting
that for a book that is anti-slavery that Stowe does not focus on southern
plantations. I realize that she did grow up seeing slavery not in plantation
settings, but rather in what would be considered a more “mild setting.” However,
I feel that by staging this book in a more traditional and typical setting it
would be easier for a reader to feel more indignant and moved to do something
about slavery, than this “kinder and gentler” version of slavery does. I
realize I am reading this book with a more modern perspective, but I feel that
hearing the stories of slaves on the plantations would have been more moving
and evoking of emotional response. I am hoping the more I read, the more I am able
to get invested into this book.
You will get plenty of Southern plantation further in the book. I think Stowe does a wonderful job describing what the plantation life is like...just wait! It does seem like certain characters are caricatures and not realistic people, very stereotypical. Later, probably in the next section, the reality of slavery and the harshness of the plantation life will be described in detail. Maybe Stowe wanted to shock readers by drawing them into the book with the mild setting of the Augustine's New Orleans estate and then show them what real slavery in the South looked like.
ReplyDelete