What is the significance of the sequence of the owners of Uncle Tom? Why were they presented in that order? Does that progression denote themes as the book progresses?
What are the different ways that "freedom" is defined in the novel? Does it change on a case-by-case basis?
That first question is very thought provoking. The different owners of Tom had very different views of slavery and very different lifestyles. Maybe they were meant to represent the different kinds of slave holders. Each different, but each causing harm to their "property." Even if a slaveholder thought they were doing their slaves good by protecting them, or by beating them, or by letting them do whatever they wanted, they were still owning a human being and they were still wrong.
ReplyDeleteMost dramatically, the progression shows how a "good" slave with a "good" owner in a "good" state like Kentucky can end up dead at the hands of Simon Legree.
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