Uncle Tom’s Cabin or Negro Life in the Slave States of America

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe and published in 1852, is an influential anti-slavery novel that profoundly impacted attitudes toward slavery in the United States. The story centers around Uncle Tom, a noble and long-suffering black slave, whose steadfast Christian faith and dignity define him as a heroic figure. The novel follows Uncle Tom’s journey after being sold by his Kentucky owner to settle debts. Along the way, he befriends Eva, a kind and angelic young girl whose dying wish leads her father to plan the emancipation of his slaves. Uncle Tom ultimately suffers brutal treatment under the cruel owner Simon Legree but remains morally strong and forgiving until his death, symbolizing the horrors of slavery and the power of Christian love and resistance. The book helped fuel the abolitionist movement and is considered a landmark in protest literature, despite later controversial interpretations of the character Uncle Tom’s legacy.