Race and the American Novel Part 1: Uncle Tom's Cabin Textual Backgrounds and Context

Power: Part 1

          It is important to remember that in the 1850's not only did society and nation condone slavery, religion also worked in some rather insidious ways to uphold slavery.  In "The Life of Josiah Henson," by Josiah Henson I believe that Christianity is implicated as a tool for slavery, by scaring African Americans into inaction and obedience.  Henson tells of growing up in slavery with his pious mother under a stern master.  He goes on to tell of his earning the respect of his fellow slaves, and always working effectively and loyally for his master.  Even when the opportunity for freedom presents itself in a free state, Henson believes," the idea of running away was not one that I had ever indulged.  I had a sentiment of honor on the subject, or what I thought such, which I would not have violated even for freedom."  (Henson 431)  While he doesn't come right out and say it I believe that the honor he speaks of is based in his christian beliefs which led him to help his fellow slaves at much personal risk, to stay with his master, to work to the best of his ability, and in this way I believe Christianity kept many pious slaves in the thrall of slavery.  

          On a boat heading down river after being cheated out of his freedom and sold, Josiah has had enough and devises a plan to kill the boat crew, take any essential provisions, and flee north to freedom.  Standing above the sleeping captain, axe poised to kill, a heart-stopping thought stops Josiah," What! commit murder! and you a christian?  I had not called it murder before." (Henson 433)  Even though his oppressors have no problem lying, cheating, stealing, torturing, raping, and killing while being Christian, Josiah is again led by his own Christian beliefs to ignore his own physical well-being in favor of a clear conscience and an honest life.  Josiah's story helps me better understand the novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" by Harriet Beecher Stowe by giving me a little insight of the religious slaves reasoning process, and helped me understand how Uncle Tom could so pragmatically accept his place in life.  I know that this wasn't the case for all of the former slaves, and that leaves me dreading to think about the slaves without religion, and the hopeless existence they must have endured.

          Throughout history some of the most atrocious acts, like wars, genocide, and oppression have been carried out in the name of one religion or another.  Many examples present themselves throughout history, the Crusades of the middle ages, the Holocaust during WWII, and Manifest Destiny during America's early years to name a few, sadly there are countless other examples.  In America's short history the ruling class has been diabolically ingenious when dealing with its problems and getting what it wants.  I think that what happened to the Native Americans is the most obvious, but certainly not the only, example of America's ambiguous problem solving techniques.  Beginning with deception, disease, and pitting tribe against tribe, soon the railroad industry came along and waged a war against the buffalo, and later Native Americans were forced onto reservations and into Indian Boarding Schools, which tried to "kill the savage but save the man."  In these ways Americans brought the Native Americans, their culture, and their best resource, the buffalo, to near extinction, and all in the name of religious duty, Manifest Destiny.

Works Cited:
Stowe, Harriet Beecher, Ammons, Elizabeth, and Cairns Collection of American Women Writers. Uncle Tom's      Cabin : Authoritative Text, Backgrounds and Contexts, Criticism / Harriet Beecher Stowe ; Edited by Elizabeth    Ammons. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2010. Print. Norton Critical Edition.

Henson, Josiah. "The Life of Josiah Henson." 426-435. Boston: Arthur D. Phelps, 1849. Print