Reader Response

In my first reader response, the critic was astounded by people who thought the book was too racial.  They were stating that the book was simply showing the time period on how normal it was to have slavery at the time and the anonymous critic also stated how they thought Uncle Tom showed a positive sense of self-dignity and deep spirituality through the atrocities that happened upon him throughout the novel which represents the spirit displayed by African Americans during the era.

I do not agree with the previous critic.  The fact that they are trying to get across is just not applicable.  I believe what they are trying to imply is that all African Americans just complied with rules because that is their 'spirit' and that showed their dignity.  The price that Uncle Tom pays in the end of sacrificing himself would be questionable of dignity which is why I'm not buying their critique.  African Americans of that era generally did not have a choice, and therefore had to "just go along with it" or give their lives/be sold/punished.  The reader is telling us that the blacks gave their rights to the whites in order to be dignified which is just not true, they had no choice.

In another critique, Stephen speaks on the Uncle Tom character as well.  As we discussed in one of our previous classes, the African American community has a grudge upon the use of an "Uncle Tom" character because of the way he gives up himself and is a sellout among their heritage and beliefs.  The reader then turns this around and states that Uncle tom's nonviolence is heroic and Christ-like.  He later compares Uncle Tom to Ghandi, on how Ghandi would take a stand without lifting a finger on another person.

I must say that I agree with Stephen, in the way that Uncle Tom's character is referred to as Christ-like.  I have stated in another part of my blog this theory, and I believe in it fully.  Stephen also states he doesn't understand how the black community can see this any differently than he does.  And I agree with that as well.  It seems that Uncle Tom is playing a Ghandi character, and he does so by showing he is the stronger person by showing that he will not suffer, he will partake in his life by enjoying the work, helping others as much as he can, and following his duty as a slave.  While I know that I previously stated that slaves have no other choice, he does give the choice of sacrifice, and in that way, he most mesmerizes readers.

Another reader, T. Byrne, agrees with the previous statements saying that Uncle Tom is a character to be admired.  I agree with this.  I found it admirable that Uncle Tom was a Christ-like figure.  And it makes me wonder why the black community hates him so.  Eva, a girl who dies but in a way that others have questioned to be Christ-like, is not reveled, and is not seen as a disgrace to children or the white community.  Her interaction with Uncle Tom may be referred to as 'cookie cutter' and very cheesy, but it does yield the fact that these characters are being shed in two different shades of light.  It also may be that Tom is a slave, but if women are seen as children (as I have stated in a previous blog entry) what are children themselves seen as?