Analysis Of Uncle Tom's Cabin

Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote the anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin along with other lesser known works. Stowe wrote to bring to light the wrongs in society, most notably slavery. The literary period, the historical period, the community in which she lived, her family background, her religious beliefs, and her education all influenced Stowe’s desire to write Uncle Tom’s Cabin illustrating the lives of slaves. Despite the criticism she received, she continued to support the abolitionist movement with the same conviction, her actions eventually fulfilling her true goal: freedom.
Stowe was inspired by the literary period of realism, which was comprised of stories that depicted the harsher scenes of life (Campbell). Portraying the hardships of living in the 1850s, Stowe’s writings reflect realism. With brutal and gruesome details, she paints the picture of slavery in order to convince the readers of its evils. In Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Stowe writes, “[He] struck him across the face with his riding-whip, and, seizing one of his arms, forced him on to his knees, and beat him until he was out of breath” (Stowe 225). Similar scenes fill the novel, creating a realistic account of slavery in the South. Stowe’s works are realistic representations due to the literary period’s influence.
Just as the literary period influenced Stowe,

Stowe and her family lived very close to the border of Ohio and Kentucky, in the city of Cincinnati. Encountering many escaping slaves contributed to Stowe’s motivation and mindfulness. The stories the slaves carried with them inspired much of Stowe’s writing, especially in Uncle Tom’s Cabin (Stowe 371). From the run-aways, she learned an abundance of accounts which invoked compassion and a desire to end the sufferings of the African American race. The setting surrounding Stowe gave her the desire to write for the sake of the