Miss Ophelia In Uncle Tom's Cabin

Miss Ophelia in Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Stowe was one of the most complex characters in the novel. When we were introduced to her, we found out that she was from the North. During the time of slavery, those who lived in the north were expected to be against slavery in any way or form. This exact idea is what makes Miss Ophelia the complex character that she is because throughout the novel we witness Miss Ophelia’s internal struggle between what she beliefs and her behaviors. She believes that slavery is wrong and immoral but her behavior shows the prejudice she has against slaves. With external influences such as Eva, Miss Ophelia goes through an inspiring change and transforms into an astonishing abolitionist.
There are many readers

that would disagree with the content of Miss Ophelia making an inspiring change due to her behaviors during her first few weeks/months she spent in the St. Clare household. Regardless of how she behaved at the beginning of her stay, she still had her beliefs within her about how wrong slavery is and needed a push to get her beliefs and behaviors to be equal to one another. the first step to making any changes, it is to admit that there is an issue within one self. Miss Ophelia admits the prejudice she has among slaves, which is the beginning of her change into an abolitionist. ““I’ve always had a prejudice against negroes.” Said Miss Ophelia.”” (Stowe, P.258) Miss Ophelia finally admits the prejudice she has had among slaves, which explains the way she behaved at the beginning. For example, she was taken by surprise when she witnessed how close Eva was with the slaves. After admitting her fault, Miss Ophelia’s behavior toward the slaves’ changes and we see her transform into an abolitionist. There is one specific example that highlights the external influence that helped Miss Ophelia transformation, as well as two other specific examples we witness the abolitionist Miss Ophelia.
Miss Ophelia’s external influence that pushed her to make a change was Eva.

As mentioned before, Eva was close with the slaves her father owned. She has hugged them before and mostly of all loved them regardless of their skin color. She in her own way was an abolitionist, before she died she had her father promise her that Uncle Tom would be given the freedom he deserves to have. ““And promise me, dear father, that Tom shall have his freedom as soon as” – she stopped, and said, in a hesitating tone – “I am gone!”” (Stowe, P. 254) Even while she was dying, Eva cared for the slaves and wanted Tom to have his freedom. Eva being the abolitionist that she was, she influenced Miss Ophelia to a change within herself and be more like Eva. ““Well, She’s so loving! After all, though, she’s no more than Christ – like,” Said Miss Ophelia; “I wish I were like her. She might teach me a lesson.”” (Stowe, P. 259) Miss Ophelia admired Eva and as she called it “Christ-like” manner. She even wished she was more like her, and worked on become the abolitionist that Eva was. She was taught a lesson from Eva’s book on how to treat the slaves. After Eva died, Miss Ophelia began to take on the role of an abolitionist and take legal actions of making Topsy legally

hers.
Topsy is the “slave” Mr.

St. Clare had gotten for Miss Ophelia, so that she could educate her with manners and teach her to become a good Christian girl. In the process of trying to transform Topsy, was around the same time Miss Ophelia admits her prejudice against slaves and starts her transformation of character. Topsy did not have a mother to teach her manners or the Bible but Miss Ophelia took on the role and becomes a mother figure for Topsy. Even though at times Miss Ophelia wanted to give up on Topsy she did not with the help of Eva’s influence. After Miss Ophelia began her transformation into become an abolitionist, she began to take legal actions to make Topsy hers and protect her anyway she could. As much of an irony this is, she forced St. Clare to sign over Topsy to her. “I want her mine, that I may have a right to take her to the free states, and give her liberty, that all I am trying to do be not done.” (Stowe, p. 282) St. Clare signing Topsy to Miss Ophelia is an ironic thing she wanted to do because she was against slavery but that was the only way Miss Ophelia could protect Topsy from slavery. Having papers that solely said Topsy was hers, meant that she could take her to the north without being asked questions. Miss Ophelia is thinking about Topsy future and best interest as any mother would want for her children. “There is no use in my trying to make this child a Christian child, unless I save her from all the chances and reverses of slavery;” (Stowe,

P.282) Miss Ophelia grows to love Topsy and wants to protect her. She essentially wants to save her from the horrors os slavery. Taking Topsy to the north would mean that Miss Ophelia would continue to rise her as her own and give her the freedom she deserves to have. Miss Ophelia not only succeeds in saving Topsy but she tries to help Tom become the free man, he was promised to become.
Before Eva died, she made her father promise her that he would give Tom his freedom, in which he started the process but before he could finish the paper work, he died. This making all the slaves he owned, now his wife’s property. Miss Ophelia knew about the promise her cousin made to his daughter and she tried everything in her power to convince Marie to give Tom his freedom. “I know it was one of the last wishes of your husband that To should have his liberty; it was one of the last promises that he made to dear little Eva on her death-bed, and I should not think you would feel at liberty to disregard it.” (Stowe, P. 296) Miss Ophelia attempts to have Marie finish the paper work to give Tom his liberty, but she does not succeed because of Marie’s stubbornness and lack of care of slavers. Experiencing Marie’s refusal, Miss Ophelia having no other choice turns to contacting the Shelby’s. She writes them a letter explaining what had happened and to come for him before he is sold once again. “Miss Ophelia, therefore, did the next best thing she could for Tom, - she wrote a letter to Mrs. Shelby for him, stating his troubles, and urging them to send to his relief” (Stowe, P.297) Miss Ophelia not having any authority over Tom’s freedom and tried to have Marie finish the paper work her husband started. Reaching out to the Shelby’s was the only option left to save Tom being sold to a dreadful owner. Miss Ophelia’s positive effort I helping Tom get the liberty he deserves, is a clear detection to Miss Ophelia’s tremendous change.
Many readers can easily dismiss Miss Ophelia not being any better than those who own slaves. She struggles internally with her beliefs and actions about slaves. Her beliefs expressing her disgust with the system of slavery and how wrong it is, and her actions expressing the prejudice she displays against slaves. Never the less, with contextual evidence she prevails and develops through the novel. She makes a bewildering change: moving away from her deep prejudice against slaves toward becoming an astonishing abolitionist.