The Role Of Mother In Uncle Tom's Cabin

A mother typically cares for a child in all ways such as keeping them clean, healthy, educated, and safe. Some mother’s even claim they would lay their own life down for their children, but today the stakes are not quite as high as they were during the 19th century especially for slaves. Uncle Tom’s Cabin explores the depths of a mother’s love by illustrating it through the eyes of slaves. Stowe utilizes emotional appeal and exploration of gender during this time to stereotype the role of mothers. This paper will explore Stowe’s characterization of caring mothers such as Eliza, Rachel Halliday, and Emily Shelby. First looking at Eliza, Mrs. Shelby’s Maid, she is portrayed as a intelligent, brave slave who would do anything for her son. Eliza is married to George Harris and Stowe describes their relationship by saying, “there was nothing to interrupt their happiness, except the loss of two infant children, to whom she was passionately attached” (ch. 2). This also contributes to the reason Eliza is so fiercely

Shelby’s fierce compassion readers can most likely identify a maternal figure in their life like one of these women. If luck would have it some mother’s could be gifted with all three bravery, elegance, and fierce compassion. Either way Stowe lays heavy on the ethos with these women characterized as three different females, but all as positive role models. It would be inaccurate to say that the maternal figure in a person’s life had no affect on shaping them as human beings today. Whether it be negatively or positively mother’s have an affect on a child’s life. It is profound how a mother’s love emanates to all facets of life and contributes to a child’s future perceptions of themselves and the world. Hopefully, children are able to receive a mother like Eliza, Rachel, or Mrs. Shelby. If not hopefully they are at least able to overcome the lack of a strong maternal figure in his or her