Harriet Beecher Stowe's book is well written. I am amazed at the visual pictures I see as I am reading. I could picture Eliza crossing the icy river with a baby in her arms and feet bleeding. It was incredible. I could picture Mr. Shelby talking to the slave trader. Even though Tom is not really described, his gentleness is shown through the way he holds the baby and speaks to others.
The dialog, even though it is difficult to read, helps give visual pictures also. I am enjoying reading the book.
I am really affected by the mothers who have had their children taken from them. The reality of families torn apart and children taken away from their mothers is almost unbearable. I can relate to Eliza's desperation in wanting to protect her son. It is interesting that this same thing is happening in Texas now with the Mormon group. The children and mothers were taken away from the compound and then the children were separated from their mothers. How can this be healthy? We seem to keep repeating the sins of our forefathers. Harriet Beecher Stowe, having lost her own young child, seems to show her passion on this subject in the book. It happens over and over.
I also have been thinking about how the slaves ran away. Most had very little education if any, and would not know where they were going since they rarely left their homes. I would be so fearful of the unknown. Maybe that is why most slaves did not leave their masters. It was the only life they knew and feared the unknown.
I'm learning that even though this book was written long ago, the problems still exist today. We still have people who are slaves to others, prejudice, and mothers separated from their children.
The first book I remember reading about slavery was Roots. The same theme occurs: inhuman treatment of others. Violence with slaves was an everyday occurance. Slave traders were made to be horrible. Slaves were made to seem mindless. I'll be reading on to finish the book and through Stowes writing, I have already seen a true picture of slaves and their feelings and emotions.
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5 comments:
Kelly, I have had some of the same thoughts about the situation with the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints situation in Texas. While I have take great issue with the specific doctrine and practices of that sect I can also sympathize with the women who just want their babies back. Some of these women have never been exposed to life outside of their compound or outside of the strict religious belief system they practice. They don't believe that what they practice is wrong and can't understand why anyone would tear their children away from them.
I do believe that these children need to be protected, but it's a no-win situation.
I was also affected most by the mothers torn apart from their children. That would be the most horrific, terrible, hurtful, heartbreaking, etc., thing to ever have to live through. I think that is why Stowe included it in her novel --- so many people, women especially, have a great connection to this feeling that it would illicit an overwhelming response.
I was also affected by the mothers and children being torn apart. As a mother, I can imagine nothing worse than having my son taken and not knowing whether he was okay or not. I would brave an icy river and run as far as I needed to in order to keep my son safe. I agree with you that Stowe's lost child gave her the insight to write about this issue very poignantly.
I have also been thinking there are some connections with the RLDS compound situation with the way slave families were torn apart. It is a difficult situation for everyone. In the example of the slave mothers and children, they were not only torn away from one another, but then expected to have no emotions regarding such separations. As Darla mentioned on the RLDS situation, no one wins, and the children do neeed to be protected, but these women, as the slave women once were, do not understand what is happening and why someone would take their children away from them.
Stowe was a smart woman; she wanted to show people the horrors of slavery. Generally, people value their families above all else(see the strong responses from mothers posted above!). Writing about families being ripped apart was Stowe's way of "shaking up" her audience, which badly needed shaking. Whether you like the novel or not, I think Stowe's approach was brilliant.
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