Uncle Cap's Cabin

In the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe, the theme is slavery. The novel takes place in Kentucky. Mr. Shelby is at risk of losing everything he owns. In order to attempt to stop this from occurring, he plans to sell his two best slaves. Mr. Shelby and Mrs. Shelby treat their slaves very well and even teach them which is rare. To save the plantation, a slave trader, Mr. Haley, purchases Tom and Harry. Tom has been loyal to the family since childhood and Harry is Eliza’s five year old child. Mrs. Shelby did not know about Mr. Shelby’s deal and was stunned when she heard about it. Eliza had heard her master speaking to Mr. Haley, when she questioned Mrs. Shelby; she told Eliza that they would never sell her child. This would all change.
When Mr. Shelby is telling Mrs. Shelby the plan, Eliza is hidden in the closet and hears everything. Eliza loves Harry and that is the only thing she has from her husband, George. George is very versatile and does not want to go to a plantation owner that will torture him. To try to get away he plans an escape to Canada. Eliza is heartbroken from the news she received and rushed to tell Uncle Tom. She told him about her plan to go and that he should do the same. Mrs. Shelby was elated the next morning when she discovered that Eliza left.
Uncle Tom stays because he feels he must stay loyal to Mr. Shelby and does not go with Eliza. Eliza knows that her journey will be long and dangerous. She crosses the Ohio River and is safe. To get what he wants, Mr. Haley hires Mr. Loker, a slave hunter. Mr. Symmes helps Eliza because of his hatred toward slave traders and takes her to the house of Senator Bird, providing her with food and shelter. Mr. Bird feels sorry for what happened to Eliza and takes her to the Quaker Settlement where they agree to get her to safety. Here Eliza meets up with George and they can now be a family again.
When Loker attempts to take George and Eliza, George shoots him. Uncle Tom saved Eva Saint Claire while she was drowning and becomes part of the family. Eva dies and Mr. Saint Claire is stabbed. Eva tells all to remain Christian so they can meet once again in heaven. Mrs. Saint Claire sells Tom to pay off her husband’s debt. Simon Legree purchases Tom. He is taken to Louisiana and is a sex slave. Mr. Legree dislikes Tom because he refuses to whip another slave. Tom knows that, that is not the Christian thing to do. Tom meets Cassy and hears her story; he learns that she had a child who was taken away from her. She got pregnant but killed the child because she would not be able to bear having a second child taken away from her.
Loker is now a changed man after being with the Quaker settlement and actually helps George, Eliza and Harry to freedom. They have to go from Lake Erie into Canada. Tom has two visions: one of Christ and one of Eva which give him the courage to withstand the cruelties of Mr. Legree. Mr. Shelby finally finds Tom, but he is nearly dead. After Tom’s death Mr. Shelby goes back to Kentucky. While on the boat to Kentucky Mr. Shelby meets Cassy and Emmeline. Cassy discovers that Eliza is her daughter. Once the family has been reunited they go to France. After their time in France they decide to move to Liberia, which was created for former slaves. Mr. Shelby frees his slaves in honor of Tom’s death and tells them to live a pious and Christian life, just like Tom.