Throughout the stories that we have read children have been seen as a symbol of hope and potential. In Uncle Tom’s Cabin children are both a symbol of hope and a symbol of heartache. In the text Eliza’s main goal is to save her son from having to leave her and work for a “bad” man in the south. When we being reading Eliza is talking about how she feels as if she must be crazy for leaving her kind masters and the only home that she has. “With a confused and stunning sense of the risk she was running, leaving the only home she had ever known, and cutting loose from the protection of a friend whom she loves and revered” (243). She makes this dangerous decision because she knows that it is the only chance that she has to protect her son. Though her child causes Eliza much pain and self-sacrifice, she does it because above anything else she loves her son and wants the best for him.
The children in the text also symbolize hope. Throughout her journey Eliza receives help through the kindness of other mothers. Eliza and these women relate to each other through the love that they have for their children. When explaining to Mrs. Bird why Eliza has chosen to run away from her master Eliza asks Mrs. Bird if she has ever lost a child. Mrs. Bird shares with Eliza that she has lost her daughter and through the feelings that they both have about their children they are able to relate to each other on a deep and emotional level. “Then you will feel for me. I have lost two, one after another—left ‘em buried there when I came away; and I had only this one left. I never slept a night without this; he was all I had” (280). In this portion of the text we see children as a symbol of hope and potential by acting as a common thread that is able to bring women of all color and background together.
In previous text we have read such as The Wide Wide World and The Lamplighter there has been an underlying message that if you are “good” then people will love you, and everything in life will work out. In Uncle Tom’s Cabin we see characters such as Eliza and Uncle Tom whom are “good” and moral, but their lives are still filled with hardship and hurt. This message is not the typical one that we have seen in previous stories.
I definitely agree with you that children are symbols of hope in Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Eliza’s son brings her the hope for a future in Canada as a free woman. I loved how through their love of their children Eliza and Mrs. Bird created a bond, which then compelled her to help Eliza and her son. I can only imagine that this hope for a better life for children, in both salves and strangers, created similar stories in the nineteenth century.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that hope is a huge theme throughout this novel. I like how you discussed the hope of the children and the connection between Eliza and Mrs. Bird. I can't imagine what kind of response this novel got during the time period it was written. Even though this may have not been a typical message I liked how you pointed out the good in the story.
ReplyDeleteI agree with how you said that children were still seen as hope in one retrospect. Obviously in the big picture they were not important but still for their own parents and families they were valued greatly.
ReplyDeleteI agree that in this story, Stowe is trying to teach adults that children are the hope for the future. They are the ones that need to be learning about what is going on in the real world and how to fix it. Children are the ones who need to see hope in themselves as well.
ReplyDeleteI like how you brought up the idea that, while less obvious, children did still symbolize hope in this story. It was obvious that to many children were considered a burden, and something to be rid of. But the idea that, between mothers, they were a piece of hope was a good thought!
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