Shelby, Legree and St Clare were once slave owners of tom, and they had an important contact on Tom in that both played a big role in building Tom’s faith and his hopes in God whenever he started doubting himself. Likewise, it’s clear that at times Tom got on their nerves, by the way he reacted but none of them manages to change Tom’s personality in a negative way. Both St Clare and Shelby are kind and honest to Tom all through; they treat him in a genuine manner despite him being a slave (Henson, 21): Both of them practice slavery regardless of it being revealed to be evil. However Shelby portrays himself as a kind hearted though his convenient intention is shown when he sells Tom to cover his debt this wicked is an ignorable weakness that throws him in the same place with Legree despite his goodness. It can be argued he forfeits his good did for a final bad deed thereby joining Legree.
Tom takes time to forgive Legree, and St Clare, before his death, despite the fact that they are the course reason of his death. This however is not in line with beliefs and the moral standard seen in the family members of Shelby, and St Clare are against the inhumanity done to the slaves. They both regret when they realize that what they are doing is not good at all, and decide to free all the slaves. They go ahead and protest the system that allows human beings to be sold and bought and treated cruelly throughout their lives (Zieger, 15). In keeping with Zieger (29), the notion of addiction conjure with the first person stories, in many cases it begins with insidious seduction and then followed by despair and compulsion; this culminates to recovery and uncertain hope for the future. By inventing the addict, Zieger demonstrates how the addict is torn between the disease and desire that emerge from several earlier figures like drunkards, vicious slave masters, opium eating scholars, queer doctors and dissipated new women. As demonstrated by Zieger, it took form over time through explicit shifting intersection of gender, class, race and sexuality to reflect on the role of social power to construct a meaning.
Differences between Shelby, St. Clare and Legree in Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Shelby is Tom’s first master; he shows sincere affection for him which is influences the good behavior in him. Legree is portrayed as a person who loathes slaves as he beats them and even threatens to kill them. St. Clare is a kind and a generous master to his servants and lets them do as they please, this shows that he is humane unlike Legree who terrorizes his slaves and makes them work as much as possible, and he keeps degrading them and even threatens to kill them(Stowe, 23).
Tom has an influence in St. Claire’s life since he helps him find his faith though at his death bed. This proves to be the opposite when Tom is sold off to Legree who threatens to take his hymn book. This portrays him as an unreligious person in contrast to St. Claire who allows Tom to worship as he pleases this helps him build his faith. Legree on the other hand threatens to take away his hymn book and mocks him when he finds him reading the bible.
Sequence in which Shelby, St. Claire and Legree appear in relation to the general theme
The characters in Uncle Tom’s Cabin appear in a particular sequence and progression in relation to general themes of novel. Shebly appears as Tom’s first master he enjoys Tom’s loyalty and claims to be faithful to him. Unfortunately Shebly is forced to sell Tom in order to settle the huge debts he owes Haley. However the heartfelt affection of his first master is not reflected in his second master who mistreat and abuses him. Shebly appearance as the first master of Tom creates a sequence in order for us to figure out changes that happen when one moves from a kind master to a cruel master. St. Clare appears as Tom’s third slave master after buying him from Haley. St. Clare gives Tom total freedom to do what he mostly likes; he takes this chance to share with Eva, St. Clare’s daughter, about religious beliefs. Her appearance as the third master has created a sequence that brings out the theme of Christian values and the incongruity of slavery. The Christianity inside St. Clare starts to oppose slavery and this makes him free Tom as a promise he made to his daughter, Eva in her death bed (Stowe, 331).
Legree appears as the last slave owner of Tom. His appearance portrays him as inhuman, cruel and a harsh master who despises his slaves. Legree’s sequence of appearance as Tom’s last master symbolizes the pain and process in which Tom undergoes to attain his freedom. Legree’s appearance as the last master builds up a sequence that propels the theme of evil slavery; he ruthlessly sees slavery as a way to gain his social class. It’s in Legree’s plantation that Tom is exposed to slavery in its hideous and naked form. The sequence in the appearance of Legree as the last master suits to identify the theme of human suffering.
References
Gleason, William A. Sites unseen : architecture, race, and American literature. New York: New York University Press, 2011. Print.
Henson, Josiah. The life of Josiah Henson : formerly a slave, now an inhabitant of Canada. Bedford, Mass: Applewood Books, 2001. Print.
Zieger, Susan M. Inventing the addict : drugs, race, and sexuality in nineteenth-century British and American literature. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 2008. Print
