Thursday, September 17, 2009
Uncle Tom's Cabin
As I was reading Uncle Tom’s Cabin I couldn’t help but think of how it relates to the theme of children and children’s literature. I found it a lot harder to understand and connect this story than I have with any of the other ones. Uncle Tom’s Cabin portrays children in an almost negative/evil way. While reading the text I felt sad and little hope for these children. They are brought into the world without a chance to start their future the way they want to. Kids their age shouldn’t be working out in the field, rather playing tic tac toe or duck duck goose with their friends outside having not a care in the world. Stowe is more concerned with showing the children what not to do than looking on the bright side and showing them what to do, or what is possible to accomplish in this world. Tom is a solid character through the reading and remains positive throughout the text. He shows a lot of good characteristics a child could learn and aim to be like. Tom portrays a lot of characteristics that symbolize a religious figure. Although he has been through a lot of pain and suffering, he looks to the bright side of everything and does what he is told to do. Perhaps because he doesn't know any other way. Reading these three chapters in the book I was not able to find a moral of the story for children like I was able to in the other readings.
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I agree Tom is a solid charachter. We should all hope to have even a few of his attributes, but then again, that wouldn't be realistic. And...children's books usually aren't realistic as much as a means to teach. I think that's why the novels from the 19th century were so extreme. They were meant to scare the goodness into children.
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ReplyDeleteI completely understand your feelings while you read the excerpt from Uncle Tom's Cabin. I, too, felt the same emotions coming to the surface as I read. The way children represent such negative things tugs on the heart strings of the reader. I found it interesting when you discussed how Stowe focused on teaching children what not to do, instead of what they should do. This negative approach definitely added to the dark things that children represented in this piece of literature. Great ideas!
Hey Tierney. really liked your blog. I liked how you talked about children not even being given a chance to start their future because I totally agree on this. Especially in the instance of the ten month old being sold. I agree that Tom was a solid character and like how you said he had characteristics children should look up to. It was also interesting how you compared what children had to do back then to what we are used to children doing now. It is so weird how different the world is today and how much our values have changed. Thinking about how the children had to work in fields as opposed to playing duck duck goose really makes you appreciate how easy we have it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about how these slave children are being forced to live in a way they have no choice. They shouldn't be out working in the fields like adults at the age of 6, they should be our playing with each other and experiencing a childhood. I also agree with you on how Uncle Tom has been a sturdy character, and I used to think he resembled a christ-like figure as well, but then I thought, "What is Uncle Tom's purpose?" After his death I felt as if he left no true meaning behind, unlike Jesus did.
ReplyDeleteI think it's interesting that you can't find any more in the stories like in the other ones. I agree that Stowe is more concerned about teaching kids what not to do instead of instilling hope in the story. Good job!
ReplyDeleteI really like your realistic point of view of this prompt. I agree with your thoughts about Tom's characteristics and him being a Jesus figure.
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