Uncle's Tom Cabin 2

I found the second part of the book more interesting than the first part. I could barely put the book down. I've mentioned in my first blog of Uncle's Tom Cabin that Stowe focused on the bond between a mother and her child. In the second part of the book, Stowe concentrated on the love and family. She expressed on how the trading of slaves affected the unity of the family. It caused separation, unworthiness, loneliness, and bitterness. Stowe portrayed three characters to describe affliction that slavery caused.

Topsy was a black slave girl described as dirty and filthy with an odd and goblin-like about her appearance (pp 246). Topsy never knew of having a family. She had been abused and rejected by her masters all her young life. Topsy never knew how love felt. She never had the joy to bond with another person. Topsy felt she was unworthy give love and to receive love because of her race. "There can't nobody love niggers, and niggers can't do nothin'! I don't care." (pp 290). So Topsy never tried to be good be because that would be the only way should could get any attention from her masters.

'Therefore we do not lose heart. Even through our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.' (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

Tom lived by this scripture. He had always kept his focus on the eternal and not the temporary. Tom was promised his freedom by Mr. Shelby and Mr. St. Clare only to have it broken and in result, he was separated from his family and from the homes he grew to love. Tom was faithful to his masters because as a Christian, it was required of him. Tom told Mr. Legree that he would work hard for him in the fields or whatever he wanted him to labor but he would not compromise his faith for him. Tom knew that Mr. Legree can torture and/or kill his body, but he could not do anything to his soul. Tom kept his faith because he knew that one day he will be free and will once again unite with his family. Tom became free when he breathed his last breath to eternity.

'looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;' (Hebrews 12:15).

This was the fate for Cassy. She had fallen in love with a young white lawyer and bore a son and a daughter by him. She longed to be his wife but due to the circumstances that he was a free white man and she was a mulatto slave, they could not marry. She expressed how much she love him by putting him before everything including God. Cassy did not realize that's where she made her mistake. When you put other people and things before God, you are heading for destruction. Not only did she lose him, she also lost her children. In result, she became bitter and cursed God for her suffering. Tom tried to get her to release her bitterness and come back to God but she felt that He abandoned her.

I enjoyed this book because it covers everything I went through in life. I have been rejected, felt unworthy, lonely and bitter. I've cried tears of sadness dreading the stories of these characters. But I cried tears of joy when Tom was finally freed.

I've learned that no matter what afflictions you may incur by others, events, and/or yourself, God is always there for you. All you have to do is seek Him and trust that you will make it through in victory.

There are people today that are in bondage. They are a slave to themselves and the views of our society. Our society believes that you have to be slim and beautiful and/or have wealth and fame to be worthy. If you do not possess any of these qualities, then you will be rejected. This is why we have young people starving themselves to death, robbing each other, or selling drugs or illegal reproduction of products to people out in the streets. Our young people are pressured to be of worth to somebody...anybody. This behavior separates them from their family either through death or through imprisonment.

We need to let our young and old people feel that they are worthy and they do belong in this world. We all need to love each other like family. We need to believe that every single person is a member of the family of God. At least in His family, you are loved and not rejected. You are beautiful in His image and that you are worthy to inherit His kingdom.