Blog Post 2: Harriet Beecher Stowe

Uncle Toms Cabin is arguably one of the most influential pieces of literature in American history. Its author, Harriet Beecher Stowe, wrote the novel with the intentions of sparking an anti-slavery movement that would put a stop to the slave trade altogether. In order to do so, Stowe uses several rhetorical strategies throughout the novel to persuade her readers. One device that she uses quite frequently to make an impact on her readers is literary dialect. As we are introduced to various characters, rather than the narrator restating their comments, we are able to read each individuals statements in their own way of speaking. For example, in Chapter 3 Aunt Chloe is having a conversation with Uncle Tom in their cabin and says, “Pity, now, Tom couldn’t,” said Aunt Chloe, on whose benevolent heart the idea of Tom’s benighted condition seemed to make a strong impression. “Ye oughter just ask […..] we ought al’ays to ‘member that,” said Aunt Chloe, looking quite serious.” Being that Aunt Chloe grew up on the plantation and never had a chance to be educated, one can assume her speech would be affected. Stowe’s consistent use of literary dialect further draws attention to this injustice and makes the reader pity Aunt Chloe making it evident to the reader that the system in which these individuals are forced to abide by has failed them.

In addition, Stowe makes several attempts to appeal to the emotions of her readers. In chapter 9 of the novel Eliza explains to the Birds why she had to run away from her plantation with her son. Once she finishes her tale, Stowe describes the families reaction by stating, “The two little boys, after a desperate rummaging in their pockets, in search of those pocket-handkerchiefs which mothers know are never to be found there, had thrown themselves disconsolately into the skirts of their mother’s gown, where they were sobbing, and wiping their eyes and noses, to their hearts’ content;—Mrs. Bird had her face fairly hidden in her pocket-handkerchief; and old Dinah, with tears streaming down her black, honest face, was ejaculating, “Lord have mercy on us!” with all the fervor of a camp-meeting;—while old Cudjoe, rubbing his eyes very hard with his cuffs, and making a most uncommon variety of wry faces, occasionally responded in the same key, with great fervor. Our senator was a statesman, and of course could not be expected to cry, like other mortals; and so he turned his back to the company, and looked out of the window, and seemed particularly busy in clearing his throat and wiping his spectacle-glasses, occasionally blowing his nose in a manner that was calculated to excite suspicion, had any one been in a state to observe critically.” Eliza’s story was able to pull at the heartstrings of all of the people she told including a Senator who prides himself in his ability to always think logically. This allowed the reader to see how even the most logical of individuals could see why slavery is wrong. This appeal to emotion through the use of this dramatic scene definitely aided Stowe when shaping her readers response to the system of slavery.