Uncle Tom's Cabin

Yes, there is a lot of things about this text that go against the didactic purposes of children's literature. However, IF we look at Tom, as discussed in class, as a representation of Jesus Christ, then the hidden message is somewhat clear. Tom was the one that everyone seemed to go to for help, like Jesus Christ who said “let the little children come to me.” Tom did not discourage or encourage them in their own disobedience but instead, like Jesus Christ, he accepted them and gave them what they needed. Tom never went through the abuse from his masters. This could be seen as: he was never disobedient or disrespectful so therefore he was never punished. Tom’s obedience is seen when he is talking with his master and that ever since he “jist eight years old when ole Missis put [his master] into [his] arms, and [his master] wasn't a year old.” And the Misses said “Tom, that's to be your young Mas'r; take good care on him” (p 112). Tom’s then asks his master if he “ever broke word to [him], or gone contrary to [him], 'specially since [Tom] was a Christian?” (p 112). The message here would be that if children/people are obedient to their masters (elders, etc.) then they will not be punished. Therefore there is a didactic purpose that can be drawn from this story. Since Stowe wrote to upper class women (as mentioned in class), and since women were the main caregivers of the children, reading this could also be seen as a concept for the mothers to teach their children; the concept of obedience. This is somewhat of a far fetched idea, but I liked it and thought it to be very plausible.