Stowe vs. Baldwin

In class we discussed sentiment or sentimentality as a view, attitude or feeling. In Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Stowe uses sentiment to evoke emotion. She instills emotion into the characters and makes them relatable and then the characters evoke emotion towards the world. However, does this sentimental novel move people to change and bring light to social injustice or is it simply a way for Stowe to mask her true feelings towards a race ignored by the associations of refined society?

To analyze this question, I have chosen the following excerpt from the novel,

“There stood the two children, representatives of the two extremes of society. The fair, high-bred child, with her golden head, her deep eyes, her spiritual, noble brow, and prince-like movements; and her black, keen, subtle, cringing, yet acute neighbor. They stood the representatives of their races. The Saxon, born of ages of cultivation, command, education, physical and moral eminence; the Afric, born of ages of oppression, submission, ignorance, toil, and vice!” (224)

This passage highlights the vast difference between two characters. Eva, white and religious, the way children should be, and Topsy, African and ignorant. Stowe summarizes the two races in only a few words. To her race was either right or wrong. She collectively views the white race as superior over the inferior African race. For James Baldwin, this passage confirms his critique of Stowe. He criticizes Stowe for her ‘self-righteous, virtuous sentiment’ and views her as a writer of a sentiment novel who is attempting to mask her own implicit racism. Throughout the novel, Stowe makes the black characters seem white and tries to make them more white with religion and obedience. Baldwin would argue that ‘her belief that black souls and black bodies are "fallen" and in urgent need of salvation’ is the only true reason she is writing the novel. To cleanse the world of those unfit for society, and to make it one of homogeneous inhabitants who are saved through religion. Those who do not fit the mold are unfit for society.

Additionally, Baldwin would argue that the novel had little impact. How do you accurately measure the impact of one novel? Uncle Tom’s Cabin was published in 1852, and the 13^th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified in December of 1865. Over a decade passed before real and true action was taken. Was it Stowe’s novel that started the movement or did she gain her fame from those individuals – similar to herself – who believed blacks needed salvation?

I believe that Baldwin is more correct in his critique. How could Stowe paint the African characters as those in need of salvation when the white man was the one creating the social injustice? We’ve talked a lot about religion and I believe this book was Stowe’s way of ‘fixing’ society, not moving people to action against social injustice.