Tom and Christianity in Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

Tom and Christianity in Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe There are times in our lives when we are confronted with challenges that we feel we can never overcome. We are left with a sense of emptiness, hopelessness, and defeat; it is often in these situations that our religious faith is tested and is either strengthened or weakened. In Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, she demonstrates how her protagonist, Tom, upholds his ideals and dedication as a Christian despite the cruelties he faces as a slave in the Deep South in the 1800s. Tom attests his faith time and again as he tries to bring St. Clare to know God, as he supports Eva in her journey to discover her Christian faith, and as his own faith is challenged through the inhumane beatings and mental torture he suffers.Tom displays his Christian demeanor concerning one of his owners, Augustine St. Clare, when he attempts to help St.Simon Legree and Uncle Tom: A scene from the aboli...Clare in allowing God to work in his heart. St. Clare lives an extravagant lifestyle, always attending parties and often stumbling home drunk, spending money excessively, and neglecting his duties as a husband and a father. This behavior saddens Tom, as he witnesses how few moral standards St. Clare upholds and how his profligate lifestyle is obstructing any chance for God to work in his life. As a result of Tom's feelings and his innate need to help others, he becomes exceptionally close to St. Clare; soon Tom is St. Clare's most trusted and devoted friend. Through this strong bond, Tom is able to open St. Clare's eyes to how little self-respect his way of life holds for him; eventually, this leads to the discussion of religion and Christianity. St. Clare, at first, believes he is unworthy of the love of God because of the previous lifestyle he...