Alex Bartling

Uncle Tom’s Cabin paper

George Shelby and Simon Legree

Throughout the Novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher, we encounter

numerous instances of dichotomy that help to show the contrast between good and

evil. This dichotomy although prevalent in many aspects of the novel, really shines

through when you look at the slave owners George Shelby and Simon Legree.

When comparing such opposite individuals it is important to develop strong

characteristics that define each individual morally and allow the reader to clearly

see the different political and social arguments. What are the major differences

that Stowe uses to separate Shelby and Legree to provide the reader with a clear

image of each character? There are many traits that are vital to creating this

distinction but, I feel that focuses on some of the more important ones such as

religion, political stance, physical interaction, house structure and childhood will

help to see the differences of each easier.

From the start of the novel we are introduced to the Shelby farm which

seems like a peaceful and quiet place. Stowe does a good job of making the reader

feel the happiness of all the characters that live and work on the farm. The start of

chapter 4 introduces the reader to the living quarters of some of the Shelby slaves:

“The cabin of Uncle Tom was a small log building, close adjoining to "the
house," as the negro par excellence designates his master's dwelling. In front
it had a neat garden-patch, where, every summer, strawberries, raspberries,
and a variety of fruits and vegetables, flourished under careful tending. The
whole front of it was covered by a large scarlet bignonia and a native
multiflora rose, which, entwisting and interlacing, left scarce a vestige of the
rough logs to be seen. Here, also, in summer, various brilliant annuals, such
 as marigolds, petunias, four-o'clocks, found an indulgent corner in which to
unfold their splendors, and were the delight and pride of Aunt Chloe's heart.”
(66)

As you can see from the description the House of Uncle Tom and Chloe is far

superior to many slave houses of this time. The harmonic atmosphere that we find

on the Shelby farm is completely contradicted when we are introduced to Legree’s

plantation. The plantation is a dark and dreary atmosphere that Legree says “is

well suitable for knocking down niggers”. From these two opening scenes that

introduce both farms we are able to distinguish the kind of atmosphere that each

provides for the slaves. Back on the Shelby farm we find a strong bond between

the slaves and Shelby. Stowe has Shelby and the slaves interacting closely with

one another, whether that is when they are eating or Mas’r George is teaching Tom

how to read and write. On the Legree plantation there is a great divide from the

owner and the slaves. Legree does not interact with the slaves except when he is

punishing them or barking out orders. It is clear here that Stowe is trying to show

the drastic differences that represent the Shelby farm from the terrors of the Legree

plantation.

The atmosphere of both settings isn’t the only difference that Stowe uses in

the novel to develop her characters. Looking closer at family upbringing we find

that Shelby was treated far more kindly by his father than was Legree which could

be a contributing factor in why Legree is so abusive. George Shelby is clearly

depicted as a man that was taught well by his parents to treat every human being

with respect no matter the color of their skin. If we look at Legree on the other

hand we find that his father was a drunk that neglected him from the essential

means to be a civilized man. Although no much is known about Legree’s father we

do know that his mother was gracious women that gave her last breathe to try and
raise Legree proper. This however appears too irrelevant as Legree takes after his

father and ends up becoming just as twisted. Here Stowe shows the major impacts

that each character up bringing has on their morality in the novel. It becomes

increasingly more clear that the family orientated upbringing that George Shelby

experienced created a far more morally sound person than Legree’s dysfunctional

childhood.

One of the major aspects that Stowe enforces on the reader is religion and

how it is a staple of individual characters morality. Shelby has a strong religious

background and we see this through many interactions where he is reading the

bible or teaching others about it. From early on in the novel we find Georges

religion a crucial importance to his relationship with the slaves and how he treats

them. A specific example of this religious base is seen when Uncle Tom talks about

George’s ability to teach religon:

“Mas'r George, by request, read the last chapters of Revelation, often interrupted by such
exclamations as "The sakes now!" "Only hear that!" "Jest think on 't!" "Is all that a comin'
sure enough?"
George, who was a bright boy, and well trained in religious things by his mother, finding
himself an object of general admiration, threw in expositions of his own, from time to
time, with a commendable seriousness and gravity, for which he was admired by the
young and blessed by the old; and it was agreed, on all hands, that "a minister couldn't lay it off
better than he did; that "'t was reely 'mazin'!".(78)

Religion is clearly a staple of Shelby’s testament as a human being and is reflected

heavily in his attitudes toward others. At the Legree plantation there is an absence

of religion which Stowe helps to strengthen the evilness of Legree. Not only is there

a lack of religion but it is actually forbidden at the plantation. After Legree

purchased Tom he noticed that he was holding a prayer book. He quickly took it

away from Tom saying that there will be no religion tolerated on his plantation. The

absence of religion on the Legree plantation helps to enhance the presence of

evilness that shadows over Legree’s house. It appears that Stowe enforces this

dichotomy of religion or lack thereof upon the reader to demonstrate the

importance that it has on ones personality.

Religion is important to each individuals character and helps to develop the

good or evil that each one posses. The most blatant contrast that exists between

the two houses is shown in Stowe’s descriptive nature about the physical interaction

between owner and slave. At the Shelby farm there is no physical confrontation

between George and the slaves. They seem to coexist together and if something

needs to be accomplished it is done so by means of verbal communication. The

Legree plantation shows a different side of the social spectrum, which is riddled

with beating and torture. This is shown clearly in the scene where Legree

commands Tom to whip his fellow slaves and he refuses. As punishment Legree

tells his overseers to whip Tom until he understands who is in charge. Tom is

beaten so badly that he almost dies. This is not the only time that we see an

altercation that leads to physical violence. At the end of the novel Tom’s character

eventually drives Legree over the edge and Legree beats Tom so bad that he ends

up killing him. The dichotomy of the two houses shown through physical means

distinguishes the social differences of the time. Legree views his slaves as property

and not as human beings and thus shows the strong argument of many people

during this time period. On the other hand we have the Shelby farm that sees each

individual slave as a person who should be treated with respect.

Although the previous differences are important for showing the social stance

of each house they don’t illustrate the political differences that existed at this time.

Stowe wants to bring the political contrast of the civil war area out in her novel and

that is why we see the contrast between Shelby and Legree. At the Shelby farm we
find that George isn’t really fund of the concept of slavery and says that he will

eventually free all his slaves. In chapter 44 George makes good on this promise,

but to his surprise the slaves don’t want to leave him:

“To the surprise of all, he appeared among them with a bundle of papers in his hand,
containing a certificate of freedom to everyone on the place, which he read successively,
and presented, amid the sobs and tears and shouts of all present.
Many, however, pressed around him, earnestly begging him not to send them away; and,
with anxious faces, tendering back their free papers.” (616)
This is a important quote because it really symbolizes the changing times and the freedom that

slavery is starting to be subjected to across the country. At the Legree plantation there are no

freedom papers, but instead a strong proslavery atmosphere exists. Legree doesn’t seem to be

feeling any sympathy for his slaves despite the changing of times. The greatest testament to this

political difference is seen when George comes to buy Tom back from Legree and finds him

dying because of physical abuse. George tells Legree that he is going to have him tried for

murder and Legree responds by saying that the only witnesses are slaves which can’t testify.

Here we finally see the impact that the slavery laws have on African-Americans. After seeing

one of his best friends, Tom, dead George pledges to fight to end slavery. This scene can be

interpreted as propaganda for the freedom of slaves or the cruel hearted nature of Legree. Either

way the ending results are influential on how slavery is depicted at this time.

Overall I feel that the numerous contrasts that exist between Legree and Shelby help to illustrate

the social and political arguments of this time. On one side we have the whole hearted Shelby who is

against the mistreatment of slaves and then we have Legree who views them as property that he can do as

he desires with. The above dualisms showed help to enforce the problems that existed during the civil war

era and how each side whether it is proslavery or antislavery viewed African-Americans. The

implications of each individual character in the storey are important to understanding the different

attitudes of slave owners.