Stowe Prompt

Uncle Tom's Cabin works to challenge and complicate some of our basic assumptions about slavery, religion, and American ideals. In this week's blog posting, I'd like you to consider how the novel also complicates some of the assumptions we've made about children and childhood in American literature.

We've created a list of theories and ideas to inform our reading of children's literature. For example: we've talked about how children's literature is didactic or that children in literature usually stand as symbols of hope and potential. How does a text based on the institution of slavery complicate these theories and ideas? The horrors of slavery, both real and written, seem to go against all the "good" messages we received from a text like The Wide, Wide World. What do we make of this apparent disconnect?

In your blog posting, please answer and elaborate on the above questions. Remember to use the text, Uncle Tom's Cabin, as support in your answer. You may also use previous texts (like Irving, Warner, MacLeod, or Sanchez-Eppler) if you wish. And remember, you are always welcome to further complicate my questions: if you feel that Uncle Tom's Cabin does, in fact, carry out the objectives of traditional children's literature despite the violence of slavery, make your case (always using the text).

Please let me know if you have any questions. Happy Blogging!