se the emotions of her readers. For the most part, many of the white women in the novel act as (an exaggerated) moral authority, thus compensating for the abominable sins of their husbands, fathers, brothers, etc. Likewise, the characteristics of the slaves were also exaggerated. They were represented as overwhelmingly loyal, clever, and pious, with Stowe therefore creating an implicit tone of victimization. The novels tone was rather significant, because although many people did consider the slaves as inferior, they had never before realized that these plantation hands were actually victims. Such was the effect of Stowes characterization of the black protagonists versus the white antagonist institution.Undoubtedly the timing of Uncle Toms Cabin further entrenched the nation into a vicious cold war within its own borders. For several years the souths economy slowly had been shifting away from cotton, causing widespread financial instability. Because the south then blamed the north for this unwelcome shift, trade between the north and the expanding west became considerably more lucrative. The increased interdependence between the north and west was also reflected in the ongoing slave debate. The nation previously had been divided into an equal number of both slave and free states, but with the unexpected western expansion the equilibrium became precariously unstable. Both south and north vied to extend their interests, i.e. slavery or no slavery, into the west, with the south becoming increasingly more unsatisfied with the results. The publication of Stowes Uncle Toms Cabin, therefore, perhaps helped to shift not only the west, but also the nations public opinion against the institution of slavery.Because it was such a turbulent period in American history, it is reasonable to conclude that the very context in which Uncle Toms Cabin was written is just as significant as what was written. While the content of the novel produced ...
