This novel opens on the Shelby plantation somewhere in Kentucky before the Civil War. The Shelby's own numerous slaves all of whom they treat as though they are family. Unfortunately, at the opening of the book it is understood that Mr. Shelby has gotten into some financial difficulties, and the only way out of debt is to sell some of his slaves. He is left no other choice but to sell his most faithful and hardest working slave, Tom, and a little boy named Harry. Mr. Haley, a slave trader comes to the Shelby plantation one afternoon to finalize the deal, but the transaction is overheard by Eliza, Harry's mother. She goes into a panic and swears that she will not allow them to take her child, so she tries to persuade Tom to run away with her and Harry. Tom refuses because, being the loyal man that he is, he knows that Mr. Shelby is only doing what he has to do. This does not discourage Eliza from doing what she has to do, running away. Due to the separation of these two parties, Stowe spends the remainder of the novel updating their progress in designated chapters. Eliza and Harry leave the plantation as soon as they can get away, but their absence is discovered quickly, and this sends Mr. Haley searching for his property. At one point, Haley is so hot on her trail that Eliza has to miraculously run across blocks of ice on the Ohio River holding her son. When they reach the other side, they are taken in by a nice family that introduces them to a Quaker network that aides slaves in their pursuit of freedom. Like many other slaves at that time, Eliza is determined to reach Canada. Along the way, Eliza is reunited with her husband, George, and eventually the entire family reaches their destination. Tom's journey is not filled with so many fortunate situations. He is bought by a nice man, Mr. St. Clare who has a daughter, Little Eva. Eva has a great impact on the life of Tom and the other characters in the novel with her angelic qualities....
