and the novel therefore achieves significant historical value in determining the condition of the United States prior to the civil war. I do not feel necessarily that Uncle Toms Cabin has any significant practical value in my own life. Perhaps I now am more aware of landmarks such as the Civil Rights Movement and the development of programs like Affirmative Action. Being more aware, I feel that I can form more educated opinions on racial issues, and consequently counteract, at least personally, any injurious stereotypes. Oddly enough, I think that my reaction is exactly what Stowe intended, so maybe the novel does possess notable transcendental value after all. Although it was written over 140 years ago, apparently Uncle Toms Cabin still is able to invoke a personal reflection on the state of fellow men (and women!).Generally, I would say that reading the novel was a valuable (though time-consuming) experience. I had read it once before, but never really understanding the importance of the context in which it was written. The surrounding events of the period bore heavy consequences on both the creation and reaction to the novel, and I now can appreciate the value of such a document in the scheme of American history. The little lady who made the big war, then, surely did not realize that her novel, Uncle Toms Cabin, would heavily reverberate into the dawn of the 21st century....
