Textual Background

I chose Appeal, in Four Articles from pages 423- 426. This artifact is like a calling to all colored people around the world to come together, it also questions why white people have made them to be slaves. This text contributes to the understanding of Uncle Tom's Cabin because it's written by a black man, it gives insight into what they are thinking and it's solely for them, there isn't any immediate white culture forced into it. It goes into the cruelties that they faced. It also brings religion into play because during the text there is a lot of referencing to God and religion, which is my theme of choice. Uncle Tom's Cabin constantly uses religion as a justification for nearly anything, good or bad. This helps understand why so many slaves, namely Uncle Tom, preach the word of God and that's what keeps him going through all his hardships that he faces throughout the book especially when he's practically on his death bed, "Nerve and bone of that poor man's body vibrated to those words, as if touched by the finger of God; and he felt the strength of a thousand souls in one" (Stowe 349). The quote that really jumps out in the Appeal, in Four Articles is "They will not suffer us to meet together to worship the God who made us" (Walker 425). Although not every slave owner believes in God or is extremely holy, but this does resonate with quite a few slave owners like the Shelbys and when Uncle Tom is helping St. Clare realize there is a God just before he is about to die. The quote also reinforces Stowe's agenda of abolishing slavery, if they all worship the  God that made them then why can they not worship together. The religion theme is really versatile throughout the whole book, it's used to justify slavery, justify why events happen, and it's used by Stowe to help end slavery.


Walker, David. Walker's appeal in four articles. Salem, NH: Ayer, 1989. Print.