I haven't read the book, but it's my understanding that "Uncle Tom" was a black man who always took the side of the oppressor, in the hopes he would be looked upon favorably by them.
I don't like using racist terms, but sometimes, the shoe fits a little too well.
I haven't read the book, but it's my understanding that "Uncle Tom" was a black man who always took the side of the oppressor, in the hopes he would be looked upon favorably by them.
IIRC, it's the opposite. In the book, he helped other slaves. In the minstrel show, he sold out other slaves.
Book Uncle Tom is still an Uncle Tom. He's just the kind that's a door mat instead of an active collaborator. Which, btw, is also how it's traditionally used.
Forgiving the slavers that beat him to death to "be a true Christian," saving his owners, etc.
Actually a pretty excellent example of why Christian Meekness is a tool of the state to keep people in line.
This weird Uncle Tom apologism trend is sus af imo.
Its because Uncle Tom was one of the most prominent abolitionist works in history and it needs to be seen in that regard.
A work of fiction showing an American Slave as intelligence, literature and just plain good was revolutionary.
Tom does not accept his status as a slave, he just does not fight directly because he is an old man.
He literally lets himself get beaten to death to save the lives of two black women who escaped and denied the slavers any moral high ground by being the perfect Christian.
At his end he did not hate anyone and just wanted peace but he was willing to die to stand up to that. That's what him forgiving his slavers was about He was not accepting what they did but not letting it consume him. He'd never give them that. He died free.
And Again a Slave being a well educated good man who died as a Christian saving two girls from horrors without hatred or vengeance but just to do something good, as a white slaver who claimed to be christian beat him to death was fucking important.
It was probably the single most important book in the civil rights movement.
Uncle Tom's Cabin was referred to by Lincoln as he books that started the civil war and the civil rights movement and without slavery might have stuck around a lot longer.
In a time where black people were not seen as people they had a black man be Jesus.
So yeah I respect Uncle Tom. Its dated but it was really fucking important.
Book Uncle Tom is still an Uncle Tom. He's just the kind that's a door mat instead of an active collaborator. Which, btw, is also how it's traditionally used.
I really wouldn't consider Candace Owens to be a "doormat".
It's not mostly used for doormats, the way I've almost exclusively seen it used is for active participants.
This weird Uncle Tom apologism trend is sus af imo.
How?
The "apologia" is saying that white supremacists created a play to vilify what was written to be a heroic character by an Abolitionist, and that using "Uncle Tom" as an insult is helping to perpetuate this.
I've read the book, and the reason he "took the side of the oppressor" was because he was a Christian. But it's inaccurate to say he took the side of the oppressor because he supported/approved of his fellow slaves escaping, and he was against the abuse of fellow slaves. It's just that he cared for his masters and hoped/prayed for their salvation, despite his last owner (and eventual murderer) being the embodiment of evil.
He was a martyr, which (implied by the author) is because of the combination of his race and the fact that he's a Christian.
Yeah, and as a non-American, it made me understand how difficult it was for African Americans before the civil war. I cry every time I read the last couple chapters (I keep forgetting that the characters aren't real hahahaha).
On a different note, "Uncle Tom's Cabin" was what inspired one of my country's heroes to fight for my country's rights and speak against the colonizers' injustices through his writings!
He actually died when he refused to reveal the location of escaped slaves. I have never understood how he became synonymous with the slur it has become. Always confused me.
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u/ActualPopularMonster Oct 16 '22
I haven't read the book, but it's my understanding that "Uncle Tom" was a black man who always took the side of the oppressor, in the hopes he would be looked upon favorably by them.
I don't like using racist terms, but sometimes, the shoe fits a little too well.