by Beachbumwriter

Created on: September 24, 2011

Uncle Tom is the main character.  At the beginning of the story he is a slave in Kentucky belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Shelby.  He is a pious faithful servant to God, fellow slaves, and his masters.  He becomes a martyr when he refuses to obey orders that conflict with his morality.  He is sold twice in the story, first to St Clare and upon his death, Tom was sold to Legree. 

Mr. Shelby is Uncle Tom’s first master.  When Uncle Tom was eight years old, Shelby was placed in his arms when he was just a baby.  Mr. Shelby treated all of his slaves with kindness and Uncle Tom was allowed to manage the farm for him.  Yet, when the farm was going bankrupt, Mr. Shelby decided to sell Uncle Tom who would bring in the most money.

Eliza was a Shelby house servant whose son was also to be sold.  When she overheard Mr. and Mrs. Shelby discussing the sale, she escaped with her son.  Mrs. Shelby assisted her in her escape.

George was Eliza’s husband who also escaped and eventually was reunited with his family.  The family moved several times eventually settling in Africa after George got his education in France.

Augustine St Clare was Uncle Tom’s second master.  He was an extremely wealthy gentleman who owned a house full of slaves who he treated with kindness.  His angelic daughter Evangeline became close friends with Uncle Tom.  Near his death, he had intended to free them, but was murdered before acting upon his intentions.

Mrs. Ophelia was Augustine St Care’s cousin from the north.  She didn’t understand the slave system and encouraged her cousin to free his slaves.  St. Clare gave her Topsy a wild slave girl of eight years old who never knew her parents and who was brutally abused by her masters.  Mrs. Ophelia overcame her bigotry toward Topsy.  She educated her, and brought her back to the north and freed her.

Legree was Uncle Tom’s final master.  Legree was a harsh plantation owner who treated his slaves worse than dogs.  He had hired Tom with the hopes of turning him into an overseer, but when Uncle Tom refused to submit to the evil deeds of the position, Legree eventually beat Uncle Tom to death.

Cassy was an old slave mistress of Legree.  She planned an escape for herself, and Legree’s new mistress, Emmeline.  After their escape, Cassy miraculously met her son-in-law’s sister, Madame de Thoux and was reunited with her daughter, and grandson Eliza and Harry.

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