Partial Reading Guide for Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Volume I
Common Vocabulary |
portentous[ly] |
opulent |
ardor |
square |
| candid |
"floss silk" |
jocular[ly] |
grotesque |
| "doleful pucker" |
"imperturbable gravity" |
"air of virtuous decision" |
piquant |
| elucidation |
impudence/impudent |
counterpoise |
affection[s] |
| adroit[ly] |
magnanimity |
"paroxysm of frenzy" |
expedient |
| ruse |
supposition |
undulate/undulating |
precitpitate[d] |
| sordid |
aritifice |
officious[ness] |
"dexterously contriving" |
| "vehement reiteration" |
chaff |
prodigious[ly] |
"doeful gravity" |
| vociferate/vociferating |
"rueful submission" |
portentously |
percipitate |
| turbid |
|
|
|
| impudent |
ethos |
ejaculation[s] |
soul-drivers |
| drollery |
catchings |
truck |
wight |
| Pass[ing] |
propitiate |
slough |
vociferating [vociferous] |
|
| Murray's Grammar |
camp-meeting |
mulatto |
quadroon |
| Newfoundland |
|
|
|
Bio Intro
In what religious tradition was Stowe raised?
"Lyman Beecher's ambition and his deeply pessimistic theology--an
orthodox Calvinist, he believed in universal damnation, with salvation
available only through God's humanly inexplicable choice. . . . "
What was different about the the school that Stowe attended in Litchfield, CN?
Sarah "Pierce . . . believed that properly trained and instructed
women were ultimately destined . . . to 'instruct and enlighten the
world.'"
How many copies of Uncle Tom's Cabin sold in the first year?
How many languages was UTC translated into in the first 8 years after publication?
What did Stowe despise and admire about New England culture?
What religion did Stowe covert from and to?
What were the main objections to the novel by recent critics examining the
quality and racial politics of the novel?
Novel
Chapter 1:In which the Reader is introduced to a Man of Humanity
Why, according to Haley, is "religion" in a slave a good thing?
What is Haley's automatic name for all black children?
Haley refers to himself as a "humane" man when it comes to slave trading? What does he mean and how does he justify his "humanity"?
Tom Locker, his ex-partner, on the other hand uses a different system: What's his system?
Why, according to the narrator, is Shelby's plantation deceptive?
Why, even though Shelby finds Haley distasteful, does Shelby find it necessary to host Haley?
Even though Shelby will not consider selling ____________, he will consider selling _______________?
Who is this business being hidden from? [Two people, one you might expect would know about it]
Chapter III: The Husband and Father What did the master of George teach his child do?
What happened to George's dog?
Why wouldn't a slave be allowed to marry?
What was George's master's objection to his relationship with Eliza? What was the master's solution to this "problem"?
Between George and Eliza: Summarize their difference in attitude toward religion and how it instructs us to behave toward masters and mistresses.
Chapter VII: The Mother's Struggle
What were some of Chloe's delaying tactics?
Summarize the disagreement between Aunt Chloe and Uncle Tom. With which
do you side? Briefly explain you reasoning
What was Tom allowed to do which the trader advised against?
How was Sam's manipulation of Haley like Br'er Rabbits manipulation of Br'er
Bear?
What gave Eliza strength to travel the road: list at least two specific things?
What strategy did Eliza use to keep Harry moving?
Why didn't anybody stop Eliza on her way to the river town?
What gave Eliza the strength to get to the river town?
How was the river crossed?
Chapter IX: In Which It appears That a Senator is But a Man
Briefly explain the title of Chapter IX, ". Provide a number of
details for support of your explanation.
What does it mean to be an "Orson of a fellow"?
XII: Select Incident of Lawful Trades -- In which we get an example of Haley's "humane" treatment
What is Haley thinking about as they ride along to the river?
What, by contrast, is Tom thinking about as they ride to the river?
What does Stowe/the narrator say about Tom's thinking about that?
Two preachers have a polite argument? What's the difference between the two preacher's positions?
Two women have a related argument what's the difference in their positions?
Haley almost has an attack of conscience, but he manages to stave it off. Off does he prevent the attack of conscience?
Re-tell Lucy's story.
Chapter XIII: The Quaker Settlement
Chapter XIV: Evangeline
Describe the right way to read [the Bible], Tom's way.
What convinces St. Clare to buy Tom? Is the description of Tom in the paragraph
that starts in the middle of page 1672 a positive or negative description?
Explain your reasoning briefly. I disagreed with practically everybody on
this point.
What's the slave trader's main selling point in regard to Tom?
Why does the trader say, "You like to be jokin', now"?
What's St. Clare joking about? St. Clare was making a joke here. Explain how the joke works.
Jump to Reading Guide for Uncle Tom's Cabin, Vol II
Jump to Index to Reading Guides for Uncle Tom's Cabin
Here's
an interesting website on the subject of the Bible and Slavery:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/sla_bibl.htm