Chapter XX: Topsy
What was the attitude of the other household slaves toward Topsy and why'd they feel that way?
What was St. Claire's true motive for bringing Topsy to his sister? Not what he said, but his hidden motive? What was he trying to prove?
Briefly describe Topsy's upbringing and early training and generally explain what effect this training has had on her character and behavior?
What did Topsy believe about her parentage and origins?
Describe the traditional education of a New England woman in the 1800s?
What was the first chore Ophelia taught to Topsy, what was discovered while learning that chore, and what happened to Topsy as a result of that event?
What was Rosas' advice regarding Topsy and how does that compare to Ophelia's and St. Clare's thoughts on the same issue?
Can you give a couple of examples which indicate whether or not Topsy was smart or stupid?
What's the joke about Topsy's state of salvation?
Using the word "Cain" describe the connection chapter and Phyllis Wheatley's poem, "On Being Brought from Africa to America" and show how the two ideas about Cain are similar.
Chapter XXX: The Slave Warehouse
How is a slave warehouse different from what most folks in the North might expect and why is it not what is expected?
What was the relationship between Sambo and Adolpho and what catylzed or caused their relationship to be such?
What is special about Susan and Emmeline? Why are they being sold?
What did Susan fear more than she feared being separated by her potential separation from Emmeline and how did she try to prevent that from happening? Does she succeed in preventing it?
What kind of argument lies behind Stowe's illustration of the economics of slavery when she gives the causes for Susan and Emmeline as well as Tom going on the block? In other words, why are they all on the block and what is Stowe trying to suggest with this reason?
What details surrounding the songs sung in the Warehouse and the details of the song itself, show it to be of a particular genre of song? [The answer is not "Gospel," although much gospel is closely related. Intenet help might be appropriate here]?
Chapter XXXI: The Middle Passage
Why is this Chapter titled as it is?
Who's Tom's "church" now and what are some of the doctrines of that "church"?
What did Legree insist Emmeline and the mulatto she was chained to change about themselves and why?
How is Legree directly contradicting the economic recommendations that Equiano made in his "Interesting Life" biography?
What question does the debate between the Southern gentleman and the Northern gentleman revolve around and what is the Northern gentleman's answer to the question of that debate?
Who oversees the slaves on Legree's farm?
Chapter XXXIV: The Quadroon's Story
Why is it that Cassie believes that the Lord won't charge her with her sins; who will be charged? And what does Tom think about that?
What diseases contributed to Cassie's decline into explicit and true slavery?
How many times was Cassie lied to and what were those lies?
Chapter XL. The Martyr
Why is this Chapter titled "The Martyr"?
Who is "our humble friend" mentioned in the first paragraph?
Why did Legree not take Tom with him on the hunt?
Where where they hiding?
What stopped Cassy from committing "suicide by cop"?
Emmeline says, "he'll give you back your daughter": Who's "he" and does it happen?
Stowe put words in Tom's mouth that compare him to someone: What words does Tom utter and how does that comparison work to support what Tom says in the paragraph at the very top of 1791?
What are Tom's last words and how do his last words make his martrydom complete?
Jump back to Reading Guide for Uncle Tom's Cabin, Vol. I
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