When Eliza learns that her son has been sold to a slave trader she decides to take her chances and escape with him to Canada. Along the way she is aided by a group of Quakers and is reunited with her husband, George. The people in the Quaker community hide George and Eliza in their homes, treat them as equals and help them in their flight. Because of the “thousand unconscious acts of love and good will” bestowed by the Quakers, George experiences a change of heart and something he had never know before: “a belief in God, and trust in his providence.”
The 3 are able to continue on their journey. But before they are get far they learn that slave hunters are on their trail. Through a series of fortunate events they create a trap and seriously wound one of the hunters. The other hunters leave him for dead, but the runaway slave group shows compassion and takes him to a nearby Quaker home to be treated. The slave trader helps Eliza, George and their son get past the last check point by telling them to go in disguise. He gives up slave catching and stays in one of the Quaker settlements catching bears and other animals.
Eva is another character whose love affects many people. Topsy is a wild, slave girl on Eva’s father’s plantation. She is “given” to Eva’s Aunt Ophelia to educate and tame. Miss Ophelia is disgusted by Topsy, but agrees to take her as a project. All her life, Topsy has been treated poorly and has heard only negative comments about herself. After a stealing incident, Eva nicely tells Topsy that she would “rather give [Topsy] anything of [hers], than have [Topsy] steal it.” This “was the first word of kindness the child had ever heard in her life.” But because she had never heard words like that, she did not believe them.
Later on Miss Ophelia is frustrated because nothing she does seems to bring about a change in Topsy behavior. Miss Ophelia has “taught and taught; . . . talked till [she’s] tired; . . . whipped [Topsy]; . . . punished in every way [she] can think of, and still [Topsy’s] just what she was at first.” Eva takes Topsy aside and talks to her about love. She says that Miss Ophelia would love her if she were good. At this Topsy laughs and explains that Miss Ophelia can’t bare her because she’s “a nigger” and she would just as soon “have a toad touch her” than Topsy. Eva says that she loves her and that Jesus loves her. Eva asks Topsy to be good for her sake and Topsy, overcome with a feeling of belief, says that she will try. Eva’s love changes Topsy. “Topsy did not become at once a saint; but the life and death of Eva did work a marked change in her.”
The adults overheard the conversation between Eva and Topsy and it made Miss Ophelia aware of her own actions. She knew that she didn’t like Topsy, but she didn’t know that Topsy knew. But after Eva’s death she became “more softened, more gentle.” She continued to teach Topsy, but no longer withdrew from her touch. Miss Ophelia “viewed [Topsy] now through the softened medium that Eva’s hand had first held before her eyes, and saw in her only an immortal creature, whom God had sent to be led by her to glory and virtue.” Eva’s Christ-like love touched her aunt and made her aware of her “duty” to overcome her prejudice.
Uncle Tom is a character who has the love of Christ in him. He understands that through Christ all things are possible. He knows that Christ strengthens him in his trials. He shares his testimony of Christ with all those who are around him. Uncle Tom has 3 owners throughout the story. His final owner, Legree, is a cruel master who tries to beat Christ out of him. He tells Uncle Tom “I’ll soon have that out of you. I have none o’ yer bawling, praying, singing niggers on my place; so remember. . . .I’m your church now!” For a while Tom wrestled in his soul thinking that God had forgotten him. Harriet Beecher Stowe says that “the atheistic taunts of [Tom’s] cruel master sank his before dejected soul to the lowest ebb; and, though the hand of faith still held to the eternal rock, it was with a numb, despairing grasp.” He was given a vision of Christ suffering on the cross then of Christ crowned in glory. Christ said to Tom “He that overcometh shall sit down with me on my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father on his throne.” This vision gave Tom the strength that he needed to survive the remainder of his life with this owner. The “blows fell now only on the outer man, and not, as before, on the heart.”
Tom’s faith and love touched many other slaves on Legree’s plantation. When opportunities arose he took the chance to lend a hand, share his meager belongings and teach them about Christ. In the end Tom’s faith and love of Christ brought Sambo and Quimbo, the two malicious overseers, to their knees begging for forgiveness and knowledge of this Jesus who stood by Tom through the beatings.
Maybe fear and anger made some of the people in Uncle Tom’s Cabin act differently. Maybe they reformed because of sadness or joy. But the greatest changes were because of love. George understood equality and the love of God because of the love of the Quakers. The slave hunter shunned his old job because of the caring of a few slaves and Quakers. Eva’s love helped Topsy and Miss Ophelia become better people. And Uncle Tom’s love brought others to Christ. How can love change me?
