# Uncle Tom vs. Uncle Tom's Cabin **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 9, 2004, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-tom-vs-uncle-toms-cabin/223644 "2004-01-09T14:59:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-tom-vs-uncle-toms-cabin/223644/1 "2004-01-09T14:59:45Z")
What is an “Uncle Tom”? I get the impression it is a derogitory term used to describe Negros who were submissive, I WAG? But, descriptions of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” claim it is a detailed description of the life of a slave, horrific conditions, etc…these two descriptions seem incongruent. Can someone clarify? Thanks, - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-tom-vs-uncle-toms-cabin/223644/2 "2004-01-09T15:15:25Z")
Uncle Tom was the Good Slave, who always did what Massa said, and even (if I recall) sacrifices his life for the family. Eliza, on the other hand, runs away with her baby, and Topsy was always mouthing off in a wise-ass manner. Good book. Read it. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-tom-vs-uncle-toms-cabin/223644/3 "2004-01-09T15:20:18Z")
Calling someone an Uncle Tom is a derogatory term for a submissive black or for a black who is a white apologist, etc. It comes from the book _Uncle Tom’s Cabin_, which is indeed not a nice depiction of slavery. But one of the slaves is, as I see **Eve points out** , a good slave. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-tom-vs-uncle-toms-cabin/223644/4 "2004-01-09T15:30:39Z")
Still a little fuzzy: Is the book an historical fiction novel, or more like a true, documentary testimonial…with real people cited? I do plan to read it soon… - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-tom-vs-uncle-toms-cabin/223644/5 "2004-01-09T15:45:46Z")
No, it’s historical fiction. Sort of. It wasn’t historical at the time it was written back in the 1850s. If you want a more historical account of slavery, read Frederick Douglass’s autobiography. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-tom-vs-uncle-toms-cabin/223644/6 "2004-01-09T15:55:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eve \* > \*\*Uncle Tom was the Good Slave, who always did what Massa said, and even (if I recall) sacrifices his life for the family. \*\* Uncle Tom, I think, gets a bit of a bad rap. He is not always obedient. His master Simon Legree has him beaten to death because he refuses to tell what he knows about some runaway slaves. Tom also refuses to commit any "act of inhumanity’ at Legree’s behest. From [here:](http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/Harriet_Beecher_Stowe/Uncle_Toms_Cabin/) > [@](#): > > The escape of Cassy and Emmeline irritated the before surly temper of Legree to the last degree; and his fury, as was to be expected, fell upon the defenceless head of Tom. When he hurriedly announced the tidings among his hands, there was a sudden light in Tom’s eye, a sudden upraising of his hands, that did not escape him. He saw that he did not join the muster of the pursuers. He thought of forcing him to do it; but, having had, of old, experience of his inflexibility when commanded to take part in any deed of inhumanity, he would not, in his hurry, stop to enter into any conflict with him. > > . . . > > When Legree returned, baffled and disappointed, all the long-working hatred of his soul towards his slave began to gather in a deadly and desperate form. Had not this man braved him,–steadily, powerfully, resistlessly,–ever since he bought him? Was there not a spirit in him which, silent as it was, burned on him like the fires of perdition? > [@](#): > > “Now, Quimbo,” said Legree, as he stretched himself down in the sitting-room, “you jest go and walk that Tom up here, right away! The old cuss is at the bottom of this yer whole matter; and I’ll have it out of his old black hide, or I’ll know the reason why!” > > . . . > > Tom heard the message with a forewarning heart; for he knew all the plan of the fugitives’ escape, and the place of their present concealment;–he knew the deadly character of the man he had to deal with, and his despotic power. But he felt strong in God to meet death, rather than betray the helpless. > > . . . > > “Well, Tom!” said Legree, walking up, and seizing him grimly by the collar of his coat, and speaking through his teeth, in a paroxysm of determined rage, “do you know I’ve made up my mind to KILL YOU?” > > “It’s very likely, Mas’r,” said Tom, calmly. > > “I have,” said Legree, with a grim, terrible calmness, “done–just–that–thing, Tom, unless you’ll tell me what you know about these yer gals!” > > Tom stood silent. > > “D’ye hear?” said Legree, stamping, with a roar like that of an incensed lion. “Speak!” > > “I han’t got nothing to tell, Mas’r,” said Tom, with a slow, firm, deliberate utterance. > > “Do you dare to tell me, ye old black Christian, ye don’t know?” said Legree. > > Tom was silent. > > “Speak!” thundered Legree, striking him furiously. Do you know anything?" > > “I know, Mas’r; but I can’t tell anything. I can die!” > > Legree drew in a long breath; and, suppressing his rage, took Tom by the arm, and, approaching his face almost to his, said, in a terrible voice, “Hark ‘e, Tom!–ye think, ‘cause I’ve let you off before, I don’t mean what I say; but, this time, I’ve made up my mind, and counted the cost. You’ve always stood it out again’ me: now, I’ll conquer ye, or kill ye!–one or t’ other. I’ll count every drop of blood there is in you, and take 'em, one by one, till ye give up!” > > Tom looked up to his master, and answered, “Mas’r, if you was sick, or in trouble, or dying, and I could save ye, I’d give ye my heart’s blood; and, if taking every drop of blood in this poor old body would save your precious soul, I’d give 'em freely, as the Lord gave his for me. O, Mas’r! don’t bring this great sin on your soul! It will hurt you more than 't will me! Do the worst you can, my troubles’ll be over soon; but, if ye don’t repent, yours won’t never end!” > > . . . > > “He’s most gone, Mas’r,” said Sambo, touched, in spite of himself, by the patience of his victim. > > “Pay away, till he gives up! Give it to him!–give it to him!” shouted Legree. I’ll take every drop of blood he has, unless he confesses!" > > Tom opened his eyes, and looked upon his master. “Ye poor miserable critter!” he said, “there ain’t no more ye can do! I forgive ye, with all my soul!” and he fainted entirely away. Tom in the book is a Christlike martyr. He may be compared in some ways to Gandhi or Martin Luther King as a non-violent resistor. This model, however, was rejected vehemently by many more militant blacks in the 1960s, and “Uncle Tom” for them became an insult. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-tom-vs-uncle-toms-cabin/223644/7 "2004-01-09T16:17:31Z")
The term “Uncle Tom” was probably created by someone who hadn’t actually read the book but was going by just a summary of the story. Uncle Tom in the book was only submissive in the sense that he didn’t attempt to run away or to kill his master. He was as defiant as one was allowed to be in the slave system. The term was probably created by someone who hadn’t read the book and thought that the character Uncle Tom was more submissive than he actually was. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-tom-vs-uncle-toms-cabin/223644/8 "2004-01-09T16:17:43Z")
Simon Legree was not the master, he was the evil overseer of the good (but weak-willed master, Mr. St. Claire (father of the fabled Little Eva). ---
**Author:** ![jeevwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@jeevwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeevwoman)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-tom-vs-uncle-toms-cabin/223644/9 "2004-01-09T16:23:08Z")
I agree that whomever started the term “Uncle Tom” must not have read the book. To me, he is truly the hero of the novel–not an asskiss, but someone who is deeply moral and loving and religious. As I was reading it, I kept thinking–when does he do something that would make him a derogatory character? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-tom-vs-uncle-toms-cabin/223644/10 "2004-01-09T16:25:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eve \* > \*\*Simon Legree was not the master, he was the evil overseer of the good (but weak-willed master, Mr. St. Claire (father of the fabled Little Eva). \*\* My slip. It’s been about 35 years since I actually read it. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-tom-vs-uncle-toms-cabin/223644/11 "2004-01-09T16:36:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eve \* > \*\*Simon Legree was not the master, he was the evil overseer of the good (but weak-willed master, Mr. St. Claire (father of the fabled Little Eva). \*\* Oops - I conceded too fast. Legree was Tom’s owner, not an overseer. Mr. St. Clare was a previous owner; Tom was subsequently sold to Legree at auction at the slave warehouse. (Note in the passage above, Legree is repeatedly referred to as Tom’s master.) ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-tom-vs-uncle-toms-cabin/223644/12 "2004-01-09T18:28:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wendell Wagner \* > \*\*The term “Uncle Tom” was probably created by someone who hadn’t actually read the book but was going by just a summary of the story. Uncle Tom in the book was only submissive in the sense that he didn’t attempt to run away or to kill his master. He was as defiant as one was allowed to be in the slave system. The term was probably created by someone who hadn’t read the book and thought that the character Uncle Tom was more submissive than he actually was. \*\* I seem to have read somewhere that the derogatory use of “Uncle Tom” stems not directly from the book but from the myriad dramatic (and melodramatic) adaptations of it, most of which were simpler, cruder versions of the story. However, as I have no cite for this, I may well be talking off the top of my head… ---
**Author:** ![constantine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@constantine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constantine)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-tom-vs-uncle-toms-cabin/223644/13 "2004-01-09T18:51:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Katisha \* > \*\*I seem to have read somewhere that the derogatory use of “Uncle Tom” stems not directly from the book but from the myriad dramatic (and melodramatic) adaptations of it, most of which were simpler, cruder versions of the story. However, as I have no cite for this, I may well be talking off the top of my head… \*\* FWIW I remember reading something similar (although I don’t have a cite either). The huge popularity of the book spawned a number of minstrel shows and other knockoffs that used the name “Uncle Tom” in the title (again to capitalize on the immense popularity of the book) but that had almost no connection with the storyline of the book. These minstrel shows capitalized on and of course perpetuated extremely disparaging, prejudiced views of blacks. Thus the term “Uncle Tom” in the sense of a stupid, subservient black man derives from these execrable minstrel shows, not from the Stowe’s book. I confess I have only read part of the book, but the accounts I have heard all describe Stowe’s character Uncle Tom as heroic and honorable. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-tom-vs-uncle-toms-cabin/223644/14 "2004-01-09T19:31:11Z")
My dictionary, by the way, puts the term “Uncle Tom” as an insult as being first in print in 1922.