Historical background of Fermat Point

."Uncle Tom's Cabin"

The first American novel translated into Chinese

One of the fuses of the American Civil War

Classic works that influenced the course of history

One of the 32 landmark books in American history

The most influential book recommended by 113 professors at Harvard University

Classic translations that influenced modern Chinese society

Books that had a profound impact on the development of mankind

In 1851, Mrs. Stowe wrote this book when her husband was frail and sick and her family was extremely poor. The most influential work in his life - "Uncle Tom's Cabin". The novel was first published in the form of a serial in the newspaper "National Times", which immediately aroused strong response and received unparalleled popularity. In the first year alone, more than 100 editions were printed in the country and more than 300,000 copies were sold. It has been translated into more than 20 languages ??and published around the world. Critics believe that the book played a major role in inspiring public anti-slavery sentiment and is considered one of the causes of the American Civil War. When President Lincoln later met with Mrs. Stowe, he jokingly called her "the little woman who wrote a book that caused a great war." This joke fully reflected the spirit of the novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" Huge impact.

"Uncle Tom's Cabin" exposes and accuses the dark slavery system through the description of the tortuous experiences of black slaves such as Uncle Tom and George and his wife. A stunning work of the slave movement. This prestigious world literary masterpiece has been published for a century and a half, but it is still so thought-provoking and tear-jerking to read today, which shows the profound connotation and artistic charm of the work. As a work, it has long been included in the world's famous books, and its great achievements and influence have been increasingly valued and recognized by the literary world.

Unexpectedly, it was this short, lovely lady who formed the fuse of that huge war, the Civil War. She wrote a book that led to a great success.

--American President Lincoln

Mrs. Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin" is the greatest victory in the history of literature.

--Famous American poet Henry Longfellow

"Uncle Tom's Cabin" stirred up the surface of American art, immediately caused a commotion and announced the arrival of a special moment.

-- American scholar James

Mrs. Stowe's "Record of the Negro's Journey to Heaven"? Another translation of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" describes the mistreatment of black slaves by landlords. The miserable situation was so poignant that it made readers cry, thus triggering the Civil War, and the black slaves were freed.

--The famous writer Su Xuelin

For the first time, I heard the novel "The Record of the Black Slaves" by the American female writer Mrs. Stowe, about the tragic fate of the black slaves in the southern United States and their The story of brave struggle made my heart so excited that I clutched the handkerchief soaked in tears and turned it over on the pillow, unable to fall asleep for a long time.

--The famous writer Bing Xin

A novel about launching a war

The times create heroes and also create shocking masterpieces. After the American Revolutionary War, capitalism developed rapidly in the north, but the inhumane slavery system was still practiced in the south. Whether to support slavery or to oppose slavery formed a sharp North-South opposition. At this time, Mrs. Stowe's novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" came into being.

"Uncle Tom's Cabin", also translated as "The Book of Black Slaves" or "Uncle Tom's Cabin", the story begins with the bargaining between a slave owner and a slave trader. Shelby, a slave owner in Kentucky, USA, failed in his speculation in the stock market and decided to sell two slaves in order to pay off his debts. One is Tom, who was born on Shelby's plantation. When he was a child, he served his master as a little house slave and was quite popular with his master. When he became an adult, he became the master of the house slaves. He was loyal and dedicated to safeguarding his master's interests. Another slave to be sold is Harry, the son of the mulatto slave girl Eliza.

Eliza was not a submissive slave who obeyed her master. When she overheard that her master was going to sell Tom and her son Harry, she jumped off the ice-covered Ohio with her son overnight, pursued by slave traders. River, fled to the Free State, and then to Canada. Her husband, George Harris, was a slave on a nearby plantation. He also took the opportunity to escape, joined his wife, and took their children with them. After going through hardships and dangers, he finally successfully arrived in Canada with the help of abolitionist organizations.

Tom had a different experience. He knew and supported Eliza's escape, but he did not escape himself. Since he was instilled in him by his slave owner Christian teachings such as fearing God, being submissive, and being loyal to his master since he was a child, he had no complaints about his master selling him to pay off debts and was willing to obey his master's mercy. He was resold to New Orleans and became a slave to slave trader Haley. In a drowning accident, Tom saved the life of a slave owner's little daughter Eva. The child's father, St. Clay, bought Tom from Haley and became a domestic servant, driving a carriage for the owner's family. Tom develops a bond with the little girl. Soon the little girl suddenly died of illness. St. Clair decided to liberate Tom and other black slaves based on the little daughter's lifetime wish. However, before there was time to complete the legal procedures for emancipation, Saint Clair was killed in an accident. St. Clair's wife did not free Tom and other slaves, but sent them to the slave auction market. From then on, Tom fell into the hands of Legley, an extremely cruel slave owner of the "Red River" plantation. Legley treated black slaves as "talking animals", whipped them arbitrarily, and lynched them. Tom endured this inhuman torture, but still did not think of finding a way out for himself, but silently pursued the principle of being an upright man. Two female slaves on this plantation decided to escape and hide in order to survive. Legley suspected that Tom had helped them escape, so he tied Tom up and whipped him until his skin and flesh were torn to pieces. But Tom finally showed his rebellion against the slave masters by saying nothing. When Tom was dying, his past master, George Shelby, son of the slave owner Shelby who sold him for the first time, came to redeem Tom because Tom was little Shelby's childhood servant and playmate. But Tom could no longer accept the belated help from his former little master, and he passed away with bruises all over his body. George Shelby knocked Legley to the ground with a vicious blow and buried Tom on the spot. After returning to his hometown of Kentucky, Little Shelby liberated all the black slaves in his name in the name of Uncle Tom and said to them: "Every time you see Uncle Tom's cabin, you should be reminded of your freedom."

The book "Uncle Tom's Cabin" tells readers through the description of two black slaves with different personalities, Tom and George Harris: Tom, who is submissive and obeys the slave master, cannot escape the fate of death. , and the Georges who dared to resist and fight were given a new life. Therefore, "Uncle Tom's Cabin" played a positive role in social development, especially in the American abolition movement and the victory of the righteous side represented by Lincoln in the American Civil War. ? -- "History of World Literature"

So, it is not entirely correct to say that "Uncle Tom's Cabin" was not the trigger of the Civil War