leave bears multiple scars on her back. This is the real crime committed against Topsy, and it allows Topsy to show the crime that slavery commits upon humanity.
4.2 The Impact of Slavery
Slavery is one of the worst conditions that have existed throughout history. The enslavement of any group of people is a horrible thing and the effects are long
lasting. The slaves suffer a lot of psychological and emotional damage that has been passed down through generations. Slavery makes slaves receive a lot of anger,
resentment and pain throughout their life. Slavery also has an extremely malignant impact on the slaves’ life. However, this impact is mostly negative which is caused
by several factors, not solely their treatment. The impact of slavery all negatively affected them and their family.
Some impacts that slave suffers as the consequences of slavery which is also reflected in the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin will be described as follows:
4.2.1 Life With Restriction
Life in slavery means a life of restriction, with no civil rights. Slaves are unable to do everything they want for themself and their families. Their behavior
and movement is restricted which makes them completely depend on their masters.
Slavery disrupt communication between slaves. Slaves aren’t allowed to speak in their native language and make them can’t effectively communicate. Masters also
prevent their slaves from learning to read and write, so the potential for them to be able to communicate is severely limited. Because slave owners are afraid that the
ability to communicate and intelligence will make slaves escape or revolt.
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Therefore slaves are never allowed to learn anything that would benefit them
intellectually.
One of the scene in the novel shows slaves’ illiterarity as a result of slave’s inability to obtain education well is in chapter XIX when Tom tries to write a letter
to his wife and children, but his limited literacy causes him trouble.
“The fact was, that Tom’s home yearnings had become so strong, that he had begged a sheet of writing paper of Eva, and, mustering
up all his small stock of literary attainment acquired by Mas’r George’s instructions, he conceived the bold idea of writing a
letter; and he was busy now, on his slate, getting out his first draft. Tom was in a good deal of trouble, for the forms of some of the
letters he had forgotten entirely; and of what he did remember, he did not know exactly which to use.”XIX. 219
Compared to Tom, Topsy is even worse. She doesn’t know her age. She doesn’t know anything about time and what year it is. Ophelia tries to teach her,
but the girl fails to understand even its words and thus she recites them back mangled and confused without any comphrehension of their meaning. It shows that
Topsy never receive any education. “How old are you, Topsy?” “Dun ‘no, missis, said the image, with
a grin that showed all her teeth. Don’t know how old you are? Didn’t anybody ever tell you? Who was your mother?” “Never had
none” said the child, with another grin. “Never had any mother? What do you mean? Where were you born? “Never was born
Never had no father, nor mother, nor nothin’. I was raised by a speculator, with lots of others.” XX. 223-224
“She instituted regular hours and employments for her, and undertook to teach her to read and to sew. ... and though Miss
Ophelia could not help feeling that so many accident could not possibly happen in succession, yet she could not, without a
watchfulness which would leave her no time for anything else, detech her.” XX. 230
“What is it, Topsy?” said Miss Ophelia. “Please, missis, was dat ar state Kintuck?” “What state, Topsy?” “Dat state dey fell out of. I
used to hear mas’r tell how he came down from Kentuck.” St. Clare laughed. “You’ll have to give her a meaning, or she’ll make
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one,” said he. “There seems to be atheory of emigration suggested there.” XX. 233
From the quotations above, we can see the reason behind the slaves’ lack of understanding is because they only know how to do work for their masters. They
have no time to study or sorts. They never have such an proper education. Their movement is limited which makes them difficult to do anything except working.
For example, for Topsy the only thing she know is her job. When Topsy is asked by Miss Ophelia about what she does for her master and mistress, she answers that
she fetch water, wash dishes, rub knives and wait on folks.
4.2.2 Racial Discrimination
