Throughout Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe uses the examples of supposedly kind and good-natured white men to show that structural, rather than solely individual, change is needed to dismantle the institution of slavery. Furthermore, Stowe uses these characters to show how religion, when misinterpreted and treated as a series of laws can contribute to the perpetuation of slavery. These ideas are particularly explored in the passage in Chapter XI when Mr. Wilson tries to dissuade George from fleeing to Canada. When he discovers that George is on the run, Wilson is “divided between his wish to help George, and a certain confused notion of maintaining law and order” (Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Ch. XI: “In Which Property Gets into an Improper State of Mind” Project Gutenberg). Here, Wilson’s propensity toward morality is in conflict with itself; he believes that helping George is the right thing to do, but his morality also compels him to abide by the law. Despite knowing how Mr. Harris had treated George, Wilson still believes that George’s act of running is morally wrong because it disobeys the law. Although Mr. Wilson is “good-natured,” he feels compelled by the laws that govern society to participate in the institution of slavery.
When Wilson’s appeals to the laws of man have no effect on George, Wilson uses religion to condemn George’s actions and try to shift George’s outlook. Wilson first cites two Bible passages saying, “But you know how the angel commanded Hagar to return to her mistress, and submit herself under the hand; and the apostle sent back Onesimus to his master” (Stowe). Wilson uses these biblical figures as examples and treats their actions and the word of the Bible as law. He takes these two Bible passages out of context, but treats the actions displayed in them as a rule. Wilson uses another Bible verse to argue that “We must all submit to the indications of Providence.” This sentiment is used to justify George’s place in society and underscore that in Wilson’s eyes, George is not only breaking the laws of man, but also the laws of God.
Stowe goes on to describe Mr. Wilson’s internal conflict saying, “He really pitied George with all his heart, and had a sort of dim and cloudy perception of the style of feeling that agitated him; but he deemed it his duty to go on talking good to him, with infinite pertinacity” (Stowe). Wilson views religion as its own set of laws deeply intertwined with the laws of man. He believes it is his duty to uphold the laws of Christianity and that he can only do so by upholding the laws of society.
Although the debate over the morality of George’s actions goes back and forth between Wilson and George, the way in which Stowe describes Wilson makes the reader more inclined to side with George. For example, Stowe describes Wilson’s mind as “downy, soft, benevolently fuzzy and confused,” and often depicts him as a fumbling old man. By presenting his character in this light, Stowe encourages the reader to reject Wilson’s interpretations of religion and gain a deeper understanding of the fallibility of the laws of man.
Discussion Question:
How does Christianity as it is displayed in this passage compare with how Christianity is displayed in other passages of the book? How does Mr. Wilson’s understanding of religion compare to Mrs. Shelby’s, Tom’s, or Eva’s?