Uncle Tom's Cabin 1-6

I think that in Uncle Toms Cabin the way that the Shelby's have established their life, somehow in the culture, but also seperate through the way that they treat their slaves and the unity among the slaves and the family is specail. The contrast between Goerge's life as a slave in another place is built by the author to contrast the life of the slaves within the Shelby's household.  Eliza seems to live a fairly happy life, she is educated and cared for, but her comfort becomes compromised when she hears talk about her master trading her son. That unity is put in jeopardy by the possibility of the masters decision.
Contrary to this we see the unity strongly between the Shelby's son, George, with Tom the slave who the Mr. Shelby is selling.  It is evident the break that will occur within that peace.  Although the Shelby's seem to be "good" people who treat their slaves fairly they are still slaces and Mr. Shelby selling Tom, even though he felt bad about it, showed an aspect of even the way that he thought.  To sell someone is showing the concept the dehumanization that runs so deep within that culture. 

Obviously he felt bad about selling Tom, but still property over a person. Today that choice wouldn't be seem to be that much of an actual moral question difficult.  The way it was seen then was one piece of property over another.  Mr. Shelby asks why he should be bothered about selling Harry and Tom when everyone else does it and I think the answer to that question solely resides in the fact that it seems to go against his and his wfes morals.  They truly know the wrongness of slavery, but I think Tom was just finding someway to validate his actions with the qoute "well everyones doing it scape goat."  I think Mrs. Shelby really makes a point to her husband when she speaks of what she has taught the slaves as if they were members of their own family.

It is when Mrs. Shelby truly acknowledges her feelings of the wrongness of slavery and the pain that it can cause for so many even when bringing maybe something "good."  That I think she accepts how hard it is to keep the evil of the world and turn it into something that is good.  It is a question that many Christian even today struggle with navigating.  How am I supposed to be" in the world but not of the world."  I think that she is making a point that we truely have to sometimes be those extremists or those abolitionists.

Tom's loyalty to the people there I find it truly amazing how deeply rooted he is in his faith and love of other people that he would sacrifice himself to a truly unknown life.  I think I have decided that I don't really like Mr. Shelby much especially when he talks about his honor.  I think pride is probably one of the least endearing qaulities of the human race. I hate how we often times can't help but be afraid to hurt our pride by revealing something about ourselves.  Even though the thought that he would be considered a someone who had connived with the man and even though he hadn't expected it. The thing he is worried about is his honor.  Really?