Reader Response

I read many reviews and picked three. The first is from a review of Uncle Tom's Cabin from Amazon. Over all this author does give the book a great review however I disagree with him on some levels. He discusses how vivid Stowe writes her characters and I don't disagree with him there. But he goes on to say that her female characters are so strong. This is the point were I disagree with him some, though many of the women in this book are strong I don't feel they are strong enough. I know that in the time period Mrs. Shelby and Mrs. Bird would have been considered strong to go against their husbands ideas but to me they aren't strong enough. I think Eliza is the only female in this story that is as strong as I see women in the present. Eliza reminds me of the many single mom's who sacrifice so much for their children, she reminds me of the women who stand up against things that are blatantly wrong for example violence against women, rape, racism, just to name a few. I am not saying that you have be self sacrificing to be a strong woman in my eyes, I am simply saying that I think if you aren't afraid to show what you stand for and believe in you are strong person in my eyes. Stowe did an amazing job bringing all her characters to life and I did enjoy reading this book.
The second review I read was by Tammy Carlton from Goodreads. She describes the book as one of her top five most important books ever read. She too had the same reaction as myself to Eliza. She describes "As long as I live, I will never be able to remove from my mind the vision of Eliza, panicked and frenzied, in the dead of the night with her baby boy in her arms, leaping across the frozen ice of the Ohio river to escape the trader her baby had been sold to."I too feel the same way. Though there are many influential women in this story, non as so as dear Eliza. Carlton continues with "I was involved in the book up to that point, but after that, this book owned me." I can very much agree. She does mention the dialect in review and that for me was very easy since I read Uncle Tom's Cabin with and audio book from YouTube. I would recommend it because if brings much more of the story to life.
The third review I read was from Barnes and Noble. It was submitted by someone anonymous and it is very short in length but a very powerful statement for a review of a book. This Anonymous person wrote "
I'm horrified and deeply troubled and haunted by the injustices done to poor Uncle Tom. After reading Uncle Tom I am ashamed slavery ever existed in the first place and people could treat others in such a cruel and dehumanizing way. I wont forget this book for as long as I live."  WOW! What an impact that made on me. I don't think I could have said it any better for myself. I think our whole society is ashamed that it ever happened and still continues today to try to make up for it. We are trying in the language we use to describe black people but I think it's also making us aware that slavery still exists in many different forms. This book as many layers of things that happen in America's past but if we open our eyes we will still see them today. It makes me wonder how I can make a change.
References
 Amazon. Amazon, 1 May 1999. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. <http://www.amazon.com/review/
     R3GKW53UVJLURS/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt#R3GKW53UVJLURS>.
 Barnes & Noble. Barnes & Noble, 16 May 2006. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
     <http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/uncle-toms-cabin-harriet-beecher-stowe/
     1100025188?ean=9780393933994>.
 Goodreads. Goodreads, 8 Sept. 2008. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/
     46787.Uncle_Tom_s_Cabin#other_reviews>.