I also owe a special debt of gratitude to all the professions in Foreign Languages College, from whose devoted teaching and enlightening lectures I have benefited a lot and academically prepared for the thesis. And I am deeply indebted to all the other tutors and teachers for their direct and indirect help to me. Special thanks should go to my friends who have put considerable time and effort into their comments on the draft.66799

Finally, I am indebted to my parents for their continuous support and encouragement. My thanks would go to my beloved family for their loving considerations and great confidence in me all through these years.

Contents

1. Introduction 1

1.1 Brief introduction to history of slavery in American 1

1.2 Brief introduction of Uncle Tom’s Cabin 1

1.3 Stowe’s experience and motherhood thesis 1

1.4 The significance of the research 2

2. The Importance of Motherhood 3

2.1 The main reliance of children 3

2.1.1 Taking care of children 3

2.1.2 Sacrificing for children 4

2.2 The main support of domesticity 6

2.3 The mainstay of race 9

3. Destruction of Motherhood by Slavery 12

3.1 Physiological destruction 12

3.1.1 Work load and punishment 12

3.1.2 Rape and gynecological disease 13

3.1.3 Poor life condition 15

3.2 Psychological destruction 16

3.2.1 Depression of being separated with children 16

3.2.2 Regret to killing children 18

4. Conclusion 21

References 24

The Influence of Slavery on the Destruction of Slave Mother in Uncle Tom’s Cabin

Abstract

Uncle Tom’s Cabin as an anti-slavery novel presents an authentic story of slavery in American. Besides main character Uncle Tom, Harriet Beecer Stowe also emphasizes on slave mother and their pathetic life. Slave mother as a major part of slave is vital for their children, family, even Black race. They protect children, guard family, and sustain race. They take the responsibility to fight for them, even if slavery destroys them both physically and mentally. Slavery breaks slave mother’s humanity, deprives their right and defeats natural principle. They as working machines, sexual and breeding tools, are only possession for slaveholders. Slave mother bear torment from slavery, and are afraid of slavery. Slavery makes many villainies like preventing slave mother being real mothers, breaking family up, wearing their humanity down. Through slave mother’s suffering, the sin of slavery will be revealed overtly. Tender as slave mother, their suffering also arouses sympathies. This article will focus on the importance of slave mother and their sufferings under the control of slavery to explain the extremely evil side of slavery. Also, through the emphasis of moral power of slave mother, the imagination of slavery is deprecated, which reflects the correctness of slavery abolishment.

Key words: Uncle Tom’s Cabin; slavery; slave mother; motherhood; destruction;