I’ve read it. Tom was submissive to his white masters, but he never undermined other slaves. In fact, he gets in trouble for refusing to whip a fellow slave. He encourages another slave to escape. He refuses to tell his master information regarding the escaped slave. He disobeys his master’s orders and continues reading his bible.

Tom had a great master in the beginning of the book. They had a friendship more than a owner/property relationship. Tom is eventually sold to a cruel master and struggles with his beliefs.

On one hand, Tom is an obedient and loyal slave. On the other hand, he puts being a Christian above all else and that sometimes contradicts what an obedient slave would do.

Tom is a complicated character. His experience with slavery for most if his life was with a kind and generous master who loved Tom. It makes sense that Tom wouldn’t see slavery as a terrible thing. When he gets sold to a cruel master, everything he’s know for his whole life is put to question.

The term Uncle Tom has morphed into a completely different definition than the character portrays. Uncle Tom, the character, is much more complicated.