Uncle Tom's Cabin came to my knowledge in quite accidental fashion. I remember reading an article about Noli Me Tangere and a particular line caught my eye, it stated there that this book served as Jose Rizal's inspiration to write his magnum opus. This interesting information drew me to the book and thanks to the kindle experience, reading has become easier, books of great value are more within reach, which means, I easily get hold of a copy immediately without exerting much effort.
Uncle Tom's Cabin is about the atrocities of human bondage, the sufferings of our African-American brethren, their deplorable circumstances of separation from their loved ones and the abject conditions of their existence under despotic hands. No wonder Rizal found inspiration with this book, it parallels the same condition here in the Philippines during his time under Spanish rule. It is also sad to note that both books insinuate the blind acceptance of the Christian church to the enslavement of the poor and the helpless and in some instance, their bold interpretation of the gospel that God himself doesnt forbid such actions, that the strong is meant to rule the weak. Perhaps, we will never find answers why God allows these things to happen, that apparently is still happening today, the strong, in the image of large corporations and the weak, in the image of the great majority of people living in impoverished state. Nevertheless, I believe we could learn a thing or two from Uncle Tom himself. His utter submission to the Divine Will, his strong unfailing faith, his acceptance of his present toil as part of the great Divine plan...that this life is no life at all but that of the life beyond. This coincides with Tolstoy's message in The Kingdom Of God Is Within You, the non-resistance to evil by force, that as Christians, we should refrain from answering violence with violence, that if something terrible has been committed against us, we should willingly TURN THE OTHER CHEEK. Suffering is indeed an enormous burden to endure yet there is beauty in suffering for as Dostoevsky said, the deeper the grief, the closer the God is. It is only through utter blinding darkness that the true light of the Divine shines......