Uncle Tom’s Cabin
(Harriet Beecher Stowe)

Volume I

Chapter 1: In Which the Reader is Introduced to a Man of Humanity

On a February afternoon in Kentucky, two gentlemen sit outside on a porch, deep in conversation. The first is a stout, gaudy man named Haley; the second, a gentleman of true class named Mr. Shelby.

The conversation reveals that Mr. Shelby is in debt, and must sell one of his slaves in order to survive. He is hesitant to part with any of his workers, as he is attached to them, but feels as if it can't be avoided. Mr. Shelby is trying to get Haley, a slave-trader from further down south, to buy a slave named Tom. Mr. Shelby presents Tom as an honest, Christian fellow, but Haley dismisses the idea that blacks can truly be religious. He asks that Shelby give him another slave as well, a boy or girl.

At that time, a young Negro boy named Jim Crow walks in and Mr. Shelby asks him to do several impersonations. The gentlemen laugh, and the boy is given some fruit as a reward. A young woman walks in, the boy's mother, Eliza. She takes the boy out of the room. Haley is struck by her extreme beauty and tells Shelby that he could sell her for a fortune; however, Shelby has no wish to sell her. He agrees to talk to his wife about selling the boy even though he doesn't believe a mother and child should have to be separated.

Eliza listens at the door for the last part of the conversation and worries that Mr. Shelby will sell her son. She cries to the mistress, Mrs. Shelby, who assures her that Mr. Shelby would never do such a thing. She is unaware of his debt, and, knowing her husband's kind nature doesn't believe him capable of selling the boy.

Chapter 2: The Mother

The narrator gives some background on Eliza, the beautiful young woman in Chapter 1. Eliza was raised by Mrs. Shelby as her favorite, and, as such, possesses an unusual air of refinement normally reserved for high-class women. She married a handsome mulatto (mixed-race) man named George Harris, who worked at a neighboring factory.

George was handsome, strong and confident. Intelligent and excellent at his job, he designed a new way to clean hemp mechanically at the factory. The manufacturer, impressed, encouraged George to marry as well as he could. George and Eliza married and lost two children in the first two years. When Harry survived, Eliza finally settled and became overprotective of the boy.

When George's master visited the factory, he was mad that a mere slave could possess more confidence and intelligence than himself. In order to regain his control, he ordered George back to the farm to work. George became mad and was about to lose his temper when the manufacturer calmed him down by whispering to him that they would try and help. True to his word, he tried, but George's master refused to let him go.

Chapter 3: The Husband and Father

The story resumes the afternoon after Haley and Mr. Shelby talk. Mrs. Shelby has gone, and George stops by the house on an errand for his master. Eliza happily invites him into her apartment, but becomes worried when his mood is foul.

George passionately cries that he wishes they had never met, and their son never born. He reveals the cruel treatment by his master. He is worked like an animal and whipped by the spoiled young son. The more accomplished George is, the more infuriated his master becomes and the meaner he is. The master even drowns George's only companion, his dog, to teach him a lesson.

Eliza urges George to practice Christian compassion and faith, but George is angry. His master wants him to take another wife, and Eliza turns pale. George vows to escape to Canada within the week, where he will work to buy Eliza and Harry's freedom. Mournful, the couple parts.

Chapter 4: An Evening in Uncle Tom's Cabin

Uncle Tom's cabin is a single-room log cabin separate from the main house. The garden and outside are well-cared for, and inside Aunt Chloe is making cakes while the children Mose and Pete play with the baby girl. Uncle Tom is sitting at the table, and Mr. Shelby's son, George, is teaching him how to write letters. Uncle Tom is dignified and humble and is in awe of George's knowledge of reading and writing.

The family sits around, joking and eating cake. After dinner, everyone goes to a meeting, a weekly religious service. The Negros sing and dance passionately, and George reads from the bible.

Meanwhile, inside the house, Mr. Shelby and Haley are finishing up the deal. After the papers are signed, Mr. Shelby begs Haley to remember his promise to find Tom a good master. Haley gives a noncommittal answer and leaves. Mr. Shelby is resigned and tells himself he has done all he can for Tom.

Chapter 5: Showing the Feelings of Living Property on Changing Owners

Mr. and Mrs. Shelby talk while getting ready for bed. Mrs. Shelby inquires about the stranger who visited the house today, and Mr. Shelby is forced to reveal that Haley is a slave trader, and also that he sold Tom and Harry. Mrs. Shelby is horrified that he could do such a thing, because he had promised Tom his freedom. She believes slavery is evil and offers to sell all her jewelry to make up the debt. Mr. Shelby tells her the papers have already been signed, and they are being picked up tomorrow. He asks her not to tell Eliza or Tom.

Eliza, however, listened to the whole conversation. Shaken, she goes back to her rooms and looks at her boy. She packs clothes for the both of them and goes to Uncle Tom's cabin. Once inside, she tells Tom the news, saying also that Mr. Shelby had to choose between selling just two and selling everything. Eliza urges Tom to run away with her, and Aunt Chloe agrees that running away would be better than going to the south where they are cruel to slaves. Tom, stoic, tells the women that he cannot go if it means they would all have to be sold. He tells Eliza to escape, but resignedly stays in his cabin to wait for morning. Eliza leaves with Harry.

Chapter 6: Discovery

In the morning, Eliza doesn't answer the bell, and her escape is discovered. While Mrs. Shelby is thankful, Mr. Shelby is angry and worries that his honor might be threatened. The other household slaves gossip and wonder what the slave-trader will do.

When Haley arrives, he is mightily upset and immediately accuses Mr. Shelby of foul play. Mr. Shelby invites Haley in and convinces him that he played no part in the woman's escape. Mr. Shelby tells two servants, Sam and Andy to prepare the horses for the search. Outside, Mrs. Shelby hints to Sam and Andy to ride slowly.

The servants mischievously place a nut under Haley's horses' saddle so that when Haley mounts the horse it bucks him off. The scene becomes chaotic, with Haley shouting, dogs barking, and slaves trying to catch the horse. They delay for nearly three hours, and it is almost lunchtime. Sam and Andy declare that the horses are tired, and Mrs. Shelby, having watched the entire scene from her window, invites Haley inside for lunch.

Chapter 7: The Mother's Struggle

Eliza walks all night with Harry sleeping in her arms. She does not stop to rest, but when it becomes light outside she realizes if they rush they will draw suspicion to themselves. They slow down, their white skin allowing them to travel unnoticed. Right before sunset they reach the Ohio River, the boundary between the North and the South. The river is full of ice chunks, however, and no boats can cross over.

Back at the Shelby house, lunch is delayed. In the kitchens, Aunt Chloe declares that Haley should burn in hell for being a slave-trader, but Tom urges her to practice Christian constraint and have pity on him instead. After lunch, Sam, Andy and Haley set out on horseback. Sam tricks Haley into taking an abandoned road, thereby wasting another few hours. By the time they make it to the river, it is almost sunset.

Sam catches a glimpse of Eliza through a window, and Eliza grabs Harry and runs. Haley sees the movement, and they are after her. Eliza jumps onto a block of ice in the river, and begins hopping from one to the other until she is on the other side. A man named Mr. Symmes helps Eliza up from the bank, recognizing her as one of Shelby's slaves. Instead of capturing her, he sends her to a house that will help her escape.

Sam, Andy and Haley are amazed at Eliza's escape. Not willing to face the river, they head back to the Shelby house.

Chapter 8: Eliza's Escape

While Sam and Andy head back to the farmstead, Haley goes to the tavern to decide what to do next. Inside, he runs into an old business partner of his named Tom Loker and his partner Marks. Tom is a muscular, fierce looking man and Marks is skinny and quick. They get to drinking, and all agree that slave-women's attachment to their children is terribly inconvenient.

Marks gets everyone back to business. Haley pays the pair fifty dollars to catch Harry and Eliza, and Tom demands that, if successful, they keep Eliza to sell in New Orleans.

Meanwhile, Sam and Andy are back at the house. They gleefully tell Mr. and Mrs. Shelby of Eliza's "miraculous" jump, and retell the story in the kitchen again over a mountain of food.

Chapter 9: In Which it Appears that the Senator is but a Man

The scene opens in Ohio, at the house of Mr. and Mrs. Bird. Mr. Bird is a senator from Ohio and has just come home from Columbus for a night. They are having tea while their two children play by the fire. Mrs. Bird asks her husband if it is true that a law passed making it illegal to help runaway slaves, and Mr. Bird says yes. She is horrified at the thought of being unable to help poor defenseless runaways, and even more horrified when she learns that Mr. Bird voted for the bill to pass. She berates him, saying that it is unchristian and telling him that if someone needed his help, she knew he would give it. The senator, knowing this is true, does not admit to it.

Just then they are called into the kitchen by the servant, where they find Eliza fainted with torn clothing, and little Harry on the floor. Mrs. Bird and the servants immediately begin trying to revive Eliza, who, when she wakes up, demands to know where her son is. The boy safely in her arms, Eliza is allowed to rest by the fire.

Mr. and Mrs. Bird return to the parlor, where Mr. Bird begins hinting at articles of clothing that might fit the woman. Mrs. Bird agrees, and they wait for Eliza to wake up. When she does later that evening, Eliza tells the Birds her story. The entire family being reduced to tears for the beautiful, brave woman, they promise to help her. Mr. Bird tells the servant to get the horses ready, because there is a farmhouse a few miles out of town where Eliza will be safe from those who are hunting her. He also asks Mrs. Bird to get some clothing ready for the mother and child before they depart.

At midnight, Mr. Bird takes Eliza and Harry in the carriage to the farmhouse owned by John Van Trompe. John is a former Kentucky slave owner who moved to Ohio and set all his slaves free. He takes in Eliza without a question, and promises that he and his sons will be able to protect her. The senator gives John a ten dollar bill to give to Eliza, and departs.

Chapter 10: The Property is Carried Off

The morning of Tom's departure has arrived, and Aunt Chloe fixes the family a delightful breakfast. The children enjoy the food until they notice how sad their parents are. Aunt Chloe is upset and rails against the Shelbys and Haley. Tom tells her not to be angry and keeps his stance that the Shelbys are good people.

Just then, Mrs. Shelby comes to the door. She tries to speak and ends up crying. When she regains herself, she promises to keep track of Tom and to bring him back as soon as she is able. Haley rudely come in, and takes Tom to the carriage, shackling his feet despite assurances that he won't run. Mr. Shelby is not present, as he feels guilty for selling Tom and doesn't want to face him. Young George is off at a friend’s and wasn't told about Tom's departure.

Down the road, Haley stops at a blacksmith to have the handcuffs enlarged, and George appears on horseback. He hugs Tom and gives him his silver dollar to hang around his neck. Tom is moved because the dollar is George's prized possession. George promises that this never would have happened if he was a man grown and promises to get Tom back at any cost. When Haley appears, he tries to shame the slave-trader for his business, but Haley replies that those who sell slaves are just as bad as those who buy them. They leave with Tom's ankles still shackled.

Chapter 11: In Which Property Gets into an Improper State of Mind

At a hotel in Kentucky, a timid gentleman named Mr. Wilson enters. He joins a group sitting at the table in discussing a bill that has been posted. It is offering a four-hundred dollar reward for George Harris, dead or alive, and also mentions that he might try to pass as white, but has an H shaped scar on his hand. One of the men present remarks that if you treat slaves like dogs, they will behave like dogs, but when treated like men they behave like men. Mr. Wilson agrees and reveals that he is the factory owner who hired George.

A newcomer pulls up, a Spanish gentleman in a carriage. He calls himself Henry Butler and has a black servant named Jim. Mr. Wilson feels as if he recognizes the stranger, and suddenly realizes it is George himself. "Henry" rents a room and invites Mr. Wilson up where they can talk.

Mr. Wilson urges George not to go through with running away because he would be breaking the law of his country. George bitterly replies that he has no country, and beings telling Mr. Wilson his family's history, and how he watched them all sold, one by one. By the end of the story Mr. Wilson is deeply moved and disregards his former advice, instead giving George money to aid in his escape and promising to give Eliza a pin and a message to join him in Canada.

Chapter 12: Select Incident of Lawful Trade

Haley and Tom travel to Washington, where Haley spends the night in a hotel and Tom spends the night in jail. As a man of honor, Tom is repulsed by spending time in jail but does so without complaint.

In the morning, Haley attends a slave auction and buys a few more slaves to take south. One is a young man named Albert whose mother is too old to buy. The mother and son are devastated by the sale. Another man Haley buys is named John, and he is being taken away from his wife.

On the boat, the whites discuss slavery, with some for and some against the issue. The bible is quoted many times. Later, Haley brings aboard a colored woman and her baby. The woman is dressed well and holds herself confidently. She did not realize she was being sold because her master lied to her. Haley sells her child to another passenger, and the baby is taken while the mother is not looking.

Tom, who saw the whole incident, tries to comfort the woman but fails. That night, he sees her throw herself off the side of the boat to her death. In the morning, Haley is furious and whines that he will not make any money this trip.

The narrator next addresses the reader, pointing out that Haley is unlikeable but that he is the product of a system in which everyone is a part. The narrator makes it clear that the reader, instead of blaming Haley and seeing themselves as blameless, blame the system as a whole for producing cruel men like Haley.

Chapter 13: The Quaker Settlement

Eliza is sitting in a quaint farmhouse kitchen with an older Quaker woman, Rachel Halliday, cooking. They are soon joined by another Quaker woman named Ruth Stedman, and the Quakers gossip about others in the town. When Rachel's husband Simeon comes home, he reveals that George Harris is on his way from another settlement and will arrive that evening. They break the news gently to Eliza, who faints.

That evening, the family is tearfully reunited, and everything is so peaceful it seems as if it is a dream. In the morning, they have breakfast with the Quaker family, who seat them at the table as equals. That night they are to go on to another holdfast because they are being pursued.

Chapter 14: Evangeline

Traveling down the river, Tom sits on the boat amidst hay bales reading his bible. He has won the confidence of Haley and is now unchained. He misses his family and friends back home, and his bible is the only possession he has to connect to them. On route to New Orleans, passengers come on board. Among these is a family consisting of a young gentleman named St. Clare, an older woman, and a beautiful young girl named Evangeline, or Eva for short. Tom is spellbound by the young girl, thinking of her as an angel from the New Testament. They quickly become friends.

One day, Evangeline falls overboard. Without hesitation, Tom jumps in after her, bringing her safely back to the boat. Grateful, Eva's father bargains with Haley for Tom. Eva is insistent that they buy Tom, and when her father asks why she replies that she wants to make him happy. They settle on a price and St. Clare goes to introduce himself to Tom as his new master. He tells Tom that he will be the coachman for the family, and Tom is immensely grateful.

Chapter 15: Of Tom's Master and Various Other Matters

The narrator begins telling the background of Augustine St. Clare and Miss Ophelia, his cousin. Augustine was born on a Louisiana plantation and has a delicate, careless disposition. He fell in love with a woman from the north, but ended up marrying another (Marie) due to a deceit. His heart broken, he was never the same. While the woman he married was exceedingly beautiful, she soon revealed her selfish, vain nature. Augustine and Marie had a child, Evangeline, named after his mother. After the birth Marie became jealous and began constantly complaining and inventing sicknesses.

Miss Ophelia was raised on a farm in Vermont. She is orderly and punctual, the exact opposite of Augustine St. Clare. However, despite their differences they get along well and have a deep attachment to one another. After Marie's fall into despair, Augustine summoned Miss Ophelia to live with them in order to help manage the household and his young daughter. She agreed, and Augustine went to fetch her.

The story continues as the family is disembarking the boat. They arrive at the mansion, and Tom is in awe of the beautiful house and decorations. Inside, they meet Mr. Adolph, the mulatto butler, and Mammy, Evangeline's nursemaid. While the servants greet Eva passionately, her mother is cold and complaining. Tom is introduced to her as a gift, and she complains that he will drink all the time like her old carriage-master. Tom is shown to his new quarters by Adolph. Still in the parlor, Marie is angry at Augustine for arriving late. He tries to cheer her up with a present from New York, but she still complains.

Chapter 16: Tom's Mistress and Her Opinions

A few days after Tom's arrival, Marie St. Clare and Miss Ophelia are inside talking about the household. Ophelia listens, trying hard to be pleasant while Marie complains about her slaves. She calls them lazy, selfish creatures and insists that she has the true work of managing the house and that her husband doesn't lift a finger to discipline them. Eva comes in and reminds Marie of all the nights Mammy has stayed up to take care of her, but Marie complains that Mammy spends too much time talking about her family back home, who Marie separated her from.

St. Clare comes in and replies to his wife's complaints with sarcasm. He believes that he should treat slaves well and that they are a product of the society they are brought up in. He laughs at Eva, who has gone outside, playing with Tom. Marie, however, is profoundly offended at the lack of Eva's ability to separate blacks from whites in her treatment of them. Miss Ophelia, who says slaves deserve to lead good lives, is nevertheless disturbed to see Eva playing with Tom. St. Clare calls her out as a racist, who spouts good theory but cannot hold it up in person.

On Sunday Marie, Eva and Miss Ophelia go to church. St. Clare, who is adverse to religion, stays home. Over lunch, they discuss the sermon, which was in support of slavery. Eva comes to the table, having been listening to Tom sing religious songs. St. Clare reveals that he overheard Tom preaching to the other servants, and praying for him.

Chapter 17: The Freeman's Defense

At the Quaker house, Eliza and George talk about what they are going to do once they get to Canada. However, they realize that they are still in danger in America. Simeon and Phineas Fletcher come in. Phineas is to take George, Eliza, Harry, Jim and Jim's old mother to the next village. That afternoon, he overheard a group of hunters discussing their capture of the slaves that evening. He urges the group to leave as soon as possible to get a head start.

They have dinner and read from the bible before loading everyone up in the wagon. A few hours into their journey, a man from the next village, Michael Cross, rides up to them. He reveals that a party of around eight men is close behind them. Abandoning the wagon, Phineas directs everyone up a bunch of rocks, where the traders would have to approach one by one to get to them.

At the bottom of the rocks, Tom Loker, Marks and their group discuss their plan of attack. George appears above them, and gives a speech about freedom and equality, and threatens to shoot anyone who approaches. Marks fires a shot at George, saying he is worth the same dead or alive. Tom, enraged, runs up to the hiding-place. George takes a shot at Tom, hitting him in the side, and Phineas pushes him down a crevasse. Marks and the rest of the group rush off, leaving Tom there.

Eliza and Jim's mother, both feeling pity for the wounded man, ask the men to take him to the village where he can receive treatment. The men agree, and George is thankful he didn't kill anyone.

Chapter 18: Miss Ophelia's Experience and Opinions

Tom, honest and bright, is soon managing all the household expenses. Even though there is temptation to be dishonest, since St. Clare doesn't keep track of his money, Tom remains faithful to his new master. Tom is in direct contrast to Adolph, who spends money as foolishly as St. Clare.

Tom begins to like St. Clare, and is troubled by his late-night drinking and partying. One morning, Tom approaches St. Clare with tears in his eyes, begging him to reform his ways and stop drinking so much. St. Clare agrees this is for the best.

Meanwhile, Miss Ophelia has her hands full trying to run the disorganized household. The head cook, Dinah, cooks fabulous meals, but keeps the kitchen in a mess. Ophelia complains about the disorderliness to St. Clare, who dismisses it.

A slave from the neighborhood named Prue comes to sell bread one day. She seems unhappy and admits that she drinks to ease her sufferings. Tom, hearing this, follows her and offers to carry her basket. Prue refuses and tells Tom she also has no interest in becoming religious. She tells Tom her story, how she was sold as a breeder and, when she was finally allowed to have a child of her own her milk had dried, and it starved to death.

Back at the mansion, Eva wants to play. When she notices Tom is sad, she asks why, and Tom tells her Prue's story. Eva listens and is compassionate.

Volume II

Chapter 19: Miss Ophelia's Experiences and Opinions Continued

Eva is upset after listening to Prue's story, and no longer feels like playing. A few days later, they hear that Prue has been whipped to death for getting drunk. Ophelia expresses outrage at this cruelty to St. Clare, who seems unaffected by it. When Miss Ophelia asks how he can tolerate the cruel things done to slaves, St. Clare passionately goes into a monologue concerning his past and his view on slavery.

St. Clare's father was a true aristocrat, and, while he was just and fair with his white counterparts, treated Negroes as property. This seriously disturbed St. Clare's mother, who was angelic and viewed all humans as equal. St. Clare's twin brother Alfred took after his father, but St. Clare took after his mother. When the brothers inherited the plantation with over 700 slaves, Alfred thrived while St. Clare was unsatisfied. Eventually, St. Clare left his home to come to New Orleans, taking many of the older house-servants and their children with him. This explains why St. Clare is so undemanding of his servants.

He goes on to reveals several more arguments about slavery, including the idea that capitalism and slavery are equally evil. Slavery can whip the lower classes to death, while capitalism can starve them. However, because slavery is so up-front about owning fellow men as property, St. Clare believes the system will come to an end. Until then, he treats his servants as well as he can and tries his best to stay out of the way of other, more cruel, slave-owners.

At dinner, Marie complains once again about the slaves and shows no remorse for Prue's fate. St. Clare tells a story of how he made one "untamable" slave loyal to him. While his brother tried to whip the slave into submission, St. Clare nursed him to health and gave him free papers. The slave was so grateful he promised never to leave St. Clare's side. Eva is upset at hearing this story, and St. Clare tells her not to worry about it.

That night Tom is up in the loft trying to write a letter to his family. Because he never learned how to write fully, St. Clare agrees to dictate a letter for him. He doesn't believe Tom when he says his masters plan to buy him back, however.

Chapter 20: Topsy

One day St. Clare brings home a Negro girl of about eight or nine named Topsy. He gives the girl to Miss Ophelia to educate properly, seeing as how the girl spends her life being abused. Miss Ophelia reluctantly agrees and tries to clean the girl up and show her how to work. This proves a difficult task, as Topsy is mischievous and wild. She becomes friends with Eva but does not improve her behavior. Miss Ophelia tries to teach her the catechisms, but the girl has no idea what they mean.

Chapter 21: Kentuck

Back at the Shelby's farm, Aunt Chloe has received Uncle Tom's letter. Mr. and Mrs. Shelby are discussing the matter in the parlor. Mrs. Shelby wants to know when they will have enough money to free Tom, and Mr. Shelby makes excuses as to why they can't. He raises his voice, telling Mrs. Shelby to stay out of his business. Mrs. Shelby offers to make the money herself by teaching music lessons, but Mr. Shelby won't hear of it.

Aunt Chloe, overhearing the conversation, calls Mrs. Shelby into the next room. She wants to go work in Louisville as a cook in order to make money for Tom's release. Mrs. Shelby gives her permission to go, and Aunt Chloe tells young George to write a letter to Tom for her.

Chapter 22: "The Grass Withereth - the Flower Fadeth"

Two years pass. Tom has received the letter from George telling him how the Shelby farm is doing, and about Aunt Chloe working to free him. Tom takes the letter everywhere with him, and it is his most precious possession.

Tom and Eva become close friends, and often read the bible together. The family move to Lake Pontchartrain for the summer, and Eva begins to show signs of illness. She is thinner and has a cough. Miss Ophelia and St. Clare begin to worry.

Eva's mind is still growing, however, and one day she confronts Marie St. Clare about teaching the slaves to read. Marie chastises her, but Eva begins giving Mammy lessons.

Chapter 23: Henrique

Augustine St. Clare's brother Alfred and his son Henrique visit the summer estate for a few days. Henrique is about Eva's age and takes an immense liking to her. One day, Henrique beats one of his slaves, Dodo, after bringing out his horse. Eva asks Henrique why he is cruel to his slaves, but Henrique doesn't understand what Eva is getting at. When Dodo comes back, Eva gives him a kind word and Henrique some money to buy candy. Dodo appreciates Eva's words more.

The two brothers watched this exchange, and launch into a debate after the children have ridden off. St. Clare predicts that there will be an uprising, and Alfred promises that the lower races will be kept down. He does acknowledge that Henrique is temperamental, however.

The children come back, and Eva is short of breath from riding too fast. St. Clare gets her inside and continues talking to Alfred. Henrique sits next to Eva and promises to be kinder to Dodo in the future. Eva entreats him to love Dodo, and, although Henrique doesn't understand how one can love someone so beneath him he promises to try.

Chapter 24: Foreshadowings

Alfred and Henrique leave, and the excitement of their visit causes Eva's health to decline. St. Clare finally relents and calls in a doctor, and Marie turns her daughter's sickness into another way to complain about her woes. Eva repeatedly hints that she knows she is going to die soon, and tells Tom that she would die for all the slaves if it would make them free.

One day, Eva talks to her father. She tells him how much the suffering of the slaves hurts her spirit and wants him to work to free them all. He promises to do what he can, and also promises to allow Tom to go back to his family after Eva is dead. He promises to join her in heaven one day and takes her upstairs to rest.

Chapter 25: The Little Evangelist

One Sunday afternoon St. Clare and Marie are sitting on the porch. Marie is complaining that she is "sick" and that Augustine only worries for Eva. Miss Ophelia comes into the room, dragging Topsy behind her. She has gotten into Miss Ophelia's things again, and Miss Ophelia says she has tried everything to teach her manners, but that they will just have to sell her. St. Clare wryly replies that if she cannot reform one small child with her Christian teachings, how can she expect missionaries to create change.

Eva takes Topsy into a small room, and St. Clare and Ophelia peek through a curtain. Eva is sad that Topsy doesn't have any parents or family, and Topsy says no one can love her because she's a nigger. Even Miss Ophelia doesn't like to touch her. Eva tells Topsy that she loves her and that Jesus loves her as well, and to be a good Christian for her sake. Topsy, crying, agrees.

Miss Ophelia is shocked and acknowledges her own hidden prejudices. She compares Eva to Christ and says she can learn from her actions.

Chapter 26: Death

Eva's health is failing more and more rapidly. Topsy brings her flowers every day to put in her room, where she spends more and more time. One day, Eva asks Miss Ophelia to cut her curls. She then requests that all the servants come into the room, and she gives them each a curl to remember her by. She tells them to love one another and love god and pray often. There is a lot of crying and moaning, and St. Clare in particular is upset, but Eva assures them everything will be okay.

Miss Ophelia nurses Eva, and Tom carries her everywhere. When she grows even weaker, Tom begins sleeping on the floor of her room. One night a change comes over Eva, and everyone rushes to her room. She is dying and gives her father one last hug. Tom cries and looks upward to heaven. Finally, Eva passes, saying that she sees joy and peace.

Chapter 27: "This is the Last of Earth"

Augustine St. Clare experiences Eva's funeral in a daze. Topsy comes to give Eva an offering, and despairs because the only person who loved her is gone. Miss Ophelia promises to love Topsy, even though she knows she cannot replace Eva. St. Clare sheds his first tears since Eva's death.

Back at the mansion in New Orleans, Marie St. Clare makes a fuss, calls for several doctors, and keeps the servants busy. Convinced that no one else is suffering, she berates the servants and St. Clare for their callousness. St. Clare, however, is grieving in a much deeper way than Marie, and Tom, realizing this, follows him everywhere.

One day in the library, Tom tries to talk to St. Clare about becoming a Christian. St. Clare tells Tom he cannot believe in religion, but wants Tom to pray for him. Tom does this, and St. Clare feels closer to heaven than ever before.

Chapter 28: Reunion

Life at the St. Clare manor settles down over the next few months. The servants are still heartbroken, and Marie is even more cruel and demanding than before. St. Clare has no interest in his life anymore and spends all his time with Tom, who makes him feel closer to heaven and thereby Eva. He tells Tom that he plans on giving him his freedom very soon and that he can go home. Tom is joyous at this news, which slightly upsets St. Clare, but Tom promises to stay with his master until he is a Christian.

Meanwhile, Miss Ophelia has finally learned to love Topsy and, although she is not perfect, Topsy has begun to reform. One day Miss Ophelia talks to St. Clare, asking for a letter stating herself as Topsy's legal owner. Although Miss Ophelia does not believe in slavery, she wants to be able to take Topsy north and give her freedom. She asks St. Clare if he has provided for his servants in case he dies, so that they do not go to cruel masters. He says he means to, but hasn't yet.

That evening, after reading the bible to Tom and playing one of his mother's old songs on the piano, St. Clare is in a strange mood. He decides to dedicate the rest of his life to action and doing good, which is what Eva would have wanted. He is so restless, he goes out to the cafe to have a drink. At the cafe, he tries to stop a knife fight between two men an ends up with a fatal stab wound. St. Clare is brought back to the house barely alive, where he asks Tom to pray over him as his soul passes and he is reunited with his mother and Eva.

Chapter 29: The Unprotected

With St. Clare dead, the house, as well as the slaves, passes to Marie. Even though he meant to make them all free papers, his death was so sudden that he didn't have time. Marie, as feared, is a cruel master. She sends Rosa to be whipped and humiliated, and no amount of pleading by Miss Ophelia changed her mind.

A few days after St. Clare's death, Adolph tells Tom that he overheard Marie talking to a lawyer and that all the slaves are to be sold. Tom, heartbroken, begs Ophelia to talk to Marie, since St. Clare had already promised Tom his freedom. Marie refuses to heed St. Clare's wishes, and believes that the slaves are better off under masters for they aren't suited to anything else. Desperate, Ophelia writes to the Shelby's telling them of Tom's fate. The next day, all the slaves are sent to the slave warehouse, where they will be auctioned off.

Chapter 30: The Slave Warehouse

At the warehouse, Alfred and Tom are provoked by another slave named Sambo who mocks their elegant clothes. The narrator moves the scene to the area where the women are sleeping, and introduced a mulatto woman and her beautiful young daughter of fifteen. The mother's name is Susan and the daughter Emmeline. They fear they are going to be separated, and the mother combs all her daughter's curls straight so she will appear less attractive. The mother wants her daughter to go to a decent master, and not one who will just use her for sex.

The next morning the slaves are told to get ready for auction. The manager of the warehouse demands that Emmeline's curls get put back in, as it will make him more money. Finally, everyone is waiting for their turn on the auction block. The prospective buyers are examining the slaves like horses, looking at their teeth and muscles. One particularly evil man looks Tom over, and, when Tom goes on the block, buys him.

Susan is sold to a respectable gentleman and begs him to buy her daughter. He tries, but she is so beautiful he can't afford it. Emmeline is sold to Mr. Legree, the same man who bought Tom. He is a cotton plantation owner on the Red river, and he marches his purchases off.

Chapter 31: The Middle Passage

On the river, Simon Legree's slaves sit chained on the boat deck. Mr. Legree comes up to Tom, who is wearing his best suit, and tells him to put on his worst clothes. He then goes through Tom's suitcase and auctions off everything. Tom manages to hide his bible in his pocket, but Mr. Legree finds his hymn book and says that there is no religion allowed on his plantation. He then talks to Emmeline, telling her to act cheerful or she will be punished.

Turning his attention from the slaves, he begins conversing with the other passengers. He tells one that most of his slaves last a few years, longer if they're stout, but that it is cheaper for him to buy new ones than to keep them healthy. They eventually reach their destination and disembark.

Chapter 32: Dark Places

The group takes a wagon to the plantation, with a couple of the slaves singing to keep their spirits up. Legree promises that he won't make Emmeline do much work if she's a "good girl", and Emmeline is so disgusted by his manner that she would rather he hit her. When they reach the estate everything is in disrepair. The house used to be beautiful once, but Legree only uses it to make money and let its grandeur fall by the wayside. He greets Sambo and Quimbo, his two Negro overseers, with mock familiarity. He gives Sambo the mulatto woman he brought with him.

Mr. Legree takes Emmeline to the main cabin while Tom is taken to his quarters, which consist of a filthy cabin shared with at least ten others and a straw bed. Everything is filthy and unkempt. When the slaves come back from working in the fields, they are cruel even to each other because of the harsh conditions. Tom grinds corn for a couple of older women, who are surprised at his kindness. After dinner, he takes out his bible and talks to the women. He despairs in his situation, but when he goes to sleep he dreams of Eva reading verses to him and his faith is replenished.

Chapter 33: Cassy

Tom works diligently and quietly, and Legree takes note of his demeanor. He bought Tom with the intent to make him an overseer, but realizes Tom needs some "hardening up".

One day, a middle-aged Negro joins the rest of the workers in the field. She has a proud air, and used to be quite beautiful. She sticks close to Tom as they work. Tom, seeing the mulatto woman, Luce, bought at the same time as him, struggling and faint, fills her basket. Cassy, in turn, helps him, and advises not to do it again.

The overseers notice the exchanges and tell Legree. After the workday is over, Legree pronounces Luce's basket underweight and tells Tom to flog her. Tom refuses with conviction, and states that he would rather die. Legree tells his overseers to take Tom out and beat him within an inch of his life.

Chapter 34: The Quadroon's Story

That night Cassy comes to tend Tom's wounds. She gives him water and ointments and tells him to give up or the same thing will just happen again. Tom replies that if he gives up, he will just become cruel like the rest of them, and he can't allow that to happen. He wants to preserve his soul for heaven. Cassy, enraged, tells Tom that God is not watching over them and proceeds to tell Tom her story.

She grew up a privileged mulatto daughter of a wealthy man. At fourteen, her father unexpectedly died, and she was sold to a man she loved. He had two children with her, and then, falling for another woman, sold them all to settle his gambling debts. She was given to a new master who threatened to sell her children if she misbehaved. Eventually, they were sold and "broken in". After this, Cassy snapped and didn't remember anything for a while. When she woke up, she was sold to another man, who, although gentler, could not make her happy. She killed her next child rather than see him suffer through slavery. After that, she was passed from master to master until she was old and her beauty gone, and five years ago she was sold to Legree.

She tells Tom that, as a girl, she was religious, but that it never did her any good or made her life any better. She once again urges Tom to give up and takes her leave.

Chapter 35: The Tokens

Legree is in the sitting room when Cassy comes in. The scene takes place while Tom is still in the process of being beaten. Cassy is angry, and for some reason has a strange hold on Legree. He is afraid of her, even though he will not admit it. During their conversation Sambo comes in from beating Tom with the tokens he had around his neck, claiming witchcraft. He hands them to Legree, who, seeing the golden curl screams and hurls it into the fire. Cassy leaves to heal Tom, and Sambo leaves for fright.

Legree grew up with a rough father but a kind, religious fair-haired mother. He took after his father's temperament despite his mother's influence. One day he beat his mother and left to go to sea. Later he got a letter with a lock of her golden hair saying she was dying by forgave him. He burned the letter and the hair, which is why he was so frightened that Eva's hair looked just like his mother's.

Uneasy, he goes outside to fetch Em, however, all he hears is the ghostly sound of the slaves singing in the darkness. Feeling bewitched, he goes inside and begins drinking, swearing never to mess with Tom again. Cassy comes in after tending to Tom and taps on Emmeline's door.

Chapter 36: Emmeline and Cassy

Emmeline is curled up in the corner, afraid. Cassy comes to her, and Emmeline asks if there is any way out. Cassy tells her it is useless, and to deal with her harsh new reality.

Downstairs, Legree has fallen into a drunken sleep. He has a nightmare about the golden hair curling around his finger, and of Cassy pushing him into a dark abyss. When Legree wakes up, he begins drinking again. Cassy comes in and tells Legree to leave Tom alone, or he won't win his bet with the other plantation farmers.

Furious, Legree goes to where Tom is recovering from his beating. He demands that Tom kneel and apologize for his wrong-doing, but Tom refuses. He tells Legree that he will work for him but won't ever surrender his eternal soul. Legree hits Tom and feels a cold hand on his shoulder. Startled from remembering the dream, he turns around to find Cassy and runs out.

Chapter 37: Liberty

George and Eliza went on to the next Quaker settlement, leaving Tom Loker in the hands of the Quakers. After three weeks of being tended, Tom is a changed man. He gives up his life as a slave hunter and becomes a Quaker. He warns the settlement that descriptions of George, Eliza and Harry are out and tells them to adopt a disguise. Eliza cuts her hair, transforming into a boy, and Harry is put in a dress. Thanks to their disguise, they successfully make it to Canada.

Chapter 38: The Victory

Over time, Tom's resolve weakens. He reads his bible less and less and begins to give up hope. One day, Legree taunts him, saying that religion never did him any good. Tom begins singing, and a vision of Jesus Christ comes to him. After this, Tom's demeanor utterly changes. He is constantly cheerful, helps everyone around him and carries himself well. No one is immune to the sense of peace his presence brings, and his fellow slaves begin to have hope. They begin to meet and sing, even though Legree forbids it. When Legree whips Tom, he hits his body but not his spirit and nothing Legree can do will break him.

One night Cassy calls Tom out and takes him to the house where Legree is asleep. She begs Tom to kill him with an axe because her arms are too weak. Tom pleads for her to spare Legree, and urges her to run away with Emmeline instead of spilling blood. Cassy agrees and tells Tom that she will put faith in God.

Chapter 39: The Stratagem

A few days later Cassy moves her bedroom into the garret, the highest room in the house. Long ago, Legree locked one of his female slaves in the room until she starved to death, and ever since there have been rumors that the garret is haunted. Cassy goes further, positioning bottles in the wind to make strange groaning noises and spreading the rumor among the slaves that the ghost is back. She terrorizes Legree, who is highly superstitious, with the ghost upstairs until he will not go near it. During this time she stock provisions.

The day comes for Cassy and Emmeline's escape. They leave right before sunset, when someone is sure to see them, and, when the dogs are after them jump in the creek to lose the trail. Then, they head back to the empty house and up into the garret, where they watch the men, horses and dogs looking for them in the swamp. Cassy tells Emmeline that they can make whatever noises they want because it will be attributed to the ghost.

Chapter 40: The Martyr

Legree spends the next few days unsuccessfully searching the swamp. Frustrated, he blames Tom for the girls' disappearance and tells Sambo and Quimbo to bring Tom to him. Tom willfully surrenders his soul before he is taken. Legree tells Tom that if he doesn't tell him where the girls are he will kill him, and Tom replies that he would die before he said anything. His bravery sparks the bit of good inside Legree, but evil takes over and he orders his overseers to beat Tom until he is dead.

The overseers beat him savagely, but he is not quite dead when they take him away. Unbeknownst to their master, they treat Tom's wounds and give him some brandy to revive him. They have been moved by his patience and kindness and wish to know his secret. Tom forgives them for the cruelties they committed and tells them about Jesus Christ. He prays for the two of them to accept him as their savior, and they do.

Chapter 41: The Young Master

A few days later, young master George rides up to the estate looking for Tom. Miss Ophelia's letter to the Shelby's came particularly late and right around the time Mr. Shelby was dying of a fever. After Mrs. Shelby and George settled the family affairs, George began a long search for Tom. Eventually, he traced him to the cotton plantation, and went there with the intent to buy him back.

Legree warily welcomes George, and tells him that Tom is almost dead. George goes to the shed where he sees his friend lying bloody and weak. Tom has a surge of strength and is grateful that George has come at last. He dies in rapture, and George is furious at Legree. While they are loading Tom's body onto the wagon George tells him that he will try Legree for murder. Legree points out that there were no witnesses, as blacks can't testify in court. George knocks Legree to the ground and leaves.

George and a couple of other slaves bury Tom outside of the plantation. The slaves beg George to buy them, but he says he doesn't have the money. After they leave, George stands over Tom's grave and vows to do everything he can to end slavery for good.

Chapter 42: An Authentic Ghost Story

The ghost at Legree's estate is heard more and more often, and seen as a figure in a white sheet. The rumors and fear drive Legree mad, and he begins drinking all the time and locking himself up in his room. After this, Cassy and Emmeline finally make their escape. Cassy disguises herself as a wealthy Spanish lady, and Emmeline her servant.

When they get to the boat going upriver, Cassy notices George Shelby and recognizes him from Legree's estate. George notices her and sees a likeness he can't place. Seeing his stares, Cassy begins to think he suspects and so tells him their whole story. Sympathetic, he promises to help get them to safety.

When they transfer steamers they meet a French lady named Madame De Thoux, who is traveling to Kentucky. When she finds out George is from there, she anxiously inquires about the people and country. She asks George if he knows a George Harris, a mulatto man, and George reveals that he was a slave on a neighboring farm and has since escaped to Canada.

Greatly relieved, Madame De Thoux reveals that she is George's brother. Separated as children, she was sold to a kind master who later gave her her freedom. She wants to know about George's life, and he tells her of Eliza. His father bought Eliza as a present for his mother from New Orleans. Cassy, who has been listening in, asks what the name of Eliza's former owner was. When George answers Simmons, she faints, for she realizes Eliza is her daughter.

Chapter 43: Results

George helps Cassy track down the papers, and Eliza is, indeed, Cassy's daughter. Cassy and Made De Thoux travel to Canada, where George and Eliza have been living, free, for five years. Eliza has had another daughter, George is working in a machine shop, and Harry is good at school.

One night after dinner, they hear a knock at the door. Madame De Thoux and Cassy come in, revealing their identities. They are overjoyed, and Cassy undergoes a change from the hard, beaten woman she was to a loving grandmother. Madame De Thoux reveals that she has inherited a large fortune from her husband, and wants to share it with the family. They move to France, where George gets a classical education, and then come back to America.

In a letter, George tells one of his friends his reasons for not staying in America. He means to move his family to Liberia, where they can form a nation of freed slaves. He believes that, by doing so, he can speed up the process of freeing those in America by forming a unified voice. On the trip to Liberia, Emmeline marries the first mate of the ship. Cassy's son has been found as well, and will join the rest of the family there.

Miss Ophelia brought Topsy back with her to Vermont, where Topsy was baptized and became a missionary.

Chapter 44: The Liberator

At the Shelby mansion, Aunt Chloe and Mrs. Shelby are awaiting the return of George and, hopefully, Tom. Aunt Chloe is anxious, and talks about how Tom won't recognize the children since they're grown, and how she saved up so much money to help free him. When George arrives, however, he tells Chloe that Tom has gone to heaven and, while her heart is broken at the news, she listens to the story of his death.

A month later, George gathers the slaves together and gives them all their free papers. They beg George not to make them leave, because they are happy where they are and love their masters. George wants them to stay, but will pay them wages for their work and, upon his death, they won't be sold. George tells them Uncle Tom's story, and how over his grave he resolved never to be slave-owner again. He tells them that, every time they see Uncle Tom's Cabin they should remember his sacrifice and their newfound freedom.

Chapter 45: Concluding Remarks

The story being told in full, the author uses the last chapter to address the readers directly. She tells where many of the stories and incidents in the book come from, as most of them are true. Some she saw herself, some she heard from others, and some were well-known among communities.

She urges Americans in the North and South to take action against slavery. Even though not all slave-owners are cruel, she argues that the system itself supports cruelty and that inaction, in some ways, is just as bad. She reminds her readers of Christian values and Christ's return, making it clear that ending slavery would be the Christian thing to do.