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[Posted on behalf of David Levy. -- RBE]
[On Hard Times and Uncle Tom's Cabin]
Think 1854 ... a novel [HT] comes out 'inscribed to Thomas Carlyle'
This means what? In 1852 that author when reviewing UTC said:
"We think, too, that it is possible to combine with the duty of
emancipation the not less important duty of undoing the evil that has
been to the slaves' mind and of doing them some good service by way
of atonement. When we have clipped men's minds and made them
slavish, it is poor compensation that their bodies should be set at large."
That author goes on to describe how a reformed slavery could make
the slaves nearly white. This review provoked Denman's attack on
Dickens' anti-anti-slavery if one can use a modern term of art from the
cold war days.
If HT is opposed to UTC then we have to read them juxtaposed.
Consider that wonderful bit in HT when Tom Jr escapes to freedom in
black face.
Big hint: which direction across the Atlantic were black faces fleeing?
Isn't that a great joke?
In Dickens' world view all that is necessary is the kindness of
masters. Orwell told us that 50+ years ago for capitalism.
David Levy
George Mason University
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