Uncle Tom's Cabin 4: Legree

I know I should be writing on Tom's Jesus-like death or Eva's mayrterism or Eliza's final freedom. But I'm not going to. To me Simon LeGree is a fascinating character. (After all I story must have a great antagonist to be truly compelling.) But what made LeGree such a brutal man? Something must have happened in any person's past to bring them to this degree of cruelty. The best/most forward expaination comes in Chapter 35.

Simon was brought up in a conflicted home. His mother was overly pious and his father was hard and unloving. Why he followed his father's example is unknown, but more than likely it was simple rebellion. A child is always with his or her mother and for something new often is drawn to their father. And in many cases with boys, they look towards their father for direction in life. And, thus, Simon started on his path to cruelty.

The second part to Simon's path is when his mother almost persuades him to renounce his sins and become, for lack of a better word, Christian. Such a conversion is difficult and sin has a powerful hold. I think that at this time, Simon was torn in two for the rest of his life. In his heart he knows what is right. But to accept his mother's position after all these years he sees as a sign of weakness. So he goes to the farthest extreme and become more cruel than even.

With a little bit of Simon's background maybe we can see that he was made into what he is. I'm not saying that is makes ANY of his actions right or justified. But it does help to understand him more. And maybe Simon is due for a little sympathy also.