Final answer:
Simon Legree is a cruel and ruthless slave owner in the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin. He uses violence to maintain control over his slaves.
Step-by-step explanation:
Simon Legree is a character from the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. He is depicted as a cruel and ruthless slave owner. Examples of Legree's brutality include his use of violence to maintain control over his slaves, such as when he beats one of his slaves named Tom so severely that his fist becomes "hard as iron". Legree's character is intended to demonstrate the inhumanity and cruelty of slavery.