Question

4. In the passage below from Uncle Tom's Cabin, the slaveholder Shelby talks about Tom, the slave he plans to give to a slave trader to pay off a debt.

"Well, Tom's got the real article, if ever a fellow had," rejoined the other. "Why, fast fall, I let him go to Cincinnat alone, to do business for me, and bring home five hundred dollars. "Tom,' says i
to him, "trust you, because I think you're a Christian -- I know you wouldn't cheat.' Tom comes back, sure enough; I knew he would. Some low fellows, they say, said to him-"Tom, why don't
you make tracks for Canada7 'Ah, master trusted me, and I couldn't, they told me about it. I am sorry to part with Tom, I must say. You ought to let him cover the whole balance of the debt;
and you would, Haley, if you had any conscience."
What is ironic about Shelby's description of Tom?
Shelby trusts Tom but does not trust Haley
Shelby has been fooled into thinking that Tom is trustworthy,
Tom and Shelby are both good Christians
Tom is clearly a more moral person than Shelby

Answer 1

Shelby's description of Tom is ironic because he trusts and admires Tom's moral character, yet still treats him as property to be sold to settle his debts, highlighting the hypocrisy of slaveholders during that time.

Step-by-step explanation:

The irony in Shelby's description of Tom in Uncle Tom's Cabin lies in the fact that Shelby, a slaveholder, acknowledges Tom's exceptional trustworthiness and moral character, despite his own participation in the fundamentally immoral act of slavery. Shelby admits that he trusts Tom with significant financial responsibility and respects his Christianity and honesty, going so far as to let him travel alone with a large sum of money. However, this trust and recognition of Tom's character do not prevent Shelby from treating him as property to be sold in order to settle a debt. This underscores the hypocrisy and moral corruption that slavery fosters even among those who seem to recognize the humanity of their slaves.

Answer 2

"D" Tom is clearly a more moral person than Shelby.

Step-by-step explanation:

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