Stowe’s use of a two-year time jump in this excerpt serves to illustrate the endurance and resilience of Tom's spirit despite the harsh realities of his circumstances. By summarizing Tom's life over these years, she captures a broader perspective on suffering and human adaptability. This drastic transition allows readers to grasp the persistence of hope and the capacity for individuals to find momentary joy or solace even during prolonged adversity. It emphasizes that while Tom is separated from his loved ones and faces the struggles of enslavement, he retains a degree of emotional stability, suggesting that despair and happiness can coexist. This complexity enriches the narrative, showcasing the nuances of human experience and reminding readers of the strength of the human spirit even in dire situations. It ultimately reinforces the theme of moral resilience that Stowe aims to convey throughout the novel.
Read the excerpt from Chapter 22 of Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe then answer the question:
"Life passes, with us all, a day at a time; so it passed with our friend Tom, till two years were gone. Though parted from all his soul held dear, and though often yearning for what lay beyond, still was he never positively and consciously miserable; for, so well is the harp of human feeling strung, that nothing but a crash that breaks every string can wholly mar its harmony; and, on looking back to seasons which in review appear to us as those of deprivation and trial, we can remember that each hour, as it glided, brought its diversions and alleviations, so that, though not happy wholly, we were not, either, wholly miserable."
In at least one hundred words, explain why Stowe includes the drastic time jump that is introduced in this excerpt.
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