The Use of Rhetorical Strategies in "The History of Mary Prince" and Uncle Tom's Cabin

In early nineteenth-century England, Mary Prince’s “The History of Mary Prince” (1831) was impacting society’s views on slaves and slavery.  Prince’s slave narrative details her experiences as a slave and all of the hardships that she had to endure in the process.  When writing her story, Prince employed the use of many different rhetorical strategies.  Her discussions of her beatings, her pregnant friend Hetty’s violent whipping and death, and her own unwavering devotion to her kind owner, Mrs. Williams all help to show Prince’s humanity and to cause an emotional connection in those reading her work.

Prince also employed the use of religion to show her own humanity.  She says “I used to pray God to pardon my sins for Christ's sake, and forgive me for every thing I had done amiss; and when I went home to my work, I always thought about what I had heard from the missionaries, and wished to be good that I might go to heaven” (Prince 17).  Much of her audience was Christian during this time, so this helped them to see how much she really was like them. 

Mary Prince’s story is similar to that of Tom in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852).  This story takes place in the United States, but also uses some similar rhetorical strategies to those in “The History of Mary Prince.”  In Stowe’s novel, Tom is a slave who has recently been sold.  While traveling to meet his new owner, Tom encounters a young girl named Eva St. Claire.  Tom saves Eva from drowning and is soon bought by Eva’s family.  Tom becomes very close to Eva and eventually teaches her about Christianity through reading his Bible together.  Eva and her father soon die, and Tom is sold to a new owner who beats and tortures him to the point of death (You can see a video of this here).  Tom begins to struggle with his faith because of the extreme cruelty that his master is showing him; however, he eventually comes to terms with it and teaches the other slaves about his faith.  Tom’s Christian faith is strong, and only wavers because of the immense cruelty of his master.  During this time, many people believed that slaves were less human than white people.  In this story, however, Tom’s white owner is seen as inhuman while Tom is a kind Christian man who only begins to struggle with his faith when faced with his white master’s.