Spinning round, clapping her hands, knocking her knees together, in a wild, fantastic sort of time and finally, turning a summerset or two, and giving a prolonged closing note, as odd and unearthly as that of a steam-whistle, she came suddenly down on the carpet (260). Although to a small degree, Stowe appeared to be looking down on her race at times. Because of the strong-minded and opinionated female characters Stowe portrayed, Uncle Tom's Cabin is profoundly feminist in its implications. Through their devoted Christian beliefs, Mrs. Shelby and Mrs. Bird were portrayed as holding moral superiority over their husbands. During this era, women were often forced to withhold their true beliefs, but these women used their pious ways to confront and consult with their husbands. Mrs. Bird completely altered her husband's viewpoint of housing fugitive slaves by forcing him to look at the situation in a humane and religious way. It's a shameful, wicked, abominable law, and I'll break it, for one, the first time I get a chance; and I hope I shall have a chance, I do! Things have got to a pretty pass, if a woman can't give a warm supper and a bed to poor, starving creatures. Just because they are slaves, and have been abuse and oppressed all their lives, poor things (89). Women taking actions into their own hands also represented feminism. Aunt Chloe and Mrs. Shelby each decided to earn wages in order to buy back their beloved Tom. Sam he said der was one of dese yer perfectioners, dey calls 'em, in Louisville, said he wanted a good hand at cake and pastry; and said he'd give four dollars a week to one, he did (278). Women of the era were expected to be homemakers, and the husband usually disallowed his wife to earn money. Stowe used Cassy, a slave, to show how a strong-woman can alter the behavior of a man. Cassy had always kept over Legree the kind of influence that a strong, impassioned woman can ever keep over the most brutal man (401).
