Uncle Tom's Cabin Chapter 36 Summary

  • Cassy enters the room and Emmeline comes rushing forward, saying she was afraid it might be somebody else…
  • Emmeline asks if it’s possible for them to escape. Cassy thinks it’s too dangerous.
  • Emmeline asks Cassy what she should do. The older woman counsels that Emmeline should just do what she must to survive. And if she needs to drink, why, she should drink. It makes a miserable situation more bearable.
  • Towards dawn, the drunken Legree sees Cassy and tells her he’s had a crazy a night. She calmly suggests that he leave Tom alone. Why? Because Tom has done the right thing, she tells him.
  • But Legree is not one to take Cassy’s advice. He goes out to where Tom is lying and asks him how he’s feeling this morning.
  • Tom doesn’t answer so Legree kicks him, telling Tom to get up.
  • Tom gets to his feet.
  • Legree demands that he get on his knees and beg for mercy.
  • When Tom doesn’t move, Legree strikes him with a riding whip.
  • Tom says again that he has only done what he thought was right, and no matter what, he will never be cruel to another person, even if that means Legree will kill him.
  • When Legree asks who will help him, Tom replies, "The Lord Almighty." Legree curses him and hits him so hard that Tom falls to the ground.
  • Cassy comes and asks Legree if he’s going to be a fool. Legree leaves and Cassy calls after him that judgment is still to come.
  • Tom sees Cassy as the Lord’s angel, sent to shut the lion’s mouth, a reference to the biblical story about Daniel in the lion’s den.