Jane Doe
English 2327 
Professor Martin
28 October 2005
Friendship Through Black & White
	Passage: Something, perhaps, of such thoughts struggled through Eva’s mind. But a child’s thoughts are rather dim, undefined instincts; and in Eva’s noble nature many such were yearning and working, for which she had no power of utterance. When Miss Ophelia expatiated on Topsy’s naughty, wicked conduct, the child looked perplexed and sorrowful, but said, sweetly.
	“Poor Topsy, why need you steal? You’re going to be taken good care of, now. I’m, sure I’d rather give you anything of mine, than have you steal it.”
	It was the first word of kindness the child had ever heard in her life; and the sweet tone and manner struck strangely on the wild, rude heart, and a sparkle of something like a tear shone in the keen, round, glittering eye; but it was followed by the short laugh and habitual grin. No! the ear that has never heard anything but abuse is strangely incredulous of anything so heavenly as kindness; and Topsy only thought Eva’s speech something funny and inexplicable,-she did not believe it.
	Just imagine two little girls meeting for the first time in 1850. St. Clare has bought a young “Afric” girl to live in his household and work. Topsy only knows of anger, verbal and physical abuse and does not know anything good. Eva, the daughter of St. Clare described “with her golden head, her deep eyes,” wants to understand and help the new addition to the house. In this excerpt from Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Mrs. Stowe uses logos, ethos, and pathos in writing about these two young ladies Eva and Topsy.
Harriet Beecher Stowe begins with logos (appeal to reason) when Eva explains to Topsy that she would rather give her something of hers than have Topsy steal. “Why need you steal? You’re going to be taken good care of, now,” says Eva (1722).  This gives evidence to the reader that Eva is being logical. She thinks that it makes more sense for her to give Topsy one of her own belongings than to have her steal. The main point young Eva wants to get across is that Topsy now has a home and will be treated properly so she does not need to worry. How easy is it for Topsy to hear what Eva is saying and understand it? It is almost impossible, since she has never heard kind words and believes that Eva is not speaking the truth. For what truth has she known? Eva must realize that Topsy’s ethics and moral attitude are quite different because their lives have been so different.  
	“It was the first word of kindness the child had ever heard in her life,” shows an appeal to the character of Topsy. This helps us to understand where the young girl is coming from. She has only known the acts of anger and abuse. Never has someone spoken to her as though she were a human being. Also, this shows Eva’s character as a beautiful person who wants to help Topsy in any way she can. Eva wants to befriend her and let “the Afric, born of ages of oppression, submission, ignorance, toil, and vice!” realize that there is joy in this world and she can experience it. The writer makes good use of ethos between the “fair, high-bred child and her black acute neighbor” (1722). 
	The young girls have contrasting values and show emotion in different ways. “The sweet tone and manner struck strangely on the wild, rude heart, and a sparkle of something like a tear shone in the keen, round, glittering eye” (1722) demonstrates shows Topsy’s emotion towards Eva. Due to having grown up in harsh circumstances she has put a wall up and keeps her heart closed off from any more harm; yet, there is a sparkle in her eye that appears as a tear that may fall, but she holds back. She would like to believe Eva who has a “spiritual, noble brow, and prince-like movements.” Topsy’s lack of moral values makes it hard for her to connect with the words that Eva pronounces. “It was followed by the short laugh and habitual grin,” is Eva’s reaction and she simply laughs, but truthfully and kindly, not as though she were joking, which is how Topsy sees it. As the author says, “something funny and inexplicable,-she did not believe it.” Eva has much joy and pleasure in her life; and, Topsy still angry, is scared by her new way of life. Stowe does a good job in applying pathos in the scene between the white girl and black girl. It’s touching to see a little white girl being so sweet and not judging anyone by the color of their skin. She befriends Topsy and that’s a huge transition for Topsy to comprehend. 
	Children see things much more simply than adults do. Miss Ophelia looks down on Topsy and would beat her for telling lies and stealing; yet, Eva the master of the house’s daughter, only wants to be friends with Topsy and treat her the way she herself would want to be treated. In Topsy’s heart, she wants to see goodness in Eva, but her mind has trouble accepting it. Harriet Beecher Stowe shows the reader exactly how difficult it is for black people to accept being part of a white community.