Whipping and abuse are like laudanum: you have to double the dose as the sensibilities decline

Whipping and abuse are like laudanum: you have to double the dose as the sensibilities decline

In Harriet Beecher Stowe's seminal work, "Uncle Tom's Cabin," the theme of whipping and abuse is a central focus that highlights the inhumanity and cruelty of slavery. Stowe's powerful portrayal of the physical and emotional torment endured by enslaved individuals serves as a stark reminder of the dehumanizing effects of such brutality.

The quote, "Whipping and abuse are like laudanum: you have to double the dose as the sensibilities decline," encapsulates the insidious nature of violence and oppression. Just as a person becomes desensitized to the effects of a drug over time and requires a higher dosage to achieve the same level of numbness, so too does the perpetrator of abuse escalate their violence in order to maintain control over their victims.