Uncle Tom’s Cabin · Character

George Harris

A self-taught inventor whose sharp mind and sharper pride make slavery unbearable, driving him to risk everything for freedom in Canada.

supporting

Also known as George, One George Harris, Harris

First appearance: III: The Husband and Father

As a supporting figure in Uncle Tom’s Cabin, George Harris is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

A talented mulatto slave who invented a hemp-cleaning machine; his master, Mr.

In the storyII: The MotherOpen this moment free

See George Harris in II: The Mother Book page

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George Harris is Eliza's husband, a man whose intelligence and mechanical genius make his bondage under a crude master especially galling. Separated from his family and hired out to brutal work, he burns with a sense of his own worth that slavery cannot contain, and his decision to escape sets the novel's flight narrative in motion. His fierce self-respect and hunger for knowledge make him the story's most defiant counter-argument to the idea that enslaved people are content.

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See George Harris in III: The Husband and Father

Character Web

47 connections

A slice of how George Harris sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Friendship
Family
Social
Other

Character groups

St. Clare household and Shelby family
Diverse minor characters and slave traders
Protagonist

+42 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point

The "Endnotes" chapter serves as the dramatic climax because it abruptly shifts the narrative focus from the c…

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Relationships

Uncle Tom
friendship · positive
George Harris and Tom are fellow enslaved men who respect each other, though their paths… How this plays out →
Eliza Harris
family · positive
Aunt Chloe
social · ambivalent
Uncle Tom
friendship · positive
George Harris and Tom are fellow enslaved men who respect each other, though their paths… How this plays out →
Uncle Tom
friendship · positive
George Harris and Tom are fellow enslaved men who respect each other, though their paths… How this plays out →
Aunt Chloe
social · ambivalent
Eliza Harris
family · positive
Eliza Harris
family · positive
Aunt Chloe
social · ambivalent

Uncle Tom
George Harris and Tom are fellow enslaved men who respect each other, though their paths diverge in resistance versus submission.
Eliza Harris
Eliza and George are a married couple, fiercely devoted to each other and their son, willing to risk everything for freedom.
Aunt Chloe
Aunt Chloe and George Harris are acquaintances within the enslaved community, sharing a common plight but not a close bond.
Uncle Tom
George Harris and Tom are fellow enslaved men who respect each other, though their paths diverge in resistance versus submission.
Uncle Tom
George Harris and Tom are fellow enslaved men who respect each other, though their paths diverge in resistance versus submission.
Aunt Chloe
Aunt Chloe and George Harris are acquaintances within the enslaved community, sharing a common plight but not a close bond.
Eliza Harris
Eliza and George are a married couple, fiercely devoted to each other and their son, willing to risk everything for freedom.
Eliza Harris
Eliza and George are a married couple, fiercely devoted to each other and their son, willing to risk everything for freedom.
Aunt Chloe
Aunt Chloe and George Harris are acquaintances within the enslaved community, sharing a common plight but not a close bond.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See George Harris in III: The Husband and Father

In the story

George Harris appears across 7 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

II: The Mother
A talented mulatto slave who invented a hemp-cleaning machine; his master, Mr. Harris, forcibly removes him from the factory and subjects him to degrading farm labor.
III: The Husband and Father
Visits Eliza, shares his suffering under his master, and reveals his plan to escape to Canada.
XI: In Which Property Gets Into an Improper State of Mind
Delivers a powerful speech about his family's suffering under slavery, his resolve to escape, and his willingness to fight for freedom.
The Quaker Settlement
Eliza's husband, reported to be in the last company and expected to arrive at the settlement that evening.
XVII: The Freeman’s Defense
George expresses his longing for freedom and his resolve to live as a Christian and free man, vowing to protect his family.
Liberty
George is deeply contemplative and anxious as they near freedom, expressing fear of losing it all at the last moment. He is supported by Eliza's faith.
Results
Reunited with his sister Emily (Madame de Thoux) and mother Cassy; decides to pursue education in France and later emigrate to Africa.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for George Harris unlock in the free preview.

See George Harris in III: The Husband and Father

See George Harris in II: The Mother