Simon Suggs(late)

J.J. Hooper’s Adventures of Captain Simon Suggs seams from the outset to be a simple example of the typical southwestern humor of the day. It contains much of the typical vernacular of the lower classes, stories of boys out-witting their fathers, and tales of men conniving to make a dollar in any way possible. Captain Simon Suggs is the quintessential Confidence Man; always good-humored, and willing to take advantage of the all-too trustworthy masses at a moment’s notice. However, if we look deeper into the historical background of the author and his time, we will find that all is not as it seems. J.J. Hooper was an intelligent, educated man with many political and social opinions that he masterfully hides and shapes into a seemingly innocent tale. This essay will show that Hooper has molded his opinions on the campaign biography, Andrew Jackson, and the political parties of his day into this novel.

Uncle Tom's Cabin: not as bad as some say

Though Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin is one of the most influential American novels of all time and is widely held to be one of the essential protest novels of the nineteenth century, it is not without its critics. Many have noted the unrealistic depiction of its southern white and slave characters, while others believe Stowe to be a racist and a slavery sympathizer due to her often rosy depiction of slave-owners. Despite all of these seeming imperfections—most of which have been found by the modern reader—the book continues to be a widely-read example of the early protest novel and when read from the correct historical point of view, is an impressive look into the arguments against slavery that helped abolish the dreadful practice. Chief in understanding Uncle Tom’s Cabin correctly is an appreciation for the audience for which the novel was written. More specifically, we must recognize that Stowe is attempting to convince Americans that slavery is against the moral principles set forth by the Christian faith, and her argument is made in such a way as to appeal to them in this way. This essay will show that Stowe’s intention was to convince a specific group of white, northern Christians that the practice of slavery must have been ended as quickly as possible, and when studied in this way, few faults will be exposed.

Simon Says Slavery Is Okay

Adventures of Captain Simon Suggs reveals the serious, sad state of the nation at the time, showing the division between the races, and the division between Southerners and their Northern counterparts. While Simon may seem to be a simple con man, he represents much more than that. When one looks beyond the humor, it becomes sadly apparent that Simon’s success always comes at the high price of others. Within his character there exist deeper truths about the attitudes towards slavery, freedom, racial divisions, and progress in his time. Johanna Nicol Shields explores the darker side of Simon Suggs in the article, “A Sadder Simon Suggs: Freedom and Slavery in the Humor of Johnson Hooper.” While Adventures of Captain Simon Suggs may be a satire of a campaign biography, it reveals more about the intricate workings of a society, including the political and social issues of the time, than it does about any one man. In the end, Simon Suggs is saying slavery is an inevitable result of circumstances.

The Peculiar Institution

Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin is a text which has had an enormous impact on nineteenth century America and the world. It was one of the first texts to have more readers than the bible and was translated internationally. Although much can be said to the service that Uncle Tom’s Cabin has given to the abolitionist movement and the abolishment of slavery, the novel still has its faults. Of the faults sited within the text some include the stereotypical portrayal of various slaves, which borders on racism, and a slight approval of colonization. While these flaws are few compared to the institution which the novel was written against, they are more of a reflection on the views of the author than of the reality which the author portrays. A more thorough glimpse into Stowe’s intentions and beliefs regarding the novel and the ‘peculiar’ institution of slavery can help advance the modern readers’ interpretation of Stowe’s work. As with many whites of her time Stowe, “shared many of the misconceptions about race common in her lifetime” this is not surprising considering “the absence of the kind of scientific data available today” which made it virtually impossible to avoid accepting at least some of the reigning ideologies involving ethnology and the racist common knowledge assumptions concerning race during the nineteenth century (Graham 614). Although Stowe tried to avoid notions of white superiority in her writings there are instances in which these notions do appear. Examples of this can be seen in Uncle Tom’s Cabin when she describes whites as, “cold, brave, industrious, and spirited” while blacks are described as, “timid, unenterprising, droll, and weak” (Graham 617).

Anti-Uncle Tom Literature

I was interested in Thomas F. Gossett's article "Anti-Uncle Tom Literature."  Gossett points to a few anti-Uncle Tom novels that argue against the cruel slave master and the oppressed slave image presented in many slave novels, among them Uncle Tom's Cabin.  In this anti-Uncle Tom novels--Maria McIntosh's The Lofty and the Lowly, Baynard Hall's Freeman's Barber Shop, W. L. G. Smith's Life at the South, etc.--the slave owners are always kind, and always have understandable motives in punishing their slaves.  And always the slaves are opt to engage in such actions that require some justifiable  punishment.  However, Gossett fails to mention the similarities Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin, a novel from which the anti-Uncle Tom literature evolves from and argues against, share with many anti-Uncle Tom novels.  In this essay I compare those similarities that I noticed in Uncle Tom's Cabin with what Gossett presents in his featured anti-Uncle Tom literature.

Simon Suggs: Harmful Humor

In Adventures of Simon Suggs, Johnson Jones Hooper creates a swift, sneaky and persuasive character Simon, who is intended to be a replica of himself. According to Robert Hopkins he states that it this book is simply a “burlesque of campaign biographies.” Although in the beginning chapters Simon claims to compare himself to the earlier president’s in later chapters this comedic elements begin to make fun of other cultures especially the Indians. This interpretation is also seen in the article written by Johanna Shields. She argues that the Adventures of Simon Suggs provoked laughter but with repercussions. Hopkins would oppose her argument because Hooper intended for Simon Suggs to be humorous not harmful.

Simon Suggs: More Than Satire

In his essay “Simon Suggs: A Burlesque Campaign Biography,” Robert Hopkins argues that Johnson Jones Hooper’s novel Adventures of Captain Simon Suggs deserves recognition as a burlesque of campaign biographies. He presents multiple examples from the novel which support his claim, but also hints at the novel’s ability to fit into many other genres and sub-genres. In paralleling the actions of Andrew Jackson to those of Simon Suggs, and finding inconsistencies in the novel's genre as a picaresque narrative, this essay discusses Hopkins’s essay and the argument for Simon Suggs as a burlesque campaign biography.