a kentucky farmer named arthur shelby is afraid of losing his farm because of debts. even though he and his wife, emily shelby, are kind to their slaves, he decides to sell two of them: uncle tom, a middle-aged man with a wife and children, and harry, the son of his wife's maid eliza. emily shelby is shocked and unhappy because she promised eliza that she would not sell her son. george shelby, her son, is unhappy because he admires uncle tom as his friend and christian.