Uncle Tom’s Cabin explores the profound impact of love, especially the divine love of God and the familial love within families. The story highlights a mother's affection for her children as the strongest form of love. This portrayal helps Stowe underscore the brutality of slavery by depicting the anguish of enslaved mothers torn from their children. A mother's love can induce remarkable change; for instance, Eliza gains extraordinary courage and strength to cross a river on floating ice out of love for her child, nearly achieving superhuman feats in the process.

The love of God is similarly shown as transformative. Despite being an enslaved man and a young, innocent child, Tom and Eva's deep devotion to God raises them to a Christ-like level through their ability to love, forgive, and exhibit moral bravery. They pass away as saints, with Eva giving away locks of her hair like sacred relics to those she cherishes, and Tom suffering torture and death at the hands of those infuriated by his faith. Within the novel's world, love and prayer emerge as the two most compelling forces.