But what makes George Harris such an important character is how he came up with his plan of action. Unlike many other slaves of this period, Harris was able to overcome poverty and create a better life not only for himself, but also for his wife and child. Not only did he impact the lives of his family members, but also the life of Tom Loker, who was able to change his mind through his interaction with Harris. Shortly after Stowe introduces George Harris, the character is almost immediately faced with a life-changing decision. Harris' master had tormented poor George because of his own insecurities. Harris's master was upset because Harris "had invented a machine for cleaning hemp which, considering the education and circumstances of the inventor, displayed as much mechanical genius as Whitney's cotton gin » (p. 11). At this point in the story, Stowe makes it very clear that Harris is one of a kind and truly intelligent and hardworking. The problem was that George's master hated the idea of ​​a slave being intelligent and believed that if a slave became too intelligent he might try to overthrow his power.