But what makes George Harris such an important character is the way he came up with a plan of action. Unlike many other slaves during this time period, Harris was able to overcome destitution and create a better life not only for himself, but also for his wife and son. Not only did she impact the lives of her family members, but also the life of Tom Loker who was able to experience a change of heart from his interaction with Harris. Shortly after Stowe introduces George Harris, the character is almost immediately faced with a life-changing decision. Harris's master had tormented poor George because of his insecurities. Harris's master was upset because Harris "had invented a machine for cleaning hemp, which, considering the education and circumstances of the inventor, showed as much mechanical genius as Whitney's gin" (p.11). At this point in the story Stowe makes it very clear that Harris is one of a kind, genuinely intelligent and hard-working. The issue at hand 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 rule.