Who Mr. Shelby is
Mr. Shelby owns the Kentucky farm where the story opens, and his debts set its central journeys in motion. He discusses selling Tom and Harry with Haley in a comfortable parlor, treating their lives as a business matter.
Stowe presents him as gentle by the standards of his world, rather than as a monster. The contrast between his good manners and his decisions shows how slavery allows ordinary people to cause profound harm.
What Mr. Shelby wants
Mr. Shelby wants to settle his debts and sees selling people as his only way out. Although he trusts Tom with his money and the whole farm, that trust does not protect Tom from sale.
Mr. Shelby and the others in the story
His wife Emily is more troubled by the planned sales than he is. Their son George Shelby is shocked by his father's decision and promises to bring Tom home. Eliza overhears the plan to sell Harry and runs north with her child rather than lose him.
Questions
Who is Mr. Shelby?
Mr. Shelby is the indebted Kentucky farm owner whose planned sales help begin the novel's two main journeys.
Why does Mr. Shelby sell Tom?
He sells Tom to pay his debts, despite the confidence he places in him.
Is Mr. Shelby cruel?
He means well and is described as a gentle master by his society's standards. Yet his willingness to sell people shows that personal kindness does not prevent slavery's cruelty.