Prior to being traded, Tom and the child were treated with the highest respect a slave may be given, as depicted in the movie the conditions the slaves lived in were close to the poor class was but with less of the extravagant wants. In the movie, and possibly the book, it was said by Master Shelby that Tom could have his freedom soon, but with news of the dawning debt Tom was traded away to clear the family of this debt. Tom had a wife and kids at this home, once he left his wife asked if she would be able to do some side work to earn Tom's freedom, I feel that this was not properly portrayed.
After the slave trader meets with the slave hunters, the duo head to a station and board a steamboat to New Orleans. On this steamboat, a little girl wanders aimlessly around the boat, she stops to talk to Tom, she introduces herself as Evangeline (aka Lil Eva). While Tom and Eva are discussing, the boat stops abruptly throwing Eva over board. Tom then ends up saving her, causing Eva to beg her father to purchase Tom. Her father proceeds to purchase Tom. Little did the readers know, that at this time Lil Eva was slowly dying. Once Tom and his new owners get home life begins at this new plantation. This is life was not at difficult. The tasks were the same, but with some punishment here and there. The part of this family Tom enjoyed the most was Lil Eva, she would bring out food and candy for the slaves and share with them, she treated them as if they were friends. Throughout the time Tom lives there, Augustine St. Clare questions why he has slaves. He has a consistent conflict whether or not he should own slaves, he believes it is not right, but he lets that belief be set aside to give him an easy life. I feel that anyone who owns slaves does not have any remorse and would not question whether or not it's the right thing. Throughout this while, Evangeline is on her death bed. She makes her father promise that she will grant Tom his freedom, he agrees.