Tom's outcom

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I was a little confused as to the ending of Puddenhead Wilson. "Tom" was to spend his life in prison, then he was sold down south instead, after he was convicted of the murder and found out to be a slave. But when the two twins were accused, they were to be lynched if found guilty. I thought a negro would have been lynched right away for killing a white man. Can someone explain this t

-- Anonymous, March 20, 2000

Answers

The town of Dawson's Landing still knew Tom as a white man, he was raised that way and it's hard, for them, to think of him differentally. That is why they sort of let him off easy.

-- Anonymous, June 13, 2000

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