Extra Credit Questions

[Gene C]

I have a tendency to agree with you Laurie about this story of Tad and his father.
I also think we are missing the point or purpose to the story.

From most of the stories about them, Abraham is a lenient father and was lax in disciplining his son.
Like most people, Lincoln has a reason why he does what he does. We just don't always know the reason.
In addition, on stories like this, we need to examine the motive or purpose of the writer. Was it to make Lincoln or Tad look bad, or show a different aspect of their personality that we don't usually see in others.
In this case, Pendel gives us a reason or lesson to the story, and it's not Lincoln being lax in fatherly discipline with Tad.