From Place to Place

"From Place to Place" by Irvin S. Cobb is a series of stories that starts off by dropping us into the distinct world of Uncle Tobe, the hangman of Chickaloosa. We get a good look at his job, his personality, and all the difficult moral questions that come with executing people. Cobb shows us how strange Tobe's life is and how he tries to stay emotionless while doing his grim job. As we hear about Uncle Tobe, we find out how he used to trade livestock and how he ended up becoming a hangman. Cobb paints a detailed picture of Tobe's habits before, during, and after hangings, revealing that Tobe has this odd mix of being professional while also being distant. However, when a hanging goes horribly wrong, Tobe starts to feel uneasy, and he gets paranoid and lonely. This eventually results in a sad event, prompting us to think deeply about death and what it means to be human.