In the conclusion of her essay, Tompkins comes to the realization that though there are several different accounts of the subject of her research she it is no reason to simply disregard them all. She instead decides that the only thing left to do is to take the truths as the "experts" believed them and piece together her own account. I am a little confused by the ending of Tompkins essay. I think she had no idea the life that her research would take, but she raises interesting questions.