In the email you asked us to reflect on why Twain did not make Jim's escape a straightforward escape. This reason is because nothing about being an African American in the south at that time was straight forward. Everything is complicated and the African Americans are always dealing with hardships and difficult situations. Nothing is easy or simple or common, therefore Jim's escape couldn't be either. The baking of the "witch pie" is also a reference to all of Jim's witch talk throughout the novel.

This entire book is about adventure, as the name implies. Between Huck's adventures and Jim's and Tom's, adventure spans throughout the book. What also spans through the book is lying and sneakiness. Therefore, Jim's escape without those things. It couldn't be a simple easy escape where they just go in and take him. Twain had to make it adventurous and sneaky and sly, because that is what the novel is all about. Therefore, that's how it had to conclude.