Outcasts Poker Flat Summary Sparknotes

Posted By admin On 25/03/22
Outcasts Poker Flat Summary Sparknotes Rating: 4,4/5 2774 votes
The short story “The Outcasts of Poker Flat” is one major journey, not physically, but mentally for the characters. Though the story ends in tragedy, most of the characters go through major mental changes before their untimely deaths. Most of these changes were good changes, though some of them were negative such as Oakhurst becoming weak and Piney turning her back on her religion. However Piney becoming stronger and Oakhurst showing the extent of his compassion were major changes that proved to be positive for the characters. Though even some of the positive changes had negative consequences, such as Mother Shipton starving herself for her compassion of Piney, and Oakhurst making it impossible to survive by ensuring Tom made it to the…show more content…
One of the most unrecognized changes, though it was by no means irrelevant, in Piney was her turning her back on her religion. “No dear.” Piney was depicted as religious, but however, when The Duchess asked Piney to pray for them in their final moments, Piney refuses to pray for them. Another change seen in Piney through the story is her becoming stronger. “… but Piney, accepting the position of the stronger, drew near and placed her arm around the Duchess’s waist.” Throughout the story, Piney was referred to as “the child” and was cared for by the rest of the group, but near the end of the line, Piney becomes the stronger and comforts the Duchess. Piney, a 15 year old that was running away to be married, was hardened by the events that lead to her death, making her lose sight of her religion and becoming…show more content…
Although nearly all the characters died in the story, they all partook a mental journey or awakening before making the journey from life to death. Even though the trials that the group were presented with took their lives, it did not stop them from changing and becoming someone else, for better and for worse. John Oakhurst revealed his compassion for others, though he became weak-willed; Mother Shipton showed that under the cold skin she has a warm heart, though her care of Piney resulted in her death; The Duchess had an awakening to be religious, though she becomes the weaker of her and Piney; and Piney became stronger, though at the cost of her religion. Though the changes in these characters seemed spontaneous, they were actually a result from some inner sense of compassion that resides in even the most despicable human, forged by the desperate situation they were placed in. This compassion burned bright in the characters of John Oakhurst and Mother Shipton, with them placing themselves before death so that the others may yet live. This compassion was futile, except for saving Tom, but yet it manifested a new strength in Piney to care for and comfort The Duchess in their final moments. Though not all changes were positive, the character John Oakhurst, Mother Shipton, The Duchess, and Piney Woods all

by HE10Realism
Last updated 10 years ago

'The Outcasts of Poker Flat' (1869) is a short story written by author of the American West Bret Harte. An example of naturalism and local color of California during the first half of the nineteenth century, 'The Outcasts of Poker Flat' was first published in January 1869 in the magazine Overland Monthly. Outcasts Of Poker Flat Analysis. 1196 Words 5 Pages. The short story “The Outcasts of Poker Flat” is one major journey, not physically, but mentally for the characters. Though the story ends in tragedy, most of the characters go through major mental changes before their untimely deaths. Most of these changes were good changes.

Outcast

Discipline:
Social Studies
Subject:
History

Realsim in 'The Outcasts of Poker Flat'

Ashley Huckstep

•Regionalism is a story that focuses on specific features like characters, dialects, customs, and history of a particular region. 'The Outcasts of Poker Flat' is set during the time of the gold rush in California. You can tell the region the story takes place by the harsh wheather and the mention of the mountians. You also get a feel for how the people speak, and what type of people live in the region.

•Realism in literature is a story that shows the subjects as they appear in everyday life, without adding to it.

Naturalism is the aspect of realism that suggests nature has some control over humans. This is shown in “The Outcasts of Poker Flats” when after they stop for Mother Shipton, a storm comes in. The outcasts try to wait out the snow storm, but it continues. Mother Shipton, the Duchess, and John Oakhurst realize that while their supplies dwindle, they are at the mercy of mother nature, and unless the storm stops and they have a way to travel, they are stuck and may die.

Text to Text: This story reminds me of the story we read 'To Build a Fire.' In 'To Build a Fire,' the man tries to bulid a fire, but the snow from the tree destorys it, just like the Outcasts try to wait out the storm, but it continues. In both stories the main character dies becasue of nature's cruetly. This shows the natralist aspect of realism. Instead of natature helping the character like it may in Romaticsim, it watches the people in the story indifferently like it would in real life. The cold and lack of supplies kills the outcasts, and the man's inabllity to make a fire becasue the snow fell on the fire he had made with all of his matches kills him. The universe takes no notice of the people that live within it.

Outcasts Poker Flat Summary Sparknotes Act 3

Movie

Text to World:I think that what the 'Council' of Poker Flats did, and the issue in the story of weather or not they had the right to bann people from the town or not still rings true today. We have the same problems in our justice system. How far can we go? If a man kills some can the goverment kill him? Or does that mean that they have stooped to the level of the cirminal? In 'The Outcasts of Poker Flat,' the outacsts are banished and end up dieing becasue of it, so the question is, who is worse the ones who committed the crimes or the ones who indircetly killed the crimials for their crimes? Both in the real world and in the story, you have too look at how much power should everyone have over eather other.

Psychology is another aspcet of Realism. In 'The Outcasts of Poker Flat,' it delves into Mr. Oakhurst mind as well as some of the other characters. One example of this is when they are discussing that Mr. Oakhurst doesn't drink, he thinks to himself, becasue it is a habit that doesn't go well with gambeling. When they talk about how Mr. Oakhurst takes a longer watch shift becasue he is used to not sleeping, he again mentions the fact he has this skill becasue of his gambleing. Thoughout the story he is defined as the gambler though his own mind and it shows the reader how he thinks. Even at the end when he kills himself he talks of his luck that had finnally run out before he shot himself. This displays Realsim, because Realist authors were interested in why people are the way that they are.

Outcasts Of Poker Flat Summary Sparknotes

Recources:http://www.theoutdoorforum.com/NewHampshire/images/Old-Man-in-Snow-Storm.gif http://www.californiapictures.com/images/wteone.jpg http://universalnewsletter.net/sitebuilder/images/globe_and_rings_transparent-615x528.jpg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcwXVsRjhqU&feature=fvwhttp://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/upload/yuiupload/587498581.jpg http://www.huntfor.com/absoluteig/samples/1.jpg

Outcasts Poker Flat Summary Sparknotes Chapter

Text To Self:In the sitituation that the outcasts are in, the older outcasts, Mr. Oakhurst, Mother Shipton, and the Duchess, remind me of myself. I can imangine that they must have felt pretty helpless when they realized that they were trapped in the cabin and would probably all die there. They must have felt guilty and responsible for Piney and Tom. One time when I got home from school, I discovered that my brother and three sisters and I were locked out. That day had been the one day this year that had an advisory warning for wind speed, and had been the coldset day of the year so far. When they had tried to use the key to unlock the door they discovered that the screen door was locked and doesn't have a keyhole, sotthey were locked out. I got home fifteen minutes after them, and after figuring out we couldn't get in, I tried to call for help, but could only reach my grandma, who was fourty minutes away. Becasue it was the coldest day of the year so far, only my brother was wearing a jacket, the rest of us hadn't thought to put one on. My littlest sister, Abby, only had a longsleve shirt on, so I took off my sweatshirt and gave it to her. This is kind of like when Mother Shipton saves her food for Piney and Tom. There was literally nothing I could do about the cold, execpt for wait with them, knowing we were all shivering, just like Mr. Oakhurst, the Duchess, and Mother Shipton could only wait with Tom and Piney, knowing that they were all most likey going to die.

Artists during this time painted normal things you would see everyday instead of people in a pose. It is very candid subject.

Outcasts Poker Flat Summary Sparknotes

This video shows mother nature's indifference to the man's troubles.