See in text(The Outcasts of Poker Flat). WHO STRUCK A STREAK OF BAD LUCK It has recently lost an important resident, a large fortune, and two horses, catalyzing a spasm of virtuous reaction. In an effort to salvage the towns reputation and reinstate a sense of normalcy, a group of powerful Poker Flat residents form a secret committee that decides who stays and who goes, whether by hanging (a fate to which two men have already been sentenced) or by exile. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. John has shown numerous times in "The Outcasts of Poker Flat", that he is an extraordinarily . PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. These four set out for the Sandy Bar mining camp, a day's journey away over a mountain range. John has shown numerous times in The Outcasts of Poker Flat, that he is an extraordinarily calm person. Hartes story is brimming with epithets, like the frail Duchess and the malevolent Mother Shipton. This is fitting, given that Homers the. As the days go by, Mother Shipton dies of starvation, as she tries to save food for the child - Piney. Harte leaves this unresolved, forcing readers to form their own interpretation of Oakhursts life and death. This casts doubt on how Poker Flat measures morality and whether those it deems improper are worthy of that title and accompanying punishment. The tension between immorality and morality rises to the forefront of the story here, as there is a stark difference between how Tom and Piney sing the hymn versus how the others do. Things are looking increasingly bleak for the group. After hours of traveling, Oakhursts companions get tired, and despite his remonstrances they decide to stop and rest. Learn more. School Memberships, 2023 OwlEyes.org, Inc. All Rights Reserved. [] And pulseless and cold, with a Derringer by his side and a bullet in his heart, though still calm as in life, beneath the snow lay he who was at once the strongest and yet the weakest of the outcasts of Poker Flat. A few of the committee had urged hanging him as a possible example, and a sure method of reimbursing themselves from his pockets of the sums he had won from them. Piney and Duchess frozen to death. As we go through all of the unfortunate events Mr. Oakhurst endures we reveal his . Teachers and parents! With snow on the ground and no mules to travel on, the group is stranded, possibly left to die in the mountains, and Uncle Billy is responsible. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. " Two or three men, conversing earnestly together, ceased as he approached, and exchanged significant glances." c. Oakhurst and Tom again appear as one anothers foils, as Tom is lighthearted and fails to grasp the gravity of the situation, while Oakhurst is practical and prudent, searching for the trail and hiding the groups alcohol. Oakhurst is set apart from the masses and antagonized, as he muses that the towns residents are likely out to get him. See in text(The Outcasts of Poker Flat). Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. He was too much of a gambler not to accept Fate. While on their rest, the group is met by a pair of runaway lovers on their way to Poker Flat to get married, Tom Simson (known also as "The Innocent") and 15-year-old Piney Woods. Poker Flat is in a particularly vulnerable state, nursing the wounds of financial and personal loss. The Old West is a thoroughly dangerous place, as the outcasts are forced to leave one life-threatening danger (the unforgiving residents of Poker Flat, who have made it clear that the outcasts will be killed if they return) for another, the similarly rugged and hostile natural world. That the committee members are deeply biased further suggests that the towns moral compass is not to be trusted. Pinned to a tree with a knife is a playing card, the deuce of clubs, upon which Oakhurst has scribbled his epitaph, claiming to have struck a streak of bad luck. Oakhurst, who shot himself in the heart, appears just as stoic in death as he did in life. The story ends with the declaration that Oakhurst was both exceedingly strong and exceedingly weak, pointing to the guiding question of the story: is Oakhurst a quiet, self-sacrificial hero, or is he a weak man who fails to tenaciously fight against life? My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. The story takes place in a Californian community known as Poker Flat, near the town of La Porte. Similarly, Piney is immediately characterized as childlike, meek, and pure, setting her apart from the two other womenMother Shipton and the Duchess, both prostitutesin the group. Resolution of the Outcasts of Poker Flat. Piney Woods used to work in a temperance housean occupation traditionally held in higher moral esteem than some of the occupations of her present company. -Graham S. A member of Poker Flats powerful secret committee that decides who gets to remain at the settlement and who is banished to Sandy Bar, the next town over. The Outcasts of Poker Flat Summary The story is located in Poker Flat, a small Californian community. a. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Mother Shipton begins to fade rapidly, and on the 10th day, she pulls Oakhurst aside and privately tells him that shes been starving herself, saving her rations so that Piney can live a little longer. The novel is about four protagonists who were exiled by the townspeople because of their immoral behavior and habits. Trojan bully and wily Greek wrestled in the winds, and the great pines in the caon seemed to bow to the wrath of the son of Peleus. one plays accordion or recites Homer. He wrote essays such as Nevanglus. Themes. Oakhurst not only returns Toms money but also warns him to never gamble again, saving Tom from getting himself into a similar situation in the future. That to me shows the utmost courage in the world. The money that Oakhurst won from Tom is no small fortunein the late 1840s, $40 would have had the same purchasing power as over $1,200 in 2019s currency. He risks being caught and prosecuted, going back to jail after having a taste of freedom. Harte's story has been brought to film at least five times, including in 1919 with Harry Carey, in 1937 with Preston Foster, and in 1952 with Dale Robertson. It tells the story of the few "immorals" who have been exiled from the town of Poker Flat and their journey. The real Poker Flat was located in northern California (Sierra County). Mr. Oakhurst is calm, strong, sober and resolute. Oakhurst fashions some snowshoes for Simson to use in traveling to Poker Flat for help, telling the others he will accompany the young man part of the way. The Outcasts of Poker Flat study guide contains a biography of Bret Harte, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. When the people from Poker Flat arrive at the camp, what do they find? The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. Most especially he was interested in the fate of Ash-heels, as the Innocent persisted in denominating the swift-footed Achilles.. Get an answer for 'From the short story "The Outcasts of Poker Flat," how could you analyze John Oakhurst's character?' and find homework help for other The Outcasts of Poker Flat questions at . | Story by Bret Harte, published in 1869 and reprinted in The Luck of Roaring Camp and Other Sketches (1870). John just said that he would try, and off he went. However, in this passage, Piney also reciprocates that motherly care. The women are to spend the night in the dilapidated cabin, insulated with pine branches, while the men are to sleep outside. A playing card, the two of clubs, is found pinned to the trunk with a note written on it: BENEATH THIS TREE Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. Four people come under suspicion for the killings and are swiftly run straight out of the camp. When he successfully wins a large amount of money from the leaders of the town, they have him permanently banished. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. They have lost a lot of money and the morals of people are thought to be sinking. " The Outcasts of Poker Flat " (1869) is a short story written by writer of the American West Bret Harte. Once again, the landscape of the Old West is both beautiful and hostile, gentle and destructive. What words convey that tone? Though this lack of experience in gambling might make Tom seem even more innocent or moral than Mr. Oakhurst, the narrator reminds us of Mr. Oakhursts benevolence when Mr. Oakhurst gives Tom Simson all the money that he lost. 'Stand away from the door, all of you,' he commanded. In "The Outcasts of Poker Flat," Harte represents Mr. Oakhurst's personality as easy going, calm, and unselfish. See in text(The Outcasts of Poker Flat). But not Mr. Oakhurst, he just gave him a swift kick in the stomach. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. Those two things to me, show that John Oakhurst is a extremely calm person. Mr. Oakhurst has kept the truth from Tom and Piney due to some occult, or mysterious, reason. The Duchess becomes the child in need of protection, hinting at the transformative effect Pineys friendship has. In hiding the whiskey, Oakhurst seems to be trying to prevent any more mishaps (readers may recall that Uncle Billys jocular idea of stealing the mules came to him when he was drunk) while also encouraging the group to be levelheaded and serious. He had a perfect opportunity too when he met The innocent on their adventures. This page was last edited on 1 February 2023, at 14:50. Complete your free account to request a guide. [1] The screenplay is based on a short story of the same name by Bret Harte. John Oakhurst has not yet been exiled from Poker Flat and this narration foreshadows the events that will occur in the story. Dale Robertson John Oakhurst . His suicide spurs the question whether he was simply giving in to his bad luck or rather, decided he was no longer going to live by luck and took his life. The way the content is organized, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Harry Carey in The Outcasts of Poker Flat, 1919 However, Oakhursts concerns about stopping speak to the tension between natures beauty and sheer power that runs throughout the story. It is but due to the sex, however, to state that their impropriety was professional, and it was only in such easily established standards of evil that Poker Flat ventured to sit judgement. Mr. Oakhurst modesty is proven numerous times in this short story by Brett Harte. The setting of" The Outcasts of Poker Flat'' is of major importance. "The Outcasts of Poker Flat" is an unflinching look at the way we distinguish between those who are good and those who are not. John Oakhurst Character Analysis Not many men would stand by strangers in a life or death situation, but that is just the type of man John Oakhurst is in "The Outcasts of Poker Flats" written by Bret Harte. But at the head of the gulch, on one of the largest pine-trees, they found the deuce of clubs pinned to the bark with a bowie knife. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. John Oakhurst. See in text(The Outcasts of Poker Flat). If you can hold your cards right along youre all right.. See in text(The Outcasts of Poker Flat). John is an outstanding person and has some phenomenal traits. Even though Poker Flat branded him as immoral by throwing him in with the other outcasts, it seems that Oakhurst is perhaps not so immoral after all. Character Analysis in The Outcasts of Poker Flat John Oakhurst: A character of noble qualities, John is exiled not due to his unsavory nature, but out of revenge and spite. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Mr. Oakhurst received his sentence with philosophic calmness, none the less coolly that he was aware of the hesitation of his judges. She has to learn a new language and learn a new life in a different country. Oakhurst had returned the money and urged Simson to quit gambling, as he was a terrible player. The Duchess, whose real name is never revealed, is a prostitute in the Old West settlement of Poker Flat and is exiled for her immorality. The stranger is referred to as such throughout the story, making it particularly striking that Hartes Jim Wheeler vehemently deems Oakhurst an entire stranger.. What is the narrator's tone, or attitude, toward Poker Flat's secret committee and its "improper persons"? Trapped in a snowbound mountain cabin, an assortment of travelers receives the unwelcome visit of a wanted outlaw. Once a coarse, abrasive, sour woman, Mother Shipton reveals herself in this passage to be an extraordinarily kind and loving woman, even to the point of self-sacrifice. John is an outstanding person and has some phenomenal traits. At noon, over Oakhurst's protests, the group stops for a rest. Its agin justice, said Jim Wheeler, to let this yer young man from Roaring Campan entire strangercarry away our money. But a crude sentiment of equity residing in the breasts of those who had been fortunate enough to win from Mr. Oakhurst overruled this narrower local prejudice. (including. A group of armed men, meant specifically to intimidate. The term temperance means abstinence from drinking alcohol. "The Outcasts of Poker Flat" In the beginning of the story titled "The Outcasts of Poker Flat" readers find that the main character John Oakhurst is not as simplistic as he seems he is rather a complex individual that ultimately reflects realism because of how readers can relate to his life. And its finding out when its going to change that makes you. That hes only suspected of the theft implies that hes gotten away with stealing gold in the past, painting the Old West as a lawless free-for-all. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. Luck, continued the gambler, reflectively, is a mighty queer thing. "The thought of deserting his weaker and more pitiable companions never perhaps occurred to him" The journey is difficult, though, as the town is one full day of intense and difficult travel away, the mountain pass is steep and narrow, and the cold air is harsh and unforgiving. However, several members of Poker Flats secret committee gambled against Oakhurst, yet those people werent cast out of Poker Flat. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Refine any search. Teachers and parents! The mention of gambling here draws an immediate comparison to Tom Simson and Mr. Oakhurst. Consequently a secret committee is elected. While the narrator states that Uncle Billy was the one that included the whole party in one sweeping anathema, Mother Shipton also eyes Mr. Oakhurst with malevolence. Note that Mr. Oakhursts kind actions failed to draw the party into any closer sympathy. This group of individuals are very divided, either hateful or fearful of one another despite being victims of the same unfortunate circumstance. Sentence with philosophic calmness, none the less the outcasts of poker flat john oakhurst analysis that he is an person. 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