The Outcasts of Poker Flat, a regionalistic piece of literature written by Bret Harte, takes place in a settlement called Poker Flat. A secret group decides to unjustly clean up the town by exiling anyone they don’t like. The story starts with four exilees travelling through mountains from Poker Flat to the closest town of Sandy Bar. While travelling, one of the outcasts steals their mules, leaving the others alone during a snowstorm with little supplies. While the plot proves itself as interesting, the setting, characterization, and symbolism help aide the story and take it to a whole new level.
The setting of Poker Flat, described as “a settlement unused to Sabbath influences”, contained many gamblers, thieves, and women of little virtue
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The key word: force. The snow became a worthy opponent to the outcasts’ inner fire until the duel became a dance: a tango with the tundra of sorts. The violent twisting and stepping went on until Mother Shipton gave her finishing dip, a dramatic exit which suits her well. The fiery chill danced and danced until the bitterness and anger simmered away, so again it matched to them and became a gentle ballet and “the wind lulled as if it feared to waken them.” (Harte 684). However, the symbolic snow did not do all the work by its lonesome. Tom and Piney also acted as a purifying force, but instead of symbolizing purity, they symbolised childlike innocence and optimism. They took away the complexity of adult trials and helped the outcasts to remember their youthful days when peace lived in their hearts. This affected them so much that they could sit around a fire and enjoy some “square fun” (Harte 680). However, all good things must come to an end, including good luck. At the end of the story the people find a two of clubs, saying, “ Beneath this tree lies the body of John Oakhurst, who struck a streak of bad luck on the 23d of November, 1850, and handed in his checks on the 7th DECEMBER, 1850.” (Harte 684). In poker, the two of clubs symbolizes the losing card. Oakhurst recognized this and kept his lifestyle and values until the end, eventually throwing in the towel after too much bad
In “The Outcasts of Poker Flat,” by Bret Harte, his portrayal of the “outcasts” in the story contradict with their stereotypes. This is seen with all four outsiders, but specifically with the gambler, Mr. Oakhurst. When thinking of a gambler, the words selfish, careless, unreliable, and irresponsible come to mind. However, Bret Harte contrasts with this stereotype by making Mr. Oakhurst a good hearted person. For example, when the Duchess declared she could go no farther, the gambler never once “thought of deserting his weaker and more pitiable companions.” Surprisingly, the gambler, who is thought to be undependable and self-absorbed, never had the idea to desert his companions. Another instance where Mr. Oakhurst breaks the common stereotype
Breen even goes on to call this form of gambling a “ritual” amongst the colony and closely represents their own planting lifestyle as well The men who would often bet had the chance of losing all of their own material goods and also possibly their own reputation. Gambling was such an addiction to them, they went as far as risking their own reputation amongst society just for the chance of having more than they needed. Again, this cannot stress more on the concept of materialism as the author has stated and their competitive nature. It is evident that these traits that they have built over time through their independence led into their competitive gambling, and therefore the act of gambling then too represented who they truly were.
Edith Wharton’s brief, yet tragic novella, Ethan Frome, presents a crippled and lonely man – Ethan Frome – who is trapped in a loveless marriage with a hypochondriacal wife, Zenobia “Zeena” Frome. Set during a harsh, “sluggish” winter in Starkfield, Massachusetts, Ethan and his sickly wife live in a dilapidated and “unusually forlorn and stunted” New-England farmhouse (Wharton 18). Due to Zeena’s numerous complications, they employ her cousin to help around the house, a vivacious young girl – Mattie Silver. With Mattie’s presence, Starkfield seems to emerge from its desolateness, and Ethan’s vacant world seems to be awoken from his discontented life and empty marriage. And so begins Ethan’s love adventure – a desperate desire to have Mattie as his own; however, his morals along with his duty to Zeena and his natural streak of honesty hinder him in his ability to realize his own dreams. Throughout this suspenseful and disastrous novella, Ethan Frome, Edith Wharton effectively employs situational irony enabling readers to experience a sudden shock and an unexpected twist of events that ultimately lead to a final tragedy in a living nightmare.
As the sweltering, hot sun signified the start of a scorching afternoon, a young boy lay in the fields harvesting vegetables for another family. He had been enslaved to perform chores around the house for the family, and was only given very few privileges. While his stomach throbbed with pangs of hunger, he continued cooking meals for them. After the family indulged in the cozy heat from the fireplace, he was the one to clean the ashes. Despite his whole body feeling sore from all the rigorous work he completed, the young boy had been left alone to suffer. As months passed by, he desired independence. He wanted to cook his own food, make his own fire, harvest his own plants and earn money. The lad soon discovered that he needed faith and courage to break away from his restricted environment. When put in a suppressive situation, every person has the aspiration to escape the injustice. This is what Harrison Bergeron and Sanger Rainsford do to liberate themselves from the external forces that govern their lives. Harrison, the main character of “Harrison Bergeron” written by Kurt Vonnegut, is a strong, fourteen year old boy whose talents have been concealed by the government. Growing up in an environment where equality has restricted people’s thinking, Harrison endeavors to change society’s views. Rainsford, the main character of “The Most Dangerous Game” written by Richard Connell, is a skilled hunter who believes that animals were made to be hunted; he has no sympathy for them. Stranded on island with a killer chasing him, he learns to make rational choices. While both Harrison and Ranisford are courageous characters, Rainsford’s prudence enables him to overpower his enemy, whereas Harrison’s impulsive nature results in him being ...
The setting of the story helps to magnify its impact on the reader because it is set in a small town similar to the one many of us may know of, and that is symbolic of everything that we consider to be right in America. The story begins on a wonderful summer day in a small town. The author describes the day as very joyful but strikes a contrast between the surroundings of the town and the atmosphere of the people gathered in the square. The atmosphere is sober, where the adults ?stood together, away from the stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather then laughed."(268) This, in just the third paragraph, is a indication through symbolism of the townsfolk?s sober mood that something was amiss. The setting for the lottery also takes place in the same place as the square dances, the teen-age club, and the Halloween program.(268) This unifies our lives with those of the story sense we can relate to those types of events, and is symbolic in showing that even though this dastardly deed happens here that it is still the main place of celebration. Showing how easy it is for us, as human beings, to clean our conscientious by going back to a place that, on June 27, is a place of death and make it a place of delight.
Billy Collins in the book, Nine Horses, uses symbolism and metaphors to portray the characters in the poem “The Country”. "I wondered about you when you told me never to leave a box of wooden, strike-anywhere matches lying around the house because the mice might get into them and start a fire,”(Collins 9). The wooden, strike anywhere matches symbolizes a drug taken by an innocent child who is oblivious to the outside world. This innocent child is represented by the mouse. Like a child the mouse has no idea of the outcome that will occur due to “taking” the matches.
“Out of This Furnace” is a novel written by Thomas Bell, which entails the story of immigrant labor and a Slovak’s family immigration to America. In the beginning, the book focuses on George Kracha, who migrates to the U.S. in hopes to escape poverty and oppression in Hungaria. However, during his transit and through fault of his own, George finds himself with only fifty cents to continue his migration to Pennsylvania. George Kracha successfully arrives with his relatives and secures a position working for the railroad. Over time, George Kracha’s wife migrates to America, his family begins to grow, and Kracha shifts working from railroad to steel mills at Braddock. Kracha’s hope to obtain a better life in America becomes unseizable when he
“The outcast of Poker Flat” is very emotional story about four people who were outcast of the town because they weren’t proper fit for the new community. Each individual in the story except for Uncle Billy who is actually a thief and an alcoholic.
The snow is a symbol of all the outside forces that interrupt on the lives of the characters, over which they have little or no control which is comparable to Elie in Night in which he had no control over his own life. In Night, the symbol of fire represents the Nazi’s terrible power over the Jews. Elie and his father had no control over their own life when they were incarcerated in concentration camps because of the prejudices of the Nazi. Kabuo has been incarcerated for crime he did not commit due to the prejudices because of his race. This is comparable to Elie who was imprisoned in the camp due to prejudices by the Nazi for his religion. Kabuo whole life has been thrown into chaos as a result of the false charges which he is at the
Ponyboy Curtis, along with his gang- The Greasers- are in a heap of a strife. Their contender - The Socs- are having a rumble against-The Greasers- a bunch of vile ‘hoods’ although not all Greasers are vicious ‘hoods’ , some may be heroes. Ponyboy’s got to determine where he wants to go in life, and if that’s not grim enough, the ‘fuzz’ are after him and his best buddy Johnny. It wasn’t always this toilsome; it all happened on that fateful night at the park, forcing Ponyboy & Johnny out of their hometown Oklahoma, making them both feel like a pair of ‘Outsiders’. S.E Hinton inscribes a thrilling plot admirably well for the breathtaking novel ‘The Outsider’.
Robert Penn Warren’s “Blackberry Winter” is the story of one young boy’s sudden and painfully realistic venture from behind the blissful cloak of childhood innocence into the more brutal reality of the world. Warren captures this transition through the eyes of the young and happily naïve Middle Tennessee farm boy, Seth. When the story begins, the nine year old Seth is lingering on the very edge of his innocence, but is undoubtedly still in the throws of the methodical and simple life that only a child can truly have. Before that fateful day when the unusual stranger appeared so suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere, Seth led the secure and rhythmic life that comes with both ignorance and innocence. Seth having never left or even given much thought to life outside his small farm community, he had been sheltered from the true evils of the world. He had no concept of time or change, and had never needed one. That day, and that stranger, forced him to become aware of things that were beyond his control and even made him question the very things that he had always held as the gospel truth.
Timmerman, John H. "The Squatter's Circle in The Grapes of Wrath." Studies in American Fiction 17.2 (Autumn 1989): 203-211. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Jeffrey W. Hunter. Vol. 124. Detroit: Gale Group, 2000. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.
As Mr. John Oakhurst, gambler, stepped into the main street of Poker Flat on the morning of the twenty third of November, 1850, he was conscious of a change in its moral atmosphere from the preceding night. Two or three men, conversing earnestly together, ceased as he approached, and exchanged significant glances. There was a Sabbath lull in the air, which, in a settlement unused to Sabbath influences, looked ominous.
"The Outcasts of Poker Flat" is a short story by Bret Harte about a western town that has banished a
Oakhurst has been alone because of his profession of gambling but his bond with Tommy when they meet again changes him not only him but Tommy and Piney’s innocence change all the outcast for the better “the innocent was holding forth apparently with equal effect, to Mr. Oakhurst and mother Shipton, who was actually relaxing into amiability”(Harte). It was Oakhurst’s bond with Tommy that saved him from the loneliness he was