The Outcasts Of Poker Flat Analysis

The Outcasts of Poker Flat is a well-written short story. It tells the story of the few “immorals” who have been exiled from the town of Poker Flat and their journey. Throughout the story, characters come and go, they discover new things, and mostly change their ways for the better. The first exile is Mr. John Oakhurst, the protagonist and a known gambler who is being removed due to his success in the town’s casino. On his way out of town, “The Duchess”, a saloon girl; “Mother Shipton”, a madam; and “Uncle Billy”, the town drunk and a suspected robber joins him. Their personalities and emotions are skewed and somewhat undesirable in the beginning. However, as the story progresses, their ways change for the better. They start as the bunch
Many of the characters had mixed emotions about their situation and each other. The Dutchess had the feeling of panic that she was going to die as Harte states Oakhurst heard “…the repeated statements of the Duchess that she would die in the road.”(Harte) Oakhurst’s emotions towards Uncle Billy were that of annoyance and were noted by multiple kicks to Uncle Billy for his uncalled for behavior. The Dutchess had emotions towards Piney of sisterhood and compassion. They seemed like they genuinely cared for one another even though they barely knew each other. Mother Shipton displayed very few emotions of anything but anger until her death. She was noted throughout the story as cursing, and using vulgar words. As noted before, their were mixed emotions in the story. All in all, “The Outcasts of Poker Flat” is a short story that is full of mental and psychological feelings and emotions. There were many actions and thoughts and other key events that promote or influence these statements. They seem to add to the suspense and actions of the story by telling the side of the characters you otherwise would not know. In “The Outcasts of Poker Flat”, Bret Hart uses detail to portray the character’s discoveries and their changes in personality and