“The Outcasts of Poker Flat,” 1132-39

A.  What is the setting of the story?

B.  Who is the main character and why?

C.  Who are the minor characters and why?

D.  What is meant by “a Sabbath lull”?

E.  Why are the characters exiled (Two men are hanged)?

F.  How is Oakhurst a realist?

G.  Why does Oakhurst become reflective at the camp?

H.  How do “The Innocent” and Piney change the picture?

I.  What is the irony in the statement, “’They’ll find out the truth about us all when they find out anything’” (1136) and in the two lines from the hymn (1137)?

J.  How does “luck” compare to Oakhurst’s character?

K.  How do the people die?

L.  Why is Oakhurst called both “the strongest and yet the weakest”?

M.  Why is the Duchess glad that Piney can’t pray?

N.  How is the story realistic?

O.  How is the story connected to James's "The Real Thing"?

P.  How does the story illustrate irony?

Q.  How does the story depict the West?

3.  “The Luck of Roaring Camp”

A.  How are the characters similar to those in “Outcasts”?

B.  What is the redemptive motivation in both stories?

C.  Why do both stories end in death?

D.  What point about humanity is Harte making?

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