All in all, the story the “Outcasts of Poker Flat” is a bleak Holiday story that ends with vindication, also a favorite Thanksgiving theme. In the end all of the characters, except for the. Unrepentant robber and the Innocent, the fortunate recipient of everybody’s selflessness, die. The core story of “The Outcasts of Poker Flat”—a group of travelers get stranded in the snowy mountains, rations run low, and nearly everyone dies—feels reminiscent of the story of the Donner Party, a group of American pioneers who made the long trek to California from the Midwest via a wagon train.

The Outcasts of Poker Flat

We present “The Outcasts of Poker Flat” by Bret Harte. Here is Jim Tedder.

John Oakhurst was a gambler. He had lived in the small western town of Poker Flat for only a short time. He had defeated many people at cards. He had also won a lot of their money. For that reason alone, he was not well liked.

On the morning of November twenty-third, eighteen fifty, he saw some men talking as he walked down the main street of town. As he came near, they got quiet. He said to himself, “Hmmm, I guess they are talking about me. And that can’t be good.” Oakhurst was right. Some of the town’s leaders had met secretly and decided to force some people to leave. They thought Poker Flat would be a better place to live if those people were gone.

Besides Oakhurst, two women of low morals were led to the edge of town. They were the “Duchess” as she was called, and “Mother Shipton.” A man called “Uncle Billy” was added to the group. He was known to drink too much. Some people thought that he had also stolen some gold. They had no proof. But that did not matter. Uncle Billy was just no good, and he had to go. The “outcasts” were told that if they ever came back, they would be killed.

So, the four of them slowly rode out of town. The “Duchess” cried and said she would probably die on the road. Mother Shipton and Uncle Billy cursed. “Mother” said she would like to “cut the heart out” of the people who done this to them. But John Oakhurst rode in silence. He thought all of life was a gamble. He had just run into some bad luck. That was all.

The outcasts were headed for Sandy Bar, a camp not too far away. But it was high up in the cold Sierra Mountains, and the path was anything but smooth. Around noon, Mother Shipton became so tired she fell off her horse. She said that was as far as she was going today. Oakhurst tried to make them move on because they had no food or fuel. But the three would not listen. Instead they began to drink alcohol that Uncle Billy had hidden. Soon they were quiet and asleep.

Oakhurst did not drink. He stood nearby and watched them. He began to think about his life and about how lonely he was. Yet he was stronger than his three companions. He could have left them there and set off alone. But he did not.

Then, he heard someone call “John Oakhurst.” A young man named Tom Simson came riding up. The gambler knew Tom. They had once played cards and Oakhurst had won. But after the game, he told young Tom that he was too easy to beat. And he gave him back his money. Tom said Oakhurst would be his friend for life.

Tom was not alone. From behind a tree came his new wife, a girl named Piney Woods. Her father had not wanted her to marry Tom. So they had run away. Tom told Oakhurst that he had a little food. He also showed him an old log house just off the path. Years of harsh weather had nearly ruined it. But it was all they had, and it would have to do. The women could spend the night in there. The men would make a fire and sleep on the ground by the door.

The night seemed to pass quickly. But the weather became colder. The wind increased, and it began to snow. Oakhurst had a bad feeling. He turned to where Uncle Billy had slept, and found him gone. He had left the others and even taken their horses. Oakhurst said Uncle Billy had probably gone for help. But he knew better. The group of five decided to wait for the snow to stop before traveling farther. They no longer had horses. From here on, they would be on foot.

By the third day out from Poker Flat, the snow had gotten deep. They could no longer see the path. Food was running low. Everything around them was white and cold. One week later they still had not moved. The snow had continued to fall and was deeper than ever. And it continued to fall. It formed a prison they could not escape. Still, they could see smoke rising from the warm fires in the houses down below in Poker Flat. The site seemed especially cruel.

But the little group of outcasts tried to keep up their spirits. They tried to stay as warm as they could. They sat together by their own open-air fire. And Tom Simson pulled a small accordion from his pack. Piney Woods played the instrument. They all sang songs. The music took on a defiant quality, a quality of resistance. But the outcasts had to listen to the sad cries of their mostly empty stomachs. The hunger got worse with each passing day.

At midnight on the tenth day, Mother Shipton called Oakhurst to her side. She said, “Give this to the young ones.” In a bag was all her food. She had not eaten for days. She had saved the food for the others. She turned quietly to the wall of the log house, and died.

John Oakhurst began to think that none of them would live out the storm. He gave Tom Simson a pair of snowshoes and asked him to try to walk back to Poker Flat for help. He guessed it would take Tom at least two days, if not more, to get there. Tom kissed his new bride and left on foot. Soon he was out of sight. The Duchess and Piney were surprised, and frightened, when Oakhurst also turned to leave. “You’re not going, too,” they cried. He said, “Only a little way. I need to find us some help.”

At that time of year, daylight did not last long. When night came, Oakhurst had not returned. The two women were too hungry, weak, and cold to even add more wood to the fire. They passed the stormy night holding each other close. And that is the way they were found the next morning when help arrived from Poker Flat. They had frozen to death during the night.

The rescuers from town said that they had been right to force the outcasts to leave Poker Flat. But they never thought the punishment would end up like this. Justice was one thing, but freezing people to death was not their aim. And then they thought of the gambler. Where was he? What had happened to him? They searched as best they could. And then, they found him.

Under a tall tree a playing card was stuck into the wood by a knife. On the card was written: “Beneath this tree lies the body of John Oakhurst, who had some bad luck starting the twenty-third of November, eighteen fifty. He handed in his cards on the seventh of December, the same year.”

Oakhurst sat there, cold and still. They said he looked peaceful. A single bullet from a small hand gun nearby had ended his life. John Oakhurst had been both the strongest, and the weakest, of the outcasts of Poker Flat.

“The Outcasts of Poker Flat” by Bret Harte was adapted for VOA Learning English and read by Jim Tedder.

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Quiz - The Outcasts of Poker Flat by Bret Harte

For Teachers

This lesson plan has activities to use when teaching with this story.

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Words in This Story

gambler - n. a person who risks money or other possessions when playing a game

prison – n. a place where a person is kept as punishment for a crime

cruel - adj. causing or helping to cause suffering; terrible and unfair

outcast - n. someone who is not accepted by other people

snowshoe - n. a light, wide frame that is attached to your shoe to make it easier to walk on soft snow without sinking

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Poker Flat Story Summary Example

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HOLIDAY THEMES AND THE STORY ‘OUTCASTS OF POKER FLAT’

The holidays are replete with various themes. Christmas, for instance carries the themes of joy, sharing, generosity, family, humility, and forgiveness. Christmas originated with the commemoration of the birth of Christ. While there is no concrete evidence as to the actual date of the birth of Christ, this celebration is held every 25th day of December. There are speculations, however, that various symbols associated with Christmas are pagan in origin, such as the Christmas log/tree, the star, and even Christmas balls.

There is some evidence to suggest that Christmas was actually preceded by the winter solstice celebration which occurred during the time when the light of the sun shone for the shortest duration. (Robinson, 2000) Despite this supposed Christianization of pagan beliefs, Christian’s still celebrate Christmas in adoration and commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ – as the celebration is usually set in the winter season, such easily relates to the season mentioned in the story of “The Outcasts of Poker Flat”.

Like Christmas, Thanksgiving is also celebrated at about the same time. Dominant themes in the celebration of Thanksgiving are liberation, freedom, abundance, fellowship, unity, brotherhood and, of course, thanksgiving. The first pilgrims who came to the Americas to celebrate the first Thanksgiving were from England and they left their native land because they were fleeing from religious persecution. During their trip on the Mayflower, the travelers frequently disagreed among themselves and were divided into two factions; eventually, everybody came to terms with their differences and agreed to unite under the Mayflower Compact. On their arrival in the New World, another reason for celebration came into focus, the welcome given by the Native American Indians and their fellowship with this ethnic culture. The modern day Thanksgiving celebration was officially celebrated for the first time on November 29th.

The themes of the two holidays mentioned can be associated with the story of “The Outcasts of Poker Flat”. Aside from just the themes, the histories of these holidays are also strikingly reflected in the story.

Reading between the lines, it is initially obvious that the story has salient biblical references, for instance, there is mention of the sycamore tree as being the tree where the executed was hang in the first part of the story (Harte, 1836). In the bible, the sycamore tree plays a very important role when the tax collector, Zacchaeus, wanted to see Jesus Christ who was passing through Jericho on His way to Jerusalem. It has to be noted that during the time of Christ, tax collectors were hated by society, but Zacchaeus’ desire to see Jesus signified his change of heart. Symbolically, the sycamore tree in the story also serves the same purpose, although in a more morbid way. The sycamore tree was also essentially a means for those hated by society to meet their Creator and experience metanoia, or change of heart. This initial symbolism sets the tone of the story, and encourages the reader to seek more of this kind of symbolism in the entire story, of which there is many.

Other than just the season in which the story is set, which is winter; there are other themes that could be drawn that are quite affined with the two holidays mentioned. One of the themes in the story that might be of relation to Christmas is the theme of hidden or unexpected goodness and kindness (Cummings, 2006) from a group of unlikely people, the gambler, John Oakhurst, and the prostitutes, the Duchess and Mother Shipton. It will be remembered from the story that these three characters experienced a change of heart on their exile from Poker Flat; such subtlety in metanoia is shown in Mother Shipton’s reaction to the kissing lovers, “The frail Duchess and the malevolent mother were probably too stunned to remark upon this last evidence of simplicity, and so turned without a word to the hut.” (Harte, 1836) The same change of heart occurred to the hard hearted gambler, John Oakhurst, when he decided he wanted to keep the robbery of Uncle Billy from the group to keep their hopes alive, “Mr. Oakhurst could not bring himself to disclose Uncle Billy’s rascality and so offered the hypothesis that he had wandered from the camp and had accidentally stampeded the animals.” (Harte, 1836) This change of heart of this unlikely group of people led them to show random acts of kindness to the lovers, Piney and the Innocent who had wandered into their company on their way to Poker Flat.

In the Christmas story, the same thing occurs to an unlikely inn keeper, who instead of turning away Mary and Joseph offered them the only room in his inn, the stable. Shared joy in the midst of insufficiency is also evident in the story when the group tried to keep themselves entertained despite of the misfortune that the snow brought upon them, “But the crowning festivity of the evening was reached in a rude camp-meeting hymn,” (Harte, 1836) “the reedy notes of the accordion rose and fell in fitful spasms and long-drawn gasps by the flickering campfire.” (Harte, 1836). The holiday theme of sharing and self-sacrifice, coupled with unconditional generosity also occurs several times throughout the story, in particular, when Mother Shipton was on her death bed, “I’m going, but don’t waken the kids. Take the bundle from under my head and open it. Give’em to the child (Piney)”, (Harte, 1836) she said, endorsing her daily rations, which she had not eaten to Mr. Oakhurst, so that the sick Piney may have it. Mother Shipton starved herself to death so that she could save the rations for the younger members of the group.

The thanksgiving themes in the story are also very evident, the initial theme of exile for instance, very closely reflects how the first pilgrims left England to escape persecution, and in their travails, actually found something better. On their exile, the outcasts from Poker Flat also found many things to be thankful about. Mother Shipton and the Duchess both found the love (although only as viewers) hat they had been yearning for the rest of their lives in Piney and the Innocent. (Harte, 1836) and Mr. Oakhurst gained the respect and confidence of Innocent, the kind of respect that he never would have experienced in Poker Flat. (Harte, 1836) When the lovers Piney and Innocent, came into the company of the outcasts, they were also welcomed, despite the initial hesitance (Harte, 1836); quite like the experience of the pilgrims with the Native American Indians of Plymouth. (HON, 1995).

In particular, we also find similarities in the story that have to do with the season. The indifference of nature to the outcasts as it showed no mercy by isolating them with heavy snow. (Cummings, 2006) Similarly, the pilgrims of the very first Thanksgiving were also testaments to the indifference of nature as upon their arrival, the first winter they experienced brought great cold, heavy snow and sleet, interfering with their attempts to construct their settlements. (HON, 1995)

The story of the outcasts of Poker Flat also has striking similarities to the classic Christmas tale, “The Little Match Girl” where a little match seller find relief from the cruelty of winter and starvation in visions of her dead grandmother that resulted to her lighting of the matches that she was selling (Andersen, 1846). Although not pronounced, the entire theme of Harte’s (1836) story is very evident in the following passage from “The Little Match Girl”, “She took the little girl in her arms, and they both flew upwards in brightness and joy far above the earth, where there was neither cold nor hunger nor pain, for they were with God” (Andersen, 1846)

Poker Flat Story Summary Island Of The Blue Dolphins

All in all, the story the “Outcasts of Poker Flat” is a bleak Holiday story that ends with vindication, also a favorite Thanksgiving theme. In the end all of the characters, except for the

unrepentant robber and the Innocent, the fortunate recipient of everybody’s selflessness, die. In the deaths of the final characters, vindication is achieved quite like the way it is achieved in the classic holiday story, “The Little Match Girl”. Referring to the deaths of the Duchess and Piney, the narrator says, “You could scarcely have told from the equal peace that dwelt upon them, which was she that sinned, even the law of Poker Flat recognized this, and turned away, leaving them locked in each other’s arms” (Harte, 1836), and written on a card from a playing deck is an epitaph that speaks of Mr. Oakhurst’s suicide are the words, “Beneath this tree lies the Body of John Oakhurst, who struck a streak of bad luck on the 23rd of November, 1850 and handed in his checks on the 7th of December, 1850” (Harte, 1836) These two passages from the story speak of the existence of the recognition of a higher accountability for the characters, that in their death, even the law of man was not able to vindicate them.

Poker Flat Story Summary Template

In totality, the story is about bringing out the best in each one of us amid trying times. We all know that no matter how hard a criminal is or how bad a person could be, man is born with an inherent goodness, the kind of goodness that is accurately depicted in Harte’s (1836) story. While we cannot thoroughly say that the story “The Outcasts of Poker Flat” is quite original when it comes to thematic, the story exercises some kind of influence over the reader, the kind that touches the very core of humanity, which is the same inherent nature that is the true meaning of the holidays that we celebrate, whether it is Christmas or Thanksgiving. More than just celebration, it is humanity that is celebrated during these two holidays, it is the reason for existence, and the reason for life; two very important elements that, in a way, made “The

Outcasts of Poker Flat” not only a rememberable story, but a memorable reading experience as well.

References

Andersen, H. (2007). The Little Match Seller. Retrieved March 2, 2009, from http://hca.gilead.org.il/li_match.html

Cummings, M. . (2006). The Outcasts of Poker Flat-A Study Guide. Retrieved March 2, 2009, from http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides4/Outcasts.html

Harte, F. (1917). The Outcasts of Poker Flat. Retrieved March 2, 2009, from http://www.bartleby.com/310/4/2.html

Poker Flat Story Summary Graphic Organizer

Holidays on the Net (1995). The Pilgrims and America’s First Thanksgiving. Retrieved March 2, 2009, from http://www.holidays.net/thanksgiving/pilgrims.htm

Robinson, B. . (2000). ALL ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS TREE Pagan origins, Christian adaptation, & secular status. Retrieved March 2, 2009, from http://www.religioustolerance.org/xmas_tree.htm

WiseGeek (2003). What is Christmas?. Retrieved March 2, 2009, from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-christmas.htm