Realism & naturalism & the outcasts of Poker Flat

depiction of events (realism)

concentrated on both moments of significance while also depicting unexciting events

John Oakhurst

The protagonist of the story. He is a professional gambler who is forced out of Poker Flat because he wins all the games and takes the townspeople's money. A typical stoic cowboy figure, he is kind, cool-tempered and a believer in the capriciousness of luck.

The duchess

A prostitute who is exiled from Poker Flat. She is the drama queen of the group, prone to histrionics in the face of the exiles' hard journey.

Mother Shipton

A prostitute who is also forced out of Poker Flat. She later starves herself to death to make sure that Piney Woods gets to eat.

Uncle billy

A thief and alcoholic who is initially forced out of town. He takes advantage of the situation, however, when he chooses to steal the exiled group's mules, leaving them stranded in the mountains.

Tom Simson

Referred to as "the Innocent," a young man who runs away with his lover, Piney Woods, to get married. He admires and respects Oakhurst, by whom he was defeated in a game of poker once; following the game, Oakhurst magnanimously returned Tom's lost money to him, forgiving his lack of experience with gambling.

Piney woods

Tom's lover and fiancée, whose father objected to their marriage. Like Tom, she is understood to be pure and innocent. She dies in the Duchess' arms.

concern for life (realism)

concerned for the whole of life with nothing being insignificant; ordinary, ugual, typical events

view of life (realism)

objectively, clearly, simply, accurately

central issues of life (realism)

ethical and moral questions of conduct

opinion on materialism (realism)

believed materialism corrupted democratic values

opinion on rich/poor (realism)

sympathized with plight of ordinary people with awareness of gap between rich and poor

View of God (realism)

saw God as remote, not easily accessible force in people's lives

opinion on imagination (naturalism)

imagination and creative writing is stifled; writers stressed negative aspects of existence

opinion on man and environment (naturalism)

concern was with man's responses to environmental forces over which he has no control (heredity and environmental factors in determining man's destiny);

man is a creature of circumstance over which he has no control

opinion on science (naturalism)

Scientific observation of human behavior is stressed with influences coming from Darwin (biological determinism), Marx (economist of social forces and change), and Freud (determinism of the inner and subconscious self)

view of human condition/ universe (naturalism)

writers held a grim view of the human condition and emphasized it in their work/ saw universe as cold, raw, primitive jungle indifferent to the struggles of man

view of religion (naturalism)

religious attitudes were weakened by Darwin's survival of the fittest philosophy

writers were overly pessimistic about man and his ability to control his own social, hereditary, and natural environment

John Oakhurst

gambler who was banished from Poker Flat, very calm, did not drink, eventually commits suicide

Tom Simson (The Innocent) and Piney Woods

young couple who was their way to Poker Flat to get married and to seek their fortune.

Uncle Billy

robber and drunkard who leaves during the might with the mules and lots of supplies

Sandy Bar

The outcasts are going to this camp over a steep mountain range, a day's travel on a narrow and difficult trail

what phrase to Tom Simson and Piney Woods sing?

I'm proud to live in the service of the Lord, and I'm bound to die in His army

What story does Tom tell to pass time?

the Iliad

where does the group stay while crossing the mountains before reaching Sandy Bar?

an amphitheater

What does John Oakhurst ask The Innocent to do?

Oakhurst says Tom could save Piney if he could reach Poker Flat in two days; he accompanied Tom as far as the canyon but did not go farther

Why does Tom Simson like Oakhurst?

Oakhurst gave him all his money back after a game with a warning not to gamble anymore

Who did the narrator say was "at once the strongest and yet the weakest of the outcasts"?

John Oakhurst

What was pinned to the tree when Oakhurst killed himself?

deuce of clubs pinned with a bowie-knife; eulogy written in pencil

determinism

the opposite of free will, in which a character's fate has been decided, even predetermined, by impersonal forces (environmental, hereditary, and/or social) that are beyond human control; a sense that the universe itself is indifferent to human life.

detached 3rd person narrator

the narrator in a Naturalistic work of fiction reports events with an indifferent tone. Sometimes they do not even give a name to a main character.

realistic character

the protagonist will be a believable character, frequently ill-educated &/or of lower or middle class; although he/she may be the victim of fate, nature, etc., they are not insignificant, and they generally respond to adversity stoically, and with dignity.

themes

primarily had themes involving violence, poverty, corruption.

determinism in “episode of war”

The lieutenant is shot at an odd time, when no imminent danger was apparent. Against his will, his arm is amputated. Hence, he is a victim of the Civil War, a societal force beyond his control.

detached 3rd person narrator in “episode of war”

The narrator describes the characters and events without romanticizing events or characters; he does not create any sympathy in the reader. There are a great many details about the battle scenes that the lieutenant observes as he walks to the field hospital, but his feelings are not really explored. We never learn a single character’s name.

realistic characters in “episode of war”

The lieutenant is a realistic, ordinary man. He’s not particularly heroic, and even seems ashamed of being wounded. He does behave in a stoic, dignified manner as he copes with his wound and the subsequent amputation of his arm.

themes in “episode of war”

• The Brutality of War: Highlights the sudden, unpredictable nature of violence and the physical and emotional toll it takes on individuals.

• Human Suffering: Focuses on the pain and disorientation soldiers face during war, especially in moments of injury and vulnerability.

• Fate and Chance: Emphasizes how the soldier’s injury, and by extension his life, can be changed by random circumstances beyond his control.

• Inhumanity and Indifference: Suggests that war depersonalizes individuals, with medical staff and others displaying a lack of empathy for the wounded soldier.

• Isolation: The soldier's experience of injury and suffering is portrayed as isolating, both physically and emotionally.

• The Illusion of Glory: The story critiques the idealization of war, showing it to be far less heroic than often portrayed.

determinism in “outcasts of poker flat”

• Predetermined Fate: The characters in the story are shaped by their past actions and societal judgments, which seem to determine their ultimate fate. Their history of being outcasts makes it seem impossible for them to escape the consequences of their actions.

• Society's Influence: The outcasts are expelled from Poker Flat due to their past behaviors, reinforcing the idea that societal norms and judgments can dictate a person's life path.

• Nature’s Role: The harsh natural environment they encounter acts as an external force that further seals their fate. Their struggle against the wilderness emphasizes the idea that life is influenced by forces beyond their control.

• Tragic End: Despite showing moments of redemption (e.g., Duchess’s sacrifice), the characters’ pasts and societal rejection seem to seal their tragic end, illustrating that their fate is inevitable.

detached 3rd person narratro in “outcasts of poker flat”

• Detached Third-Person Narrator: The story is told from an outside perspective, not from any one character’s point of view.

• Objective Account: The narrator describes events and actions without delving into characters' inner thoughts or emotions.

• Emphasis on External Actions: Focuses on what characters do rather than why they do it.

• Inevitable Fate: The detached perspective highlights the inevitability of the characters' outcomes, reinforcing themes of fate and societal judgment.

• Harshness of the Environment: The neutral tone of the narrator emphasizes the unforgiving natural world and societal forces shaping the characters' destinies.

realistic characters in “outcasts of poker flat”

• Stereotypical but Complex: While the characters might initially seem like stereotypes (e.g., the gambler, the prostitute, the thief), Harte deepens their portrayal by revealing their humanity, showing them capable of change or moral redemption.

• Moral Ambiguity: The outcasts are not wholly good or bad. For example, John Oakhurst, the gambler, is a skilled, calm man who shows kindness in the face of adversity, while Duchess, a prostitute, reveals moments of vulnerability and sacrifice.

• Society's Judgment: The characters are shaped by their past actions and societal judgment, which reflects the harsh realities of social marginalization, adding depth to their personalities and making them seem more realistic.

• Emotional Growth: Some characters experience moments of emotional growth, such as the Duchess and Mother Shipton’s actions toward the end of the story, which contribute to their realism as they evolve in response to dire circumstances.

themes in “outcasts of poker flat”

• Redemption: Several characters, especially the Duchess and Mother Shipton, show moments of moral growth and self-sacrifice, suggesting the possibility of redemption even for those labeled as outcasts by society.

• Society and Judgement: The story explores how society judges and ostracizes individuals based on their past actions, leading to their rejection. The outcasts' experiences reflect the harshness of societal norms and their impact on individuals' lives.

• Fate and Determinism: The characters’ destinies seem determined by their past actions and society's judgment, as well as by the external forces of nature. Their tragic end highlights the inevitability of fate.

• Sacrifice: The theme of sacrifice appears through characters like Duchess and Mother Shipton, who, in their final moments, act selflessly for others, despite their flawed pasts.

• Nature’s Power: The harsh environment plays a significant role in shaping the characters’ fate, reflecting the idea that nature, like society, can be an unforgiving and uncontrollable force.

• Moral Ambiguity: The characters are complex, neither completely good nor bad, highlighting the theme that people are often a mix of virtues and vices, and circumstances can shape their actions.