Outcasts Of Poker Flat Change

Words: 677
Pages: 3

According to Google, the word “change” means “to make or become different.” When people are faced with adverse circumstances, they often experience a change and develop a different way of life. Usually, that change is for the well-being of the individual. They take those new circumstances and create something good out of it by helping those around them. In the short stories of “The Luck of Roaring Camp” and “The Outcasts of Poker Flat,” the reader sees the significant changes some of the characters go through. When placed in their new situations, the characters of these stories must adjust their ways to fully experience change. Bret Harte shows the change of his characters in adverse circumstances when Kentuck sacrifices his life for Luck and when Mother Shipton sacrifices her rations for Piney. …show more content…
Kentuck had never witnessed new life in the camp. When Cherokee Sal was about to give birth to Luck, he told Stumpy to go into the cabin to help. Kentuck was always apprehensive to change for one little baby, while everyone else was quick to change. He referred to the baby as “the d--d little cuss,” (Harte 2). It was not until the Luck “rastled” with his finger that he became more willing to participate in the changes happening in the camp for the baby. When Stumpy made everyone clean up before holding the baby, Kentuck cleaned himself up, even though “it was a cruel mortification” to him, (Harte 3). Kentuck’s change fully took place when the town started to flood. It was Kentuck who went to save the baby from the fatal waters. When he found out that Luck was dead and that he was dying too, Kentuck clung to Luck and said “I’ve got The Luck with me now,” (Harte 6). Kentuck’s change made it possible for him to try to save Luck and accept his own fate as