The Outcasts of Poker Flat
In the Outcasts of Poker Flat there are many themes that directly relate
to themes in The Minister's Black Veil. The two authors, though they had different styles and were
writing about different traditions related themes such as how we judge other people before we actua
lly know them, how in times of need people make sacrifices, and how all is revealed at judgment. In
The Outcasts of Poker Flat all of the outcasts are judged based on their occupations or interests.
The town decided to rid the town of all improper persons. Therefore the group of outcasts was force
d to leave. The outcasts were actually good people. Though they weren't the most saintly, they wer
e most likely still better than some of the people that were not forced to leave. For example, Jim
Oakhurst the gambler was forced to leave town because of the large sums of money he had taken from p
eople gambling. It turns out one of the people they ended up getting snowed in with, Tom Simson, wa
s one of the people he had previously gambled against. Mr. Oakhurst easily beat Tom because he was
a bad gambler. Misjudged, Oakhurst was really a good-hearted man. He gave back the fortune that he
had won from Simson and advised him to never gamble again. If the secret committee in Poker Flat h
ad heard this story, the most likely would have reconsidered before making forcing him to leave and
never return. Another example of this is when Tom and Piney gather with the outcasts. They had no
clue that the group had been forced to leave Poker Flat because of their occupations and interests,
but that didn't bother them from camping with them. This shows that the outcasts were judged by a g
roup of people in Poker Flat that had no clue about their real personalities. Another theme closely
related in both stories is rising to the occasion. In The Outcasts of Poker Flat as well as in The
Ministers Black Veil, characters are forced to rise to the occasion and do what they knew what best
for the group of the people. In The Outcasts of Poker Flat, Mother Shipton best exemplifies this th
eme. Being an old prostitute and knowing they were snowed in, she knew that her life was coming to
an end. She knew that making a sacrifice was in hers and the group's best interest. She sacrificed
her food for the last week of her life so that the young girl, Piney could live maybe just a little
longer than she would have without the food. The third theme that was shown in both stories was tha
t all is revealed at judgment. This theme is revealed in The Minister's Black Veil because the Mini
ster knew that everyone had sinned. Mr. Hooper's theory was that if you had sinned you shouldn't hi
de it because it will be revealed when you are at the gates of Heaven. As in The Outcasts of Poker
Flat all of the outcasts had made mistakes and had sinned in their lives, but so had the people in t
he committee that sentenced them to exile. The themes are similar because all is revealed at judgme
nt. The exiles were just judged for their occupations and hobbies, not for the actual amount of sin
s they had committed. Therefore, there are many themes that could be related in the two stories, The
Minister's Black Veil and The Outcasts of Poker Flat. The outcasts all had made mistakes but so ha
d the people that judged them, and they were judged before people actually got to know them. Mother
Shipton rose to the occasion when she knew that she was old and her life was slowly ending. By giv
ing Piney her food, she sacrificed the rest of her life for someone else. The third theme that is r
elated in both stories is that death spares no one and all is revealed at the gates of heaven. In C
onclusion, two completely different authors with different styles and from different backgrounds can
easily relate themes and life lessons through their own writings.
outcasts poker flat outcasts pok
er flat there many themes that directly relate themes minister black veil authors though they differ
ent styles were writing about different traditions related themes such judge other people before act
ually know them times need people make sacrifices revealed judgment outcasts poker flat judged based
their occupations interests town decided town improper persons therefore group forced leave were ac
tually good people though they weren most saintly they were most likely still better than some that
forced leave example oakhurst gambler forced leave town because large sums money taken from gambling
turns ended getting snowed with simson previously gambled against oakhurst easily beat because gamb
ler misjudged oakhurst really good hearted gave back fortune that from simson advised never gamble a
gain secret committee heard this story most likely would have reconsidered before making forcing nev
er return another example this when piney gather with clue group been because their occupations inte
rests didn bother them from camping with them this shows judged group clue about their real personal
ities another theme closely related both stories rising occasion well ministers black veil character
s rise occasion what knew what best mother shipton best exemplifies theme being prostitute knowing s
nowed knew life coming knew making sacrifice hers best interest sacrificed food last week life young
girl piney could live maybe just little longer than would have without food third theme shown both
stories revealed judgment revealed minister black veil minister everyone sinned hooper theory sinned
shouldn hide will when gates heaven made mistakes sinned lives committee sentenced exile similar ju
dgment exiles just judged occupations hobbies actual amount sins committed therefore there many coul
d related stories made mistakes before actually know mother shipton rose occasion when life slowly e
nding giving piney food sacrificed rest someone else third both death spares gates heaven conclusion
completely different authors styles backgrounds easily relate lessons through writingsEssay, essays
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