Pick one of the following writing topics and write as much as you can on the topic you chose. Write at least one page.
1. Why do you think Harte has chosen this particular story–The Illiad to be shared? Think about the events of the Trojan War.
2. What is the symbolism of the snowstorm?
3. What part does sacrifice play in the tale?
4. The gambler, Mr. Oakhurst, is described at the end as “he who was at once the strongest and yet the weakest of the outcasts….” Do you agree with this view? In what ways does Oakhurst typify a romantic picture of the Western hero?
5.Who is the most admirable character in the story?
6. Write an essay explaining the importance Tom Simson and Piney Woods as catalysts who bring out the best in John Oakhurst, Mother Shipton, and the Duchess.
7. Read the story carefully. Then identify the passage suggesting that Uncle Billy is plotting against his fellow outcasts. Would you describe him as malicious or mischievous?
8. Apparently, Tom Simson makes it back to Poker Flat and summons help. Do you believe the citizens of Poker Flat look less harshly on the outcasts after hearing their story from Tom and finding the bodies, along with Oakhurst’s epitaph?
9. Why did John Oakhurst choose the two of clubs to bear his epitaph?
10. If you had to affix blame for the deaths of the stranded outcasts, would you point your finger at Uncle Billy, the committee of Poker Flat citizens, bad luck, or the outcasts themselves?