Oakhurst and the others were forced to leave Poker Flat due to a moral crackdown by the town's citizens, who sought to rid the community of perceived immoral influences. The residents, fueled by a sense of righteousness, expelled individuals they deemed to be undesirable, including gamblers and women of ill repute. This expulsion was a reaction to a series of unfortunate events, including a recent crime, which prompted the townspeople to take drastic measures to restore their community's moral order.
In the story of The Outcasts of Poker Flats, the townspeople are getting rid of the "undesirable elements". Oakhurst and the others are considered part of this group.
They did not hang Oakhurst because those fortunate enough to win from him overruled the ones trying to hang him with a vote.
Mr. Oakhurst feels oppressed by his gambling habit because it leads him to be ostracized from the community and contributes to his sense of isolation. He also struggles with his habit because it affects his relationships with others and perpetuates negative stereotypes associated with his character. Ultimately, his habit becomes a source of shame and regret for Mr. Oakhurst.
Mr. John Oakhurst, the "Duchess", "Mother Shipton", "Uncle Billy", Tom Simson, and Piney Woods
John Oakhurst wrote his epitaph on the two of clubs to express his ironic humor and defiance of fate. He saw it as a way to demonstrate his acceptance of his actions and fate. It also acted as a symbol of his understanding of the randomness of life and luck.
The problem in the Outcasts of Poker Flats is that residents of Poker Flat decided to kick out a group of undesirables who were: John Oakhurst, the Duchess, Mother Shipton, and Uncle Billy because they hoped to improve their town. The outcasts went on a journey to Sandy Bar, but the trail was very hard to pass and it was snowing and very cold. With very little food they starved and Oakhurst killed himself.
The deuce of clubs is known as the low card in poker. Mr. Oakhurst is a gambler and was sent out of pokerflat because he was too good at gambaling. When the deuce of clubs was pinned to a tree it showed that Oakhurst got the lowest card and he folded in. This is a symbolic ideal of him dying.
In Bret Harte's "The Outcasts of Poker Flat," four characters are exiled from the community. These characters are the protagonist John Oakhurst, "The Duchess," "Mother Shipton," and Uncle Billy.
Mr. John Oakhurst, the "Duchess", "Mother Shipton", "Uncle Billy", Tom Simson, and Piney Woods
John Oakhurst, a character in Bret Harte's short story "The Outcasts of Poker Flat," is implied to have taken his own life. After being ostracized by the town and facing overwhelming despair in the harsh wilderness, he chooses to leave his companions and is later found dead with a deck of cards in his hand. The story suggests that his death was a result of his own choice rather than murder.
Mr. John Oakhurst, the "Duchess", "Mother Shipton", "Uncle Billy", Tom Simson, and Piney Woods
Oakhurst was the strongest of the group due to the fact that he trusted more in the reliability of the solution......but also the weakest because he would never take a chance on the least-likely solution that could work