A brief biography of bret harte

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A Brief Biography of Bret Harte

Francis Bret Harte was born in Albany New York on August 5, 18. In 1854, his mother, a widow, moved him to California. In California Harte worked as a miner, school teacher, express messenger, printer, and journalist. While in San Francisco writing for The Californian he worked with Mark Twain, Charles Warren Stoddard, Prentice Mulford and the editor, Henry Webb. He contributed many poems and prose pieces to the paper. Bret Harte was appointed Secretary of the United States Branch Mint at San Francisco. He held that office until 1870.

Harte became the first editor of the Overland Monthly. The Luck of Roaring Camp published in the Overland Monthly brought him instant and wide fame. He was thereafter requested to contribute poems and articles to a number of publications. His stories of the American West were much in demand in the eastern United States. In 1871 he moved to New York. He later moved to Boston. Harte continued to write poetry and prose, and enjoyed wide popularity.

In 1878 Bret Harte was appointed United States Consul at Crefeld, Germany. Harte was transferred to Glasgow, Scotland in 1880. Thereafter he resided in London.

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He died in Camberely, England on May 6, 10 from throat cancer.

Historic Event in the 1800's that Influenced Bret Harte

Harte's works were all somehow influenced by the California Gold Rush of 184. His interest in Western literature and his success of transforming his writings into popular fiction led many writers to explore American West themes. Most of his stories focus on characters the he thought were worthy of treatment for their own sake and his plots were very artificial. His plots were sentimental which made it appealing top young readers, but it took time before he became popular amongst adults.

Analysis of "The Outcasts of Poker Flat"

The short story "The Outcasts of Poker Flat" tells the fortunes of four "outcasts" from the California gold camp of Poker Flat, who have been escorted to the city limits by a vigilance committee and told never to return at the risk of their lives. The four outcasts are Mr. John Oakhurst, a professional gambler, "the Duchess" and "Mother Shipton," two prostitutes; and "Uncle Billy," a drunkard, suspected as well of the more serious crime of robbing sluices. The four outcasts hope to find shelter in the neighboring settlement of Sandy Bar, a long day's journey away over a steep mountain range; but at noon, the weary Duchess calls a stop to the journey, saying she will "go no further." They go into camp, despite Mr. Oakhurst's pointing out that they have neither equipment nor provisions. The only thing they have is liquor which makes them forget the rest of the journey to Sandy Bar. Oakhurst does not drink, but out of a feeling of loyalty stays with his companions. Sometime later during the afternoon, the 4 outcasts are joined by refugees from Sandy Bar, Tom Simson and his fianc e, Piney Woods. They have with them, extra provisions. They have escaped from Sandy Bar because of the objections of Piney's father to their marriage and are planning to get married in Poker Flat. It becomes evident that Simson, referred throughout the story as the "Innocent," had once lost to Oakhurst his "entire fortune- amounting to some forty dollars"- and that after the game was over Oakhurst had taken the young man aside and given him his money back, saying simply "you're a good little man, but you can't gamble worth a cent. Don't try it over again." Since it is now too later to travel on, the outcasts and the young lovers decide to camp in a ruined house near the trail. During the night Uncle Billy abandons the group, taking all the animals with him. It also begins to snow. The party is snowed in, but the situation isn't too bad considering they have enough food for 10 days. They all begin to make the cabin livable and spend the first few days listening to the accordion the Innocent plays, and to the Iliad which he has recently read. The situation deteriorates. Another snowstorm isolates the camp, although they are able to see far below them the smoke of Poker Flat. On the tenth day, Mother Shipton, "once the strongest of the party," which had mysteriously been growing weaker, dies. She starved herself to death to save the lives of the young ones. She had saved her portions and wrapped them up in a bundle. Mr. Oakhurst then makes a pair of snowshoes out of a pack saddles and gives them to the Innocent, whom he sends off to Poker Flat in a last attempt to bring aid. If the Innocent reaches Poker Flat within two days, all will be well. He follows the Innocent part way on his journey toward Poker Flat, but does not return. Back at the camp the situation goes from bad to worse. Only the Duchess and Piney are left, and although they discover and are grateful for the pile of wood Mr. Oakhurst has secretly left for them, they are not able to start a fire. They die of starvation in the snow and are found by a rescue party too late. Oakhurst commits suicide at the end of the story. The story ends with a rehearsal of his life, written by himself on a deuce of clubs and pinned to a pine tree with a bowie knife "Beneath this tree lies the body of John Oakhurst, who struck a streak of bad luck on the rd on November 1850, and handed in his checks on the 7th of December, 1850."

A group of outcasts is sent up a long day's journey to another place. They stop only halfway; that is half a day's journey there. The place they left is clearly visible behind them. They start off with four people in total and two join them later. When Uncle Billy escapes, only five remain. It is never clarified what Uncle Billy could have possibly wanted by stealing the animals, considering he had no food for them or himself, nor is an explanation of how he managed to escape from right under their noses, when earlier in the story it was mentioned that Mr. Oakhurst was a light sleeper. When Uncle Billy leaves the group, they discover that they have sufficient food for ten days. Mother Shipton eats none of hers, dying at the end of the week. With Mr. Oakhurst about to commit suicide, it leaves enough food for the remaining two survivors to survive until the rescue party arrives. Since Harte is known for creating sentimental plots, he lets his story end a very tragic and nostalgic way. Perhaps Harte's mistake is that in his persistent search for California gold, he did not know where to find it. He never was able to strike it rich, and throughout his life applied this concept of the same tragic ending to all his literary works.

Harte's Works and Publication Dates

Principal Short Fiction

The Lost Galleon and Other Tales, 1867

Condensed Novels, 1867

The Luck of the Roaring Camp and Other Sketches, 1870

Stories of the Sierras, 187

Mrs. Skagg's Husbands, 187

Tales of the Argonauts, 1875

Thankful Blossom, 1877

The Story of a Mine, 1878

Drift from Two Shores, 1878

The Twins of Table Mountain, 187

Flip and Found at Blazing Star, 188

In the Carquinez Woods, 188

Maruja, 1885

The Crusade of the Excelsior, 1887

A Millionare of Rough-and-Ready, 1887

A Phyllis of the Sierras, 1888

Cressy, 188

The Heritage of Dedlow Marsh, 188

A Waif of the Plains, 180

A First Family of Tasajara, 181

Sally Dows, 18

A Protegee of Jack Hamlin's, 184

The Bell-Ringer of Angel's, 184

In a Hollow of the Hills, 185

Barker's Luck and Other Stories, 186

Three Partners, 187

Tales of Trail and Town, 188

Stories in Light and Shadow, 188

Mr. Hack Hamlin's Meditation, 18

Condensed Novels Second Series, 10

Trent's Trust, 10

The Story of Enriquez, 14

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