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 actually 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 forced to leave. The outcasts were actually good people. Though they weren't the most saintly, they were 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 people gambling.
English: Illustration for the short story "The Min...
English: Old engraving of Mother Shipton.
Mother Shipton Moth, named after the pattern on it...It turns out one of the people they ended up getting snowed in with, Tom Simson, was 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 had 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 group...