Compare And Contrast Outcasts Of Poker Flat And To Kill A Mockingbird

One key literary element is perception: how a story’s characters view their surroundings—including other characters. A character’s perception naturally changes throughout a story, usually due to a newly-found understanding, and can reveal something about this character’s surroundings. This idea of a dynamic perception is discernible in “Outcasts of Poker Flat,” To Kill a Mockingbird, and “By the bivouac’s fitful flame.” Bret Harte exemplifies the idea of a dynamic perception in “Outcasts of Poker Flat” with John Oakhurst’s view of Mother Shipton changing from a crazy woman to a parental figure. As the “improper persons” (3) were being deported from Poker Flat, Mother Shipton tells Oakhurst about her “desire to cut somebody’s heart out” (7). This creates Oakhurst’s initial characterization of Mother Shipton as being psychotic. However, once Piney—whom Mother Shipton called “the child”—joins them in their camp, Oakhurst observes Mother Shipton take on a much more guardian-like role towards Piney, even going away from her to curse because she wanted to believe that “[Piney] didn’t swear and wasn’t improper” (24). This perception of Mother Shipton as a guardian is

The guard first acknowledges this “solemn and sweet and slow” (2) procession, this perception being formed by his ignorance. It is not until he notices “the shrubs and trees…stealthily watching” (6) that he begins to realize that the procession consisted of enemy troops who would likely kill him. His new perception of the procession leads him to think “tender and wondrous thoughts” (7), which allows him to calm down. The guard once again notes the “solemn and slow procession” (9), no longer considering it “sweet” because of his newfound realization. He is now able to go back to patrolling the “procession”, now aware of his death but not fretting about