The Outcasts of Poker Flat

The narrative never reveals the real name of the “young woman familiarly known as the Duchess” (Paragraph 6), nor does it disclose the real names of Mother Shipton and Uncle Billy. While her nickname connotes an upper-class background, the limited physical descriptions of her appearance—such as “the professional tint” on her cheeks (Paragraph 20)—indicate her occupation in sex work, hence her exile from Poker Flat.

Even though the Duchess receives minimal physical description, she becomes dynamic and increasingly puts others’ needs before her own. Her “hysterical tears,” “repeated statements that she would die in the road” (Paragraph 7), and “her intention of going no farther” (Paragraph 8) indicate a proneness to emotional outbursts, and her refusal to continue to Sandy Bar creates the predicament of getting stranded in the snowstorm. Her transformation to a more dynamic character occurs when the Duchess begins to look after Piney and hides her tears from Piney when seeing the extra firewood near the hut. She, as well as Mother Shipton, understand the importance of not letting Tom and Piney know the truth about Uncle Billy’s disappearance.

The Duchess is unexpectedly relieved at Piney’s inability to pray as they lie dying together, indicating mixed feelings toward traditional notions of repentance and salvation: “‘Piney, can you pray?’ ‘No, dear,’ said Piney, simply. The Duchess, without knowing exactly why, felt relieved, and, putting her head upon Piney’s shoulder, spoke no more” (Paragraph 35). The full nature of the Duchess’s relief is ambiguous—and she herself does not understand it—but it advances the story’s theme of Purity and Corruption: The Moral Ambivalence of Humanity.

The narrator offers no physical description of Mother Shipton, but even though she and the Duchess are in the same profession, her disposition and behavior suggest she is older; she possesses a “rocky fastness” (Paragraph 28) and is impatient with the Duchess’s impractical behavior. Despite her name, Mother Shipton initially displays no stereotypically maternal qualities: She looks at the Duchess “with malevolence” (Paragraph 7) as they leave Poker Flat, and she does not attempt to comfort the Duchess or anyone else in their distress. The name “Mother” also invokes conventual life, as the title is traditionally given to the head of a female religious community living under vows of obedience, poverty, and chastity. This connotation, too, is part of the story’s overarching ironic tone, as the connotation largely contrasts with the reality: Mother Shipton disdains “obedience” when she curses the town’s self-appointed authorities, and her occupation as a sex worker is at odds with a nun’s typically avowed chastity. By the end of the story, however, she embraces a literal death-of-self that far surpasses the self-denial undertaken by many religious orders.

Like the Duchess, Mother Shipton is a mostly flat character; however, her progression from static to dynamic begins when she realizes on the third day that her survivability is slim to none, and she “hurled in that direction [of Poker Flat] a final malediction. It was her last vituperative attempt […] It did her good” (Paragraph 28). Though the narrator does not relay what she says in her “final malediction,” this act shows an intense emotion not previously revealed. She, like the Duchess, takes on a maternal role toward Piney and enjoys calling her “the child” (Paragraph 28). Mother Shipton’s final act of self-sacrifice fully exhibits this newfound love: “‘You’ve starved yourself,’ said the gambler,” and Mother Shipton simply replies, “That’s what they call it” (Paragraph 30). Just as a mother sacrifices her needs to provide for her child, so does Mother Shipton sacrifice her life for her “child,” Piney.

The name “Uncle” initially suggests someone with an avuncular, congenial demeanor; however, how he interacts with and treats the other outcasts is the complete opposite. The only dialogue Uncle Billy utters, “Is this yer a damned picnic?” (Paragraph 14), occurs when he sees the rest of the group enjoying themselves around the campfire. The narrator describes his verbal interactions as, “a Parthian volley of expletives” and “one sweeping anathema” (Paragraph 7). His theft of the mules is unsurprising, considering the Poker Flat committee banishes him for possible robbery. As a flat and static character, Uncle Billy shows no remorse or other signs of character transformation, and he abandons the others during their time of need. He is the only outcast who demonstrates no self-sacrifice, and he contributes to the others’ downward spiral of misfortune.