Bret Harte �The Luck of Roaring Camp�
Narrative structure:
I. Set-up/Intro/Setting/Situation (first Eight paragraphs)
a. Cherokee Sal is about to give birth
b. Roaring Camp (defined as male-dominated, rowdy, lawless, uncivilized place)
II. Rising Action (birth of Thomas Luck)
a. Cherokee Sal dies, leaving the men in charge of what to do with a baby�situation (100 men and a baby)
b. Death and life theme (Stumpy between the dead Sal and little babe)
c. Decision what to do with the baby�beginning of �regeneration� of Roaring Camp (not peaceful �Nature� but wild)
III. Thomas Luck is christened and �thrives�
a. Roaring Camp develops�becomes more �civilized�; Kentuck not allowed to hold Luck
b. �Luck��fate as a theme becomes important here
c. Baby taken to gulch (foreshadowing of his death)
d. �Golden summer� of Roaring Camp
e. Thomas Luck has become �The Luck��love and money (material and spiritual aspirations combined)
IV. Tragedy�Death of the Luck--Moral
a. Boy dies in Kentuck�s arms�why does he die in Kentuck�s arms instead of Stumpy�s�regeneration of Kentuck?
b. Themes�what is revealed about the larger theme: River brings gold/luck/fate (Kentuck is spiritual despite his �materialistic� look); the Luck transforms the Camp inside as well as out; they become morally better as a result
c. These men out in the wilderness are no worse than �civilized� men
d. We all have to face Death/Fate/meaning in our lives
Last Modified 7/1/23