Harte explains that the outcasts are banished from Poker Flat by a "secret committee." Investigate the prevalence of vigilante justice in the American West and try to ascertain how much such actions were seen as a necessary part of the settlement process.

Although Harte is frequently described as a "frontier humorist," this story unfolds as a tragedy. Explore how an author can appeal to conflicting emotions and identify other writers who adopt a similar contradictory style.

Considering the historical context of the 1860s, what aspects of Harte's story would have been deemed controversial by readers of that era?

Read "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" by Mark Twain, who was Harte's protégé. Discuss the possible influences of Harte's writing on Twain's work. Which story do you prefer, and why?

Think of some recent Western movies, TV shows, or books. Do any characters in them remind you of those in "The Outcasts of Poker Flat?" Write an essay comparing and contrasting characters in modern Western stories with those from nineteenth-century tales.