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