The Luck of Roaring Camp

Recently, I have read an interesting short story “The Luck of Roaring Camp”. The first thing I would like to tell you on reading it that is my doubt about type of work—what kind of the story? When I finished reading it, I felt confused it was a short story or realistic story. This made me must try to search information about essentiality of a short story and realistic story. Today, I can eventually decide that it isn’t realistic with all reasons that I would like to tell you. Realism tries to portray life as objectively as possible. It often refers to artistic movement. Realism believes in the ideology of objective reality and revolt against exaggerated emotionalism. A short story evolves as a miniature version of imagination. We can see it through different perspectives; therefore there is no basis for reality. However, commonly, if there is no original and related proof, it can demonstrate that it isn’t reality like this story. For example, the event of flood in the winter in a part of the story—we can perceive that the author uses own imagination to create the story and uses compelling language in storytelling, so the story seems to be unreal.

However, I’m not only getting much knowledge about the essentiality of a short story and realistic story, but also getting an important message from this story. I think the moral of the story is the temporariness of everything in the world. The story shows that changes can happen in Roaring Camp when Cherokee Sal gives birth to an infant. To believe the child is a good luck charm, the miners name him Tommy Luck. Afterwards, they decide to refine their behavior and refrain from gambling and fighting. Roaring Camp seems to stay in darkness but Tommy Luck is a symbol for making the camp finds happiness. But “luck” becomes a kind of grace at the end of story—the camp encounters a flash flood, and Tommy Luck, Stumpy and Kentuck die. The pride, the hope, the joy and the luck of Roaring Camp have disappeared. These show that nothing can last forever.

Let’s find valuable messages from the story!!!

More Details: http://www.helium.com/items/708586-short-story-reviews-luck-of-roaring-camp-by-bret-harte