Question
Which of these quotes from Bret Harte's "The Outcasts of Poker Flat" is most characteristic of the Western genre?
There was a remembrance of this in his boyish and enthusiastic greeting of Mr. Oakhurst.
He started to his feet with the intention of awakening the sleepers, for there was no time to lose.
A secret committee had determined to rid the town of all improper persons. This was done permanently in regard of two men who were then hanging from the boughs of a sycamore in the gulch.
Two or three men, conversing earnestly together, ceased as he approached, and exchanged significant glances.
There was a remembrance of this in his boyish and enthusiastic greeting of Mr. Oakhurst.
He started to his feet with the intention of awakening the sleepers, for there was no time to lose.
A secret committee had determined to rid the town of all improper persons. This was done permanently in regard of two men who were then hanging from the boughs of a sycamore in the gulch.
Two or three men, conversing earnestly together, ceased as he approached, and exchanged significant glances.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The quote that is most characteristic of the Western genre is:
"A secret committee had determined to rid the town of all improper persons. This was done permanently in regard of two men who were then hanging from the boughs of a sycamore in the gulch."
This quote embodies the themes and elements commonly found in Westerns, such as lawlessness, vigilante justice, and moral ambiguity, as well as a vivid depiction of the harsh and often violent reality of frontier life. The imagery of hanging from a tree underscores the brutality that can be present in Western narratives.
"A secret committee had determined to rid the town of all improper persons. This was done permanently in regard of two men who were then hanging from the boughs of a sycamore in the gulch."
This quote embodies the themes and elements commonly found in Westerns, such as lawlessness, vigilante justice, and moral ambiguity, as well as a vivid depiction of the harsh and often violent reality of frontier life. The imagery of hanging from a tree underscores the brutality that can be present in Western narratives.