Sunday, April 28, 2013

Why is the news of the marriage important in The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky?

The news of Jack Potter's marriage is important to the people in Yellow Sky because he is the town marshal, quite a prominent public personage in the town, and they have no idea that he was going to San Antonio is order to find a bride. Jack feels "the shadow of [the] deed weigh upon him like a leaden slab." He feels guilty for not even giving people a heads up that he has married because he "knew full well that his marriage was an important thing to the town." Jack is certain that he will be met with "amazement, glee, and reproach" when he steps off the train with a wife. He is wrong, of course, because Scratchy Wilson has gotten drunk and is roaming the town in search of a fight, so everyone has gone into hiding. The news of Jack's marriage turns out to be quite important when he and his new bride happen upon Scratchy near Jack's house; Scratchy has come looking to confront Jack, who has no weapon, and Scratchy ends up backing off, lowering the gun he has pointed at Jack's chest, when he learns that Jack has come home a married man.

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