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Veronica Wijaya

Maria Niayu Risma Novianti, MA

Introduction to Literature Section B

11 April 2023

Bertolt Brecht's "Four Men and a Poker Game": The Perils of Obsession with Good Luck

Sometimes, success can bring envy and bad luck to others. Being too obsessed with

our strengths can make others feel inferior and resentful (Nelson). Robert Greene, in his book

"48 Laws of Power," suggests that we should never outshine our masters and consistently

make those above us feel comfortably superior (“48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene -

Summary & Notes”). This idea is relevant to the story by Bertolt Brecht titled "Four Men and

a Poker Game or Too Much Luck is Bad Luck" which is a third-person narration that revolves

around a group of four men who have won a significant amount of money in Havana are

returning to New York on a ship. One of the men, Johnny, a renowned short-distance

swimmer, passes the time by playing poker with his fellow passengers on the ship. However,

as Johnny's winning streak continues, the other players become increasingly unhappy with

their losses and eventually push him off the ship's deck. The story serves as a cautionary tale

about the dangers of relying too much on good luck, as it can quickly turn against a person.

The tension arises from the other players' discontent with their losses to Johnny, who was

known as "fortune's child" due to his reputation for being lucky. Through this, Bertolt Brecht

utilizes the setting and conflict to illustrate how Johnny Baker's obsession with his excessive

luck can incite envy and resentment in others, resulting in negative consequences for himself

and those around him.

In Bertolt Brecht's "Four Men and a Poker Game or Too Much Luck is Bad Luck," the

setting plays a crucial role in delivering the story's theme (Brecht 131). The story's opening
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lines introduce the four wealthy men aboard a ship, setting the stage for the following events

(Brecht 131). As the story progresses, it becomes evident that the geographical condition of

the ship, confined and isolated, intensifies the characters' actions and reactions (Brecht 131).

The limited space and lack of privacy increase the tension between the characters, making the

game more intense and cutthroat (Brecht 131). Furthermore, the ocean's unpredictability

contributes to the danger and uncertainty pervading the story (Brecht 131). The game's

duration also serves as a testament to the players' competitive nature and their determination

to win (Brecht 133). The long hours spent playing depicts the game's intensity, emphasizing

the characters' obsession with winning at all costs. Johnny's realization that playing for more

than 24 hours is dangerous warns readers about the detrimental effects of excessive obsession

(Brecht 135). Overall, the geographical condition of the story serves as a powerful backdrop

that amplifies the narrative's themes and heightens its emotional impact (Brecht 131). The

confined and isolated environment intensifies the characters' actions and reactions, increasing

the tension between them, and the game's duration emphasizes the characters' obsession with

winning. Thus, the setting plays a crucial role in delivering the story's theme about the

adverse impact of outrageous fortune.

The conflict in Bertolt Brecht's "Four Men and a Poker Game or Too Much Luck is

Bad Luck" arises from Johnny's excessive luck in the poker game, which begins to bother the

other players. In the story introduction, society perceives Johnny Baker, the swimmer, as a

lucky person rather than a skilled athlete. His achievements are often attributed to his luck,

especially when he defeats opponents who are not in their best condition. As mentioned on

page 131, "He was what they call fortune’s child. His name was Johnny Baker. Lucky

Johnny." This perception is similar to how people question the abilities of someone like

Rockefeller, who seems to have everything handed to him without any effort, as stated on the

same page, "For when a man can’t unfold a paper napkin without finding a dollar bill, people
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begin to wonder whether he is good at his business, even if his name is Rockefeller."

Furthermore, society assumes that Johnny's strongest opponent was unable to compete due to

the climate, as revealed on page 132, "But once again it was an open secret that his strongest

opponent couldn’t stand the climate and hadn’t been fit." These assumptions reflect the

societal bias towards luck over skill and overlook the hard work and dedication required to

achieve success in any field. Initially, there were four players, but one left due to Johnny's

lucky streak. The character Johnny feels insulted by his colleagues who belittle his

achievements by attributing them to luck. When Johnny expresses his frustration, his friends

merely smile, further underestimating his capabilities. The story states, "Johnny, of course,

said they would try to pin something like that on him and go on about his 'luck' whatever

happened, no matter how well he had been swimming. When he said it, the other three just

smiled" (Brecht 132). This disregard and belittlement of Johnny's abilities made him feel

insulted and frustrated, as evidenced by the statement, "Since Johnny was feeling insulted by

certain insinuations, they were only three to start with" (Brecht 132). This scene highlights

the negative impact of underestimating someone's achievements and the importance of

recognizing and valuing individual efforts. As the game continues, Johnny keeps winning

over and over again, and the other players become increasingly agitated and envious. A

passage from the story suggests that in gambling, one should be hard-hearted and not give

partners another chance; otherwise, they will be on one's back for the rest of their life (Brecht

134-135). They exploited Johnny's soft-heartedness towards his partners, as they forced him

to look at thousands of cards, robbed him of sleep, and made him eat quickly (Brecht 135).

Despite the mistreatment he received from his colleagues, Johnny continued as he offered

them a feast meal in an attempt to lift the heavy atmosphere at the dinner table but the

atmosphere at the dinner table becomes uneasy, with the men eating heartily but not enjoying

the meal (Brecht 136). Even after many winnings and knowing well how devastated his
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colleagues feel, Johnny keeps testing his luck by going to the slippery ship’s deck and feel

glad that he is in the middle more; ultimately, the story reaches its tragic climax as the other

three men push Johnny off the ship into the sea from the railings, leaving him to die without a

chance to fight for his life (Brecht 139). Johnny's last moments are characterized by his

inability to cry for help due to the fog that was blocking his sight. He wanted to give a loud

shout when they reached the railings, but he abandoned the idea due to the mistaken belief

that people who can't see assume no one can hear them (Brecht 139). This ultimately leads to

his demise, highlighting the finality of the situation and the consequences of the other players'

envy and resentment towards Johnny's success. The scene is a tragic reminder of the dangers

of greed and the importance of empathy and fairness in human interactions. The story

highlights how excessive success can incite envy and resentment in others, leading to

negative consequences for the successful person and those around them.

Through these two elements of focus, setting, and conflicts, Brecht captures an idea

that obsession with his excessive luck can incite envy and resentment in others, resulting in

negative consequences for both himself and those around him; this short story illustrates that:

one can be fortunate in one way but unlucky in another. The story serves as a powerful

reminder that success should be tempered with humility and that relying too much on good

luck can quickly turn against a person. The lesson that can be learned from this story is that

success should be tempered with humility. While it is important to celebrate and acknowledge

one's achievements, becoming obsessed with one's strengths can make others feel inferior and

resentful. One's good fortune can quickly turn against them if they do not maintain a level of

humility and avoid excessively relying on luck. Recognizing the role of hard work and

perseverance in achieving success is crucial, as luck alone is not sustainable or guaranteed.

By approaching success with humility and a balanced perspective, individuals can avoid

inciting envy and resentment in others and ensure their continued success in the long term.
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Works Cited

“48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene - Summary & Notes.” Www.grahammann.net,

www.grahammann.net/book-notes/48-laws-of-power-robert-greene. Accessed 27 Jan.

2023.

Brecht, Bertolt, et al. “Four Men and a Poker Game.” The Collected Short Stories of Bertolt

Brecht, Bloomsbury, London, 2015, pp. 131–140.

Nelson, Shasta. “Ask an Expert: I’m Jealous of My Friends’ Successes. How Do I Cope?”

Harvard Business Review, 25 Feb. 2022,

hbr.org/2022/02/ask-an-expert-im-jealous-of-my-friends-successes-how-do-i-cope.