An Unrealistic Story of a Frog and a Chatty Man
Michael Stout
English 3A
January 30, 2015
Literary Analysis
“The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” is a short story in which Mark Twain, the author, tells an unrealistic story of a frog and a chatty man by the name of Simon Wheeler. Simon Wheeler, Mark’s main character, wins bets on whatever he can from dog fights to frog jumping. Later, when Simon meets an old gentleman and bets him that Dan’l can jump the farthest of any frog in Calaveras County. Written in the mid 1860’s, this short story brought Mark Twain his national attention. Simon bets on anything that he can and others take him on unrealistic bets, and while he wins some and loses some, he is a man who achieves success on his own. Twain uses Hyperbole and sarcasm to create a humorous side to the story that makes the reader chuckle, he tells this story through the eyes of a narrator. Twain also uses dialect to help set the region of where the story takes place. The narrator, while telling you from his point of view, he/she is also engaged in the story. The narrator knows that Simon, for the most part, will place a bet on anything. It is obvious that the narrator knows things that the customary observer would not. Twain never tells the reader what Simon is feeling. The reader has to get involved in the story to understand what the characters feel. Simon is a betting man, who will bet on anything. “He was the curiosest man about always betting on any thing that turned up you ever see…” (paragraph 4). When Simon lost a bet, he would move on to the next thing. “Well, thish-yer Smiley had rat-tarriers, and chicken cocks, and tom-cats, and all of them kind of things, till you couldn't rest, and you couldn't fetch nothing for him to bet on but he'd match you.” (paragraph 8). Upon Andrew Jackson’s death, Simon gets a frog. “He ketched a frog one day, and took him home, and said he cal'klated to edercate him; and so he never
English 3A
January 30, 2015
Literary Analysis
“The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” is a short story in which Mark Twain, the author, tells an unrealistic story of a frog and a chatty man by the name of Simon Wheeler. Simon Wheeler, Mark’s main character, wins bets on whatever he can from dog fights to frog jumping. Later, when Simon meets an old gentleman and bets him that Dan’l can jump the farthest of any frog in Calaveras County. Written in the mid 1860’s, this short story brought Mark Twain his national attention. Simon bets on anything that he can and others take him on unrealistic bets, and while he wins some and loses some, he is a man who achieves success on his own. Twain uses Hyperbole and sarcasm to create a humorous side to the story that makes the reader chuckle, he tells this story through the eyes of a narrator. Twain also uses dialect to help set the region of where the story takes place. The narrator, while telling you from his point of view, he/she is also engaged in the story. The narrator knows that Simon, for the most part, will place a bet on anything. It is obvious that the narrator knows things that the customary observer would not. Twain never tells the reader what Simon is feeling. The reader has to get involved in the story to understand what the characters feel. Simon is a betting man, who will bet on anything. “He was the curiosest man about always betting on any thing that turned up you ever see…” (paragraph 4). When Simon lost a bet, he would move on to the next thing. “Well, thish-yer Smiley had rat-tarriers, and chicken cocks, and tom-cats, and all of them kind of things, till you couldn't rest, and you couldn't fetch nothing for him to bet on but he'd match you.” (paragraph 8). Upon Andrew Jackson’s death, Simon gets a frog. “He ketched a frog one day, and took him home, and said he cal'klated to edercate him; and so he never