American Short Stories (1) The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras Country American Short Stories (1)

Content About Mark Twain 2) Summary Character Vocabulary

The Notorious Jumping Frog Mark Twain Most celebrated humorist in American history. Also one of the greatest realists. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – a revelation of illusions that exist in American life.

The Notorious Jumping Frog Summary The narrator, an obviously educated individual from the East, has been requested to ask Simon Wheeler about an old friend. Wheeler has no idea who the friend is, but he does know someone with a similar name, of whom he tells several pointless stories: Jim Smiley liked to gamble and was "uncommon lucky." He would bet on anything. Simon Wheeler tells of Smiley's horse, the "15-minute nag," who would always make a miraculous comeback at the end of a race. Smiley owned a bull pup named Andrew Jackson, who engaged in dog-fighting. Andrew Jackson's special move of biting the other dog's hind legs prevailed every time, except for the time he fought a dog whose hind legs had been cut off by a circular saw. Jim Smiley owned a frog, Daniel Webster, who Smiley claims could out jump any frog in Calaveras County. A stranger tells Smiley that Daniel Webster is an ordinary frog. Smiley challenges the stranger, goes down to the swamp, and returns with a competitor frog. Meanwhile the stranger fills Daniel Webster's mouth with quail shot. Weighed down and unable to jump, Jim Smiley's frog suffers defeat and Jim Smiley suffers humiliation and anger.

The Notorious Jumping Frog character Simon Wheeler is the storyteller who relates the tale of Jim Smiley and his notorious frog. Twain describes him as...Twain approaches Wheeler and asks him if he knows ... Smiley, a man that Twain is looking for at the request of a friend. Wheeler seizes hold of the opportunity and pins Twain in a corner with his chair and proceeds to bore him with a story. Twain believes that Wheeler believes what he is telling. However, many critics argue that the Wheeler knows exactly what he is doing and is in essence playing a cat and mouse game with his listener. Wheeler may be considered a crafty dodger wheeling and dealing his stories disguised as a Simple Simon. Jim Smiley is the main character in Wheeler’s tall tale. Smiley was at Angel’s Camp in Calaveras County in 1849 or 1850. His most outstanding characteristic was his avid gambling. He would bet on anything regardless of how absurd the bet may be. He is willing to bet on anything from which bird will leave the fence first to whether a parson’s wife will recover from her illness. He is even willing to take the losing side of the bet in order to bet on something. However, even poor decisions often turn out well for Jim who is a lucky man. ‘Lucky’ Jim owns several animals whom he often bets on including an old horse known as the ‘Fifteen Minute Nag,’ a dog named Andrew Jackson, and a frog named Dan’l Webster. Nag is Jim Smiley’s horse. Her name is given on account of her appearance as she is sickly and old and doesn’t have the appearance of an animal that could run a race much less win a race. However, the adrenalin of a race usually kicks in for the sorry animal near the last leg of the race and she turns on the speed and manages to win.

The Notorious Jumping Frog Andrew Jackson is Jim Smiley’s bull-dog pup who is named after the seventh president of the United States Andrew Jackson. The pup is a good dog but not a very impressive fighter until the chips are down. When Smiley places a bet, the dog’s character changes and he grabs the hind leg of his opponent and hangs on until the fight is finished; the higher the stakes, the more stubborn the dog. However, when Jim sets him against a dog without back legs, Andrew Jackson loses the bet and loses heart. The story implies that the dog dies of a broken heart. For insight into the importance of the dog’s name see the review of the short story The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. Dan’l Webster is a frog that Jim Smiley caught and trained. He trained the frog to jump on command and so the frog, Dan’l, became a champion jumper. However, Wheeler says that despite his ability Dan’l Webster is modest and straightforward. Unfortunately, Dan’l loses a bet for Smiley when a stranger loads him with quail shot. For insight into the importance of the frog’s name see the review of the short story The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. The Stranger is a con artist who successfully outwits Smiley and wins a bet against his frog. The Stranger who dupes the local hero (Smiley) parallels and contrasts with the visitor (Twain) being duped by the local (Wheeler). The final deception in Wheeler’s story that of the Stranger duping Smiley underscores an important them in the story, that of deception.

The Notorious Jumping Frog Vocabulary flume noun /fluːm/ Definition • a narrow channel made for carrying water, for example to factories that produce electricity straddle verb /stræd·əl/ • to have or put your legs on either side of something suspicion noun /səspɪʃ·ən/ • a feeling or belief that something is likely or true tavern noun /tæv·ərn/ • a place where alcoholic drinks are sold and drunk

The Notorious Jumping Frog tranquil adjective /træŋ·kwɪl/ Definition • calm, quiet, and peaceful: lattice noun /læt.ɪs/ • a structure made from strips of wood or other material which cross over each other with spaces between vagabond noun /væg.ə.bɒnd/ • a person who has no home and usually no job, and who travels from place to place inclination noun /ɪn·kləneɪ·ʃən/ • a preference or tendency, or a feeling that makes a person want to do something