The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County

1. The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County Scott Essen Kyle Anderson Jordan Mellin

2. Thesis or Claim • There was no obvious thesis to the story • Twain seems to have no purpose in righting this story

3. Attitude/Tone • The attitude of this story is humorous • It depicts a man who gambled on anything and was finally coned into a loss • The tone gives the reader the idea at the beginning of the story that the notorious Smiley is not real, making the story more of a myth • The attitude is one of humor that borders on contempt“I have a lurking that Leonidas W. Smiley is a myth, that my friend never knew such a personage : and that he only conjectured that if I asked old Wheeler about him , it would remind him of his infamous John Smiley…”

4. Purpose • Twain’s purpose for writing this story was to relay a lesson that people are equal and the winner is not always the civilized and educated one. “I don’t see no p’ints about that frog that’s any better’n any other frog.”

5. Audience and Occasion • The audience was most likely supposed to be people who are gullible to show them that not everything they hear is true •  The story might also have been for people who told tall tales to show them the wrongs of doing so • And of course the story was also to amuse the masses • “…and he used to win money on that horse, for all she was so slow and always had the asthma, or the distemper, or the consumption… But as soon as money was up on him he was a different dog…”

6. Evidence or Data • “Andrew Jackson” The name of the bull pup who fights other animals. This creature personifies Twain’s views towards the real Andrew Jackson. Andrew Jackson was the first westerner to become president • The frog,“Dan’l Webster” is named after the Daniel Webster who was greatly responsible for the slavery law. A common frog wins against an educated frog and has the conclusion that an ordinary frog is equal to the educated frog with a special name. The senator webster was educated as well and yet the time of slavery is now gone • Evidence of the satirical hints that Twain weaves into the story. His righteous indignation is implemented in all of his works

7. Assumptions • Twain assumes that the reader views gambling to be a bad habit

8. Style • Twain’s style is full of satire and humor. • He uses vernacular speech to create a more authentic setting • Complicated intro disorients the reader and he/she does not know if he/she is reading about a lie or the truth. “In compliance with the request of a friend of mine, who wrote me from the East, I called on good-natured, garrulous old Simon Wheeler, and inquired after my friend’s friend, Leonidas W. Smiley, as requested to do, and I hereunto append the result. I have a lurking suspicion that Leonidas W. Smiley is a myth; that my friend never knew such a personage; and that he only conjectured that if I asked old Wheeler about him, it would remind him of his infamous Jim Smiley, and he would go to work and bore me to death with some exasperating reminiscence of him as long and as tedious as it should be useless to me. If that was the design, it succeeded.”

9. Appeals • Twain appeals to logos by having Smiley bet on ridiculous events. His actions are obviously illogical to the reader • “Any way that suited the other man would suit him fine – any way just so’s hes got a bet” • Twain appeals to the ethics of the reader by having the main character have a gambling problem

10. Bibliography • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_twain • http://www.malakoff.com/jumpfrog.htm • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Notorious_Jumping_Frog_of_Calaveras_County • http://www.ncteamericancollection.org/awg_twain_mark.htm • http://www.malakoff.com/jumpfrog.htm