Mark Twain's Humorous Tales and Regionalism in American Literature
Mark Twain, a master of humor and regionalism, depicted American culture in a distinctive way through his works such as "The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" and "Life on the Mississippi." His stories showcase exaggerated characters, humorous situations, and unique dialects, reflecting the essence of American identity. Twain's literary focus on humor and regionalism continues to entertain and define the American national character.
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Mark Twain Life on the Mississippi The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
Mark Twain Literary Focus: Humor and Regionalism Humor: literature purposely meant to entertain All types of humor include exaggeration (hyperbole) and irony 3 types of Humor Humor of situation: comes from situational irony in plot Humor of character: based on exaggerated personalities Humor of language: includes sarcasm, exaggeration, irony, and puns
From Life on theMississippi Excerpt from Twain s autobiography Twain portrayed America in a way that still defines our national character through Images Expressions Characters Ways of thinking Table work: create a chart in your notes of the above categories. Find examples (minimum 3 per category)from The Boy s Ambition which fit the categories and in your opinion are distinctly American.
Analyzing The Boys Ambition Images Expressions Steamboat a-coming shook the bottom out of all my Sunday School teachings St. Looey like an old citizen Characters The steamboat She is long and sharp and trim and pretty Cabin boy, deckhand Cub engineer Pilot the grandest position of all The town drunkard Ways of Thinking There was one permanent ambition to be a steamboat man I first thought to be a cabin boy later I thought I would rather be a deckhand All the boys are jealous of the cub engineer his dirty clothes, his steamboat talk, his money, his prowess with the girls The day was glorious with expectancy the day was a dead, empty thing The white town drowsing in the sunshine A sow and a litter of pigs loafing along the sidewalk The Great Mississippi, the majestic, the magnificent Mississippi
The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County Tall Tale Humorous story Exaggerated characters Impossible events Style Frame Story Twain introduces a 2ndnarrator, Simon Wheeler, who tells the story
The Notorious Jumping Frog Regionalism Dialect Distinct form of language as it is spoken in one geographical area or by one social or ethnic group Uses unconventional spelling Suggests the way the words actually sound Establishes setting Adds local color (regionalism) Develops characters
The Notorious Jumping Frog Contrast the two narrators unnamed narrator and Simon Wheeler Language how does each narrator use language Tone attitude toward the subject (the story of the jumping frog)
The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County Analyzing Dialect and Hyperbole Find three examples of exaggeration/hyperbole combined with dialect Write out the example Explain why combining dialect and hyperbole creates humor. Write the first paragraph of Simon Wheeler s next story . Well, thish-yer Smiley had a yallerone-eyed cow that didn t have no tail, only just a short stump like a bannanner, and Maintain Wheeler s voice as narrator by copying his Dialect Use of exaggeration/hyperbole
