The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County by Mark Twain

Mark Twain's "The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" is a classic tall tale that showcases the humorous use of hyperbole. Set in Calaveras County, California, the story revolves around Jim Smiley and his jumping frog, providing insight into American folklore with exaggerated, entertaining narratives.

• Mark Twain
• American folklore
• Tall tale
• Hyperbole
• Calaveras County

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1. The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County By Mark Twain. Published in1865, it was his first great success as a writer and brought him national attention. "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog"

2. The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County By Mark Twain. Calaveras County was one of the original counties of the state of California, created in 1850 at the time of admission to the Union. Gold prospecting in Calaveras County began in late 1848 with a camp founded by brothers Henry and George Angel. There, they joined a mining company but later, they opened a trading post. By the end of the year, over one hundred tents were scattered about the creek and the settlement was referred to as Angels Trading Post, later shortened to Angel s Camp.

3. The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County By Mark Twain. Tall Tale It is a type of folk tale a story that was originally past down orally from generation to generation and that expresses the values and beliefs of its culture. Other types of folk tales include myths, legends, fairy tales and fables. What distinguishes a tall tale from other types of folk tales is its use of Hyperbole for comic effect.

4. The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County By Mark Twain. Hyperbole It is a figure of speech, which involves an exaggeration of ideas for the sake of emphasis. It is a device that we employ in our day-to-day speech. For instance, when you meet a friend after a long time, you say, Ages have passed since I last saw you .

5. The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County By Mark Twain. In American folk lore, Paul Bunyan s stories are full of hyperboles. In one instance, he exaggerates winter by saying: Well now, one winter it was so cold that all the geese flew backward and all the fish moved south and even the snow turned blue. Late at night, it got so frigid that all spoken words froze solid afore they could be heard. People had to wait until sunup to find out what folks were talking about the night before.

6. Vocabulary summerset infamous frown tranquil finesse dilapidated cipher garrulous heft scatter stir limber append ornery doze cavorting racket rouse lurk conjecture

7. The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County By Mark Twain. Regional Dialect The distinct form of a language spoken in a certain geographical area. If the form of speech transmitted from a parent to a child is a distinct regional dialect, that dialect is said to be the child's vernacular (language).

8. The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County By Mark Twain. Reread lines 29-56 What point in Simon Wheeler making about Smiley?

9. - Why didn t he care? He would bet on anything. He was the most annoying fellow! Parson Walker s wife once was quite ill for sometime, and it seemed that she was going to die. Then, one morning, Parson came in and Smiley asked how his wife was feeling. Parson answered that she was much better. Thank God for His unending mercy and that she was doing so well that with God s help, she would recover after all. Smiley without thinking said: Well, I ll bet two-and-a-half that she dies anyway

10. Wheeler is making the point that Smiley bets without thinking, regardless of the nature of the bet, people s feelings, or the consequences of the bet.

11. The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County By Mark Twain. Reread lines 57-93 What characteristic of a tall tale is evident? Explain

12. The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County By Mark Twain. The main characteristic is hyperbole: 1.- Wheeler s assertion that Andrew Jackson wouldn t fight back until bets where doubled. (74-79) 2.- The dog died of a broken heart feeling betrayed by Smiley. (85-88) 3.- The dog was a genius (90)

13. The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County By Mark Twain. Reread lines 93-116 How does the dialect in the passage help characterize the frog?

14. The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County By Mark Twain. The use of dialect in the characterization adds to the humor and makes the frog seem like the kind of colorful character that belongs in the setting of the story. The frog is described as a modest, straightforward and gifted. Traits that are not usually attributed to an animal.

15. The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County By Mark Twain. How can you spot a tall tale? Smiley should recognize that the stranger is pretending to be more innocent or gullible than he actually is. Smiley has already has already wondered if the stranger has experience with frogs but he should be more skeptical, for the stranger s sadness about not having a frog seems too strong an emotion for the situation.

16. The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County By Mark Twain. Understatement An understatement is a figure of speech employed by writers or speakers to intentionally make a situation seem less important than it really is.

17. The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County By Mark Twain. What does the evident understatement reveal about the two characters? The understatement reveals that both characters are good at gambling and neither Smiley nor the stranger seems to reveal everything he knows about the situation.