"The Notorious Jumping Frog" Analysis

“The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” by Mark Twain

Direct Characterization

• Simon Wheeler, described as "fat, bald-headed, and had an expression of winning gentleness and simplicity," is amiable but simple, making his storytelling humorous.
• Jim Smiley is portrayed as obsessively competitive and willing to gamble on anything, as exemplified by his betting on any fight.

Regional Dialect

• Twain captures 19th-century Western American speech through Simon Wheeler’s storytelling.
• Examples include "ketched" (caught) and "cal’klated" (calculated), reflecting informal, rural speech.
• The dialect enhances the story's authenticity and emphasizes the contrast between the narrator and the storyteller.

Emphasis Using Italics

• Italics are used to emphasize exaggeration, strengthening the humor.
• An instance includes highlighting Smiley's willingness to bet on anything.

Point of View

• The frame story (narrator meeting Simon Wheeler) is in the first-person perspective.
• The inner story (about Jim Smiley) is in the third-person, as told by Wheeler.
• This contrasts the narrator’s educated background with Wheeler’s naive storytelling.

Author’s Style & Word Choice

• Twain uses exaggeration, irony, and informal storytelling to create humor.
• Wheeler’s long, meandering sentences mimic real speech and add to the humor.
• The informal tone and rambling style replicate natural speaking patterns.

Conflict

• Man vs. Man: Smiley vs. the stranger, who cheats by weighing down Smiley’s frog.
• Man vs. Fate: Smiley's gambling suggests a belief in luck, but he is ultimately outwitted.
• Man vs. Society: The narrator represents Eastern sophistication, while Wheeler represents rural simplicity.

Figurative Language

• Hyperbole: Exaggerations, such as Smiley betting on everything, add humor and emphasize his love for gambling.
• Irony: Smiley loses because of a trick, despite training his frog to be the best jumper.
• Personification: Describing an animal as if it has thoughts and opinions.

Thematic Development

• Trickery & Deception: The story centers on outsmarting others.
• Regional Stereotypes: It satirizes Western storytelling through Wheeler’s overly long and exaggerated tale.
• Foolishness of Gambling: Smiley’s gambling obsession leads to his downfall, suggesting luck isn’t reliable.

“A White Heron” by Sarah Orne Jewett

Direct Characterization

• Sylvia, "a little girl . . . driving home her cow," is young, responsible, and enjoys nature's peace.
• The hunter, "a boyish man," seems friendly initially, but his desire to kill the heron poses a threat to nature.

Regional Dialect

• Jewett uses regional phrases to reflect the rural New England setting.
• Examples like "s’pose" and "ain’t" represent authentic country speech.

Emphasis Using Italics

• Italics highlight Sylvia’s internal thoughts, such as questioning if birds are better friends than the hunter could be.
• This emphasizes Sylvia’s decision to prioritize nature over human connection.

Point of View

• Third-person limited, focusing on Sylvia’s thoughts and emotions.
• This allows the reader to experience her internal conflict intimately, excluding the hunter's perspective.

Author’s Style & Word Choice

• Jewett’s style is poetic and descriptive, using sensory details to bring nature to life.
• Words like "hopeful," "bravery," and "paling moonlight" create a peaceful yet adventurous mood.

Conflict

• Man vs. Nature: The hunter embodies human intrusion, while Sylvia represents the natural world.
• Man vs. Self: Sylvia struggles with whether to help the hunter or protect the heron.
• Man vs. Society: Society values money, whereas Sylvia values nature’s beauty.

Figurative Language

• Personification: Describing the tree as if it is growing with her.
• Metaphor: Comparing Sylvia to a bird, emphasizing her deep connection to nature.
• Imagery: “The white heron lifted her snowy breast and flew away."

Thematic Development

• Nature vs. Materialism: Sylvia’s choice of nature over money highlights nature’s moral and spiritual worth.
• Coming of Age: Sylvia matures by recognizing that some things, like life, are more valuable than rewards.
• Isolation & Freedom: Contrasting Sylvia’s isolated rural life with the hunter’s destructive world.