Jumping Frog

The basis of any tall tale is that is obviously fictional, and there are many elements of the story that are far fetched. Mark Twain carries these characteristics through in his short story "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." Twain sets up many implausible situations in the story and uses these components in order to create humor. One of the most improbable parts of the story includes Jim Smiley and his jumping frog. Twain first makes the reader question the creditability of the frog story by using a specific type of language. He begins the story of the frog by saying how Jim Smiley found him. "He ketched a frog one day, and he cal'klated to edercate him." This grammatically incorrect statement made by Simon Wheeler about Smiley and his frog creates humor by poking fun at the people of the old west, who spoke in similar to this. Reading these types of sentences today, it is hard to believe that people ever spoke in this manner because in today's society, no one speaks this way. The author also uses implausible events in the story to create the humor. After explaining how the frog is found, Wheeler then goes on to explain how exactly Jim "eduercated" his frog. "...and so he never done nothing for 3 months but set in his back yard and learn that frog to jump." This situation is exaggerated to such an extent that it is

"You never see a frog so modest and straightforward as he was, for he was so gifted." By writing this way, Twain personifies the frog by giving him human traits. He also characterizes the frog as a student willing to learn. "Smiley said all a frog wanted was education, and he could do most anything and I believe him." This part of the story is obviously fiction because frogs do not really have these characteristics. The anthropomorphism used in this passage of the story helps generate comedy by creating the idea of a frog acting as a