Okay reporters, now that you have done some background work on Twain, you will continue by reading Twain's "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." In "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" Twain out does himself by having Simon Wheeler (an old gold-miner) tell the story of Leonidas W. Smiley. Smiley is the real character of the story, but a great deal of the humor comes from Wheeler and his way of narrating the story. In great part, Wheeler's character is developed by the way he speaks and the words he uses. As you read this tale, you will analyze how Twain uses dialect, local color, and humor in his creation. Let's see if you can recognize the following characteristics of the American traditional tall-tale: skill of the yarn-spinner, extra-ordinary characters, and exaggeration.

© 2004 clipart.com

Print and read "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County."

You will have a multiple choice quiz to take on this short story and on the Great Books: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn video.