First published in the November 18, 1865,

edition of The New York Saturday Press,

under the title Jim Smiley and His
Jumping Frog.
Set in a gold-mining camp in Calaveras
County, California, and has its origins in
the folklore of the Gold Rush era.
One of Twains earliest writings, and
helped establish his reputation as a
humorist.

 Originally

told in epistolary form; reprints of

the tale have since omitted this letter-frame
convention.
Critics frequently cite this story as an
example of a tall tale and note Twains use
of humor and exaggeration.
They also emphasize the tales satirical
focus on storytelling and existing cultural
differences between the western and
eastern regions of the United States.

as-told-to

framework;
educated English from the East

In

compliance with the request of a

friend of mine, who wrote me from the
East, I called on good-natured,
garrulous old Simon Wheeler, and
inquired after my friends friend,
Leonidas W. Smiley, as requested to
do...

West

and wewsterners depicted

in a derrogative way:

found Simon Wheeler dozing

comfortably by the bar-room stove of
the dilapidated tavern in the decayed
mining camp of Angels, and I noticed
that he was fat and bald-headed, and
had an expression of winning
gentleness and simplicity upon his
tranquil countenance.

 Simon

Wheeler backed me into a corner and

blockaded me there with his chair, and then
sat down and reeled off the monotonous
narrative which follows this paragraph.
he never betrayed the slightest suspicion
of enthusiasm; but all through the
interminable narrative there ran a vein of
impressive earnestness and sincerity, which
showed me plainly that, so far from his
imagining that there was anything
ridiculous or funny about his story, he
regarded it as a really important matter, and
admired its two heroes as men of
transcendent genius in finesse.

Twain

reproduces countrymen
language to reinforce differences
between East and West:

Rev.

Leonidas W. Hm, Reverend Lewell,

there was a feller here once by the name of
Jim Smiley I remember the big flume
warnt finished when he first come to the
camp; but anyway, he was the curiousest
man about always being on anything that
turned up you ever see

The

Why,

Tall-tale begins:

it never made no difference to him

hed bet on arly thingthe dangdest feller.
Parson Walkers wife laid very sick once, for
a good while, and it seemed as if they warnt
going to save her; but one morning he come
in, and Smiley up and asked him how she
was, and he said she was considerable
betterthank the Lord for his infnite
mercyand coming on so smart that with
the blessing of Provdence shed get well
yet; and Smiley, before he thought, says,
Well, Ill resk two-and-a-half she dont
anyway.

Description
The

of Smileys animals:

Fifteen-Minute Nag is the name given to

Jim Smileys horse. An old and rather sickly
animal, The Fifteen-Minute Nag was used by
Jim in many of his bets. The horse suffered
from various ailments and did not look as if
she could win a horse race. Nevertheless,
Jim would frequently put her in races.
Although she would start out slow, in the
last leg of the race, the nag always seemed
to get excited and typically found the energy
to win the race.

Jim Smileys bull-pup, Andrew Jackson, was used by

Jim in various bets. The dog is described as a good
dog that does not look like much, and other dogs
often seemed to get the better of him in fights. The
narrator notes, however, that Andrew Jackson
never seemed to be bothered by these temporary
setbacks because once a bet was involved, his
behavior would change. As the stakes in the bets
were raised, Andrew Jackson would bite the other
dog in the hind leg and stay there, hanging on, until
the owner of his opponent would give in and forfeit
the fight. In this way, Jims bull-pup would win his
fights. Andrew Jackson died when Jim arranged for
him to fight a dog that did not have any hind legs.
The narrator implies that Andrew Jackson was a
proud dog and died of embarrassment. Like the
former President of the United States with whom he
shares his name, Andrew Jackson is described as
being determined and strong-willed.

 Danl

Webster is the notorious jumping frog

of Calaveras County. He is caught by Jim
Smiley and trained by him to jump high, far,
and on command. When jumping, he does
somersaults and is described by the narrator
as whirling in the air like a doughnut.
Despite his jumping prowess, he is
described as being modest and
straightforward. He is often used in Jims
bets and is the victim of the Strangers
prank. According to Jim, Danl Webster can
out-jump any frog in Calaveras County. He
shares his name with the famous
nineteenth-century American statesman and
orator.

 He

ketched a frog one day, and took him

home, and said he callated to educate him;
and so he never done nothing for three
months but set in his back yard and learn
that frog to jump. And you bet you he did
learn him, too. Hed give him a little punch
behind, and the next minute youd see that
frog whirling in the air like a doughnutsee
him turn one summerset, or maybe a couple,
if he got a good start, and come down flatfooted and all right, like a cat. He got him up
so in the matter of ketching flies, and kep
him in practice so constant, that hed nail a
fly every time as fur as he could see him.

Smiley said all a frog wanted was education, and he

could do most anythingand I believe him. Why,
Ive seen him set Danl Webster down here on this
floorDanl Webster was the name of the frogand
sing out, Flies, Danl, flies! and quickern you could
wink hed spring straight up and snake a fly offn
the counter there, and flop down on the floor agin
as solid as a gob of mud, and fall to scratching the
side of his head with his hind foot as indifferent as
if he hadnt no idea hed been doin any moren any
frog might do. You never see a frog so modest and
straightforard as he was, for all he was so gifted.
And when it come to fair and square jumping on a
dead level, he could get over more ground at one
straddle than any animal of his breed you ever see.
Jumping on a dead level was his strong suit, you
understand; and when it come to that, Smiley
would ante up money on him as long as he had a
red. Smiley was monstrous proud of his frog, and
well he might be, for fellers that had traveled and
been everywheres all said he laid over any frog that
ever they see.

Smiley

is double-crossed by the
stranger:

And

the feller studied a minute, and then

says, kinder sadlike, Well, Im only a
stranger here, and I aint got no frog; but if
I had a frog, Id bet you.
And then Smiley says, Thats all right
thats all rightif youll hold my box a
minute, Ill go and get you a frog. And so
the feller took the box, and put up his forty
dollars along with Smileys, and set down to
wait.

 So

he set there a good while thinking

and thinking to himself, and then he
got the frog out and prized his mouth
open and took a teaspoon and filled
him full of quail-shotfilled him pretty
near up to his chinand set him on the
floor. Smiley he went to the swamp
and slopped around in the mud for a
long time, and finally he ketched a
frog, and fetched him in, and give him
to this feller, and says:

 Now,

if youre ready, set him alongside of

Danl, with his fore paws just even with
Danls, and Ill give the word. Then he says,
Onetwo three-git and him and the feller
touched up the frogs from behind, and the
new frog hopped off lively, but Danl give a
heave, and hysted up his shoulderssolike
a Frenehman, but it warnt no usehe
couldnt budge; he was planted as solid as a
church, and he couldnt no more stir than if
he was anchored out. Smiley was a good
deal surprised, and he was disgusted too,
but he didnt have no idea what the matter
was, of course.

 Smiley

he stood scratching his head and

looking down at Danl a long time, and at
last he says, I do wonder what in the nation
that frog throwd off forI wonder if there
aint something the matter with himhe
pears to look mighty baggy, somehow. And
he ketched Danl by the nap of the neck, and
hefted him, and says, Why blame my cats if
he dont weigh five pound! and turned him
upside down and he belched out a double
handful of shot. And then he see how it was,
and he was the maddest manhe set the
frog down and took out after that feller, but
he never ketched him. And-

 Mark

Twain is the author and narrator of the

story, as well as one of its characters. He is
portrayed as the butt of a joke, the joke being
having to listen to the fantastic tales of a
garrulous old man named Simon Wheeler. Twain
allegedly was asked by a friend to find out about
an acquaintance of that friend. Twain thinks that
this was merely a trick, however, and is
subsequently frustrated by his entire experience
with Wheeler. Coming across as an impatient,
condescending man unwilling to listen to Wheeler,
he sneaks away when he gets the chance. Twain
speaks in perfect English and may be viewed as a
symbol of the snobbery associated with the
eastern United States during the nineteenth
century.

Simon Wheeler is an elderly resident of the Western mining

operation known as Angels Camp. A fat, balding man
whom Twain finds in a bar, Simon is described
condescendingly as possessing an expression of winning
gentleness and simplicity. He remembers when much of
the camp was being built and provides the actual story of
the infamous betting man named Jim Smiley and his
notorious jumping frog. Though he seems comfortable
with his role as storyteller, Simon seems oblivious to the
fact that he is boring his listener, Mark Twain, and is
seemingly unaware of the fantastic nature of his tale. For
his part, Twain asserts that although Simon speaks for a
very long time and with a lack of enthusiasm and emotion,
he speaks sincerely and takes his stories seriously. Critics
note, however, that Simon is well aware of his narrative
abilities and is not as naive as he seems. Despite his
supposed lack of sophistication, he immediately sizes up
the cultured Easterner Twain and dupes him into hearing
this fantastic tale.

Themes

Culture Clash
The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,
highlights various aspects of late nineteenth-century
American society and culture through the retelling of a tall
tale. Central to the story is the idea of conflicting cultures,
particularly the clash between the settled, eastern portion
of the United States and the still-developing West. At the
time Twain wrote the story, the East and its inhabitants
had a reputation for being civilized, cultured, and
advanced. The West, on the other hand, was still being
settled and was considered to be populated by a lesseducated and less-refined group of people. By extension,
Westerners were thought by Easterners to be naive and
easily duped.

Twain presents these ideas in his story in various ways.

Simon Wheeler, for instance, symbolizes the American
Westerner a garrulous old man who tells tales that are
farfetched and highly improbable. He speaks in monotone,
supposedly having no knowledge of the techniques a good
storyteller uses to keep an audiences attention. An
uneducated man, Wheeler tells his story in the popular
genre of the tall tale, rather than in one of the more
accepted classic genres taught in eastern schools. He also
speaks in the vernacular; that is, in common language,
which contains idiomatic expressions, slang, and improper
grammar and syntax. Wheelers use of vernacular language
reinforces the idea that the West was populated by crude
barbarians who had little education or knowledge of good
speech.

In stark contrast to Simon Wheeler, the narrator, Mark

Twain, comes across as well-educated with refined tastes.
This Mark Twain is a storyteller also, but in the passages
that precede and follow Wheelers tale, Twain speaks in
proper English. It is obvious he has been educated in the
finer points of grammar and syntax. Twain, however, also
comes across as a snob. He is annoyed by Wheelers
diction and, because he finds Wheelers quaint stories
fantastic, he thinks they lack value. Indeed, when Wheeler
is called away, Twain sneaks off, unwilling to listen any
longer. Twain does not consider Wheeler to be an effective
storyteller because the old man does not use the
conventions that Twain prefers. He does not realize,
however, that Wheeler is actually capitalizing on the
stereotype of the uneducated Westerner. For instance,
although Twain finds Wheelers voice monotonous, it
makes him believe Wheeler speaks with straightforward
earnestness. Wheeler craftily balances the absurdity of his
tale with the gravity with which he speaks to keep Twain in
the listeners seat.

Deception
Deception is an integral part of The Celebrated Jumping
Frog of Calaveras County and occurs on many levels. In
the opening paragraph Mark Twain, the narrator, voices his
suspicion that he has been duped by a friend who
orchestrated this chance encounter with Simon Wheeler.
His friend asked him to inquire about a childhood friend
named Leonidas Smiley, knowing full well that Twain
would instead be subjected to fabulous stories about the
famous betting man of Angels Camp Jim Smiley. His
friend additionally knew that Twain would be bored and
frustrated by the entire experience. Wheeler likewise dupes
Twain. He tells him the fantastic and improbable story of
Jim rather than Leonidas Smiley with a grave
demeanor that masks the genuine humor of his tale. By
using this mask, Wheeler initially fools the snobby
Easterner and convinces him that he will be told a serious
story. Another instance of deception involves Jim Smileys
bet with the Stranger, who wagers that Danl Webster is
not the best jumper in Calaveras County. Not only does the
Stranger deceive Jim Smiley by pretending to be gullible,
he cheats by stuffing Danl Webster with gunshot to weigh
him down.

 American

Society
When first published, The Celebrated
Jumping Frog of Calaveras County provided
relevant and incisive commentary about
ninteenth-century American society. While
portraying Easterners as educated and
refined and Westerners as uneducated and
gullible on the surface, Twain upset these
stereotypes on a deeper level. He depicted
the Easterner (Mark Twain) as a snob and
someone who could easily be duped, while
portraying the Westerner (Simon Wheeler)
as somewhat of a schemer who, despite his
lack of formal training, tells highly original
tales.

 The

names of Jim Smileys pets also had relevance

for Twains American audience. Daniel Webster
was the name of a famous American statesman
known for his speaking abilities. Andrew Jackson,
a former president of the United States and war
hero known for his determination and strong will,
was a strong believer in democracy and the rights
of the common people. In these and other
descriptions found in the story, Twain provided a
more complicated and multifaceted view of
Americans. Jumping Frog asserted that
Americans could simultaneously be resourceful,
innovative, practical, and determined, as well as
shortsighted, narrow-minded, and gullible.

Structure
The frame tale structure of The Celebrated Jumping Frog
of Calaveras County is one of its most important parts. In
a frame tale, one story appears in that is, it is framed by
another story. In Jumping Frog the outer tale focuses
on Mark Twain and his meeting with the talkative old
storyteller, Simon Wheeler. This meeting occurs at the
request of a friend of Twains, identified in some versions
of the tale as A. Ward, who supposedly wants to find out
about an old acquaintance named Leonidas Smiley. Twain
reveals, however, that he suspects his friends request was
merely a practical joke designed to waste his time. Twains
suspicions about the meeting and his descriptions of
Wheeler appear in the few paragraphs that open and close
the entire story. Twain speaks in the first person in these
passages. Because this portion of the tale first appeared in
the form of a letter, the entire story also can be considered
an epistolary tale.

 The

inner tale is the one Wheeler tells about

Jim Smiley, his betting ways, and his run-in
with the Stranger. Wheelers stories seem
largely exaggerated, and can be viewed as
examples of a tall tale. Wheeler tells his tale
in a third-person narrative voice.

Satire
Satire is an essential component of The Celebrated
Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. Satire is a technique
that involves the manipulation of stereotypes and the use
of exaggeration to point out the folly of a person or
situation. In Jumping Frog Twain pokes fun at several
things, including the tall tale genre, the American West,
and the American East. Instead of merely using the tall
tale for humorous effect, Twain also uses it to challenge
various stereotypes held by many Americans at the time.
According to these stereotypes, individuals living in the
western United States were often uneducated, gullible
fools. By contrast, Americans living in the eastern part of
the United States were supposed to be well-educated,
sophisticated, and cultured. In a satirical twist, Twains
sophisticated Easterner actually comes across as an
impatient and self-absorbed snob who gets fooled by both
his friend and the garrulous Wheeler. Likewise, Wheeler is
ultimately revealed to be not a rube, but a good-natured
and experienced storyteller whose deadpan delivery is
merely a front used to fool his supposedly sophisticated
listener.

 Tall Tale
A tall tale

features exaggerated, fabulous events.

Characters in tall tales are often considered larger
than life, meaning they exhibit extraordinary
qualities. Simon Wheelers stories about Jim
Smiley and his pets feature many such
exaggerations, and thus fall into the tall tale
category. For example, Wheeler describes Smiley
as a man who will make a bet on anything, even
something as mundane as which of two birds will
fly off a fence first. Smileys frog, Danl Webster,
practically flies through the air when jumping and
uses his legs like a cat to scratch himself. Finally,
Andrew Jackson, Smileys dog, will hold on to
another dog his preferred technique for fighting
for as long as a year to win a fight.

 Anthropomorphism
Twain

gives the animals in The Celebrated

Jumping Frog of Calaveras County human traits,
a technique called anthropomorphism. Andrew
Jackson, Jim Smileys dog, is described as proud,
ornery, and determined. He likes to fight and likes
to win his battles. When he fights a dog that he
cant beat, he eventually dies from the humiliation.
Both Andrew Jackson and the frog named Danl
Webster are described as gifted. Danl Webster is
additionally described as being modest and
straightforward.

 Diction
Authors

frequently use dialect and vernacular

language to establish the setting of their tales, as
well as their characters identities. In The
Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,
Twain uses language to highlight the differences
between his characters. For example, when Twain
speaks, he uses grammatically proper English.
Simon Wheeler, however, tells his tale in the
vernacular, or common-day language, of the
American West. Wheeler ignores many
grammatical rules, and speaks with an accent of
sorts. He says feller instead of fellow, reglar
instead of regular, and even Danl for Daniel.

Although The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras

County was initially admired for its humor and as an
example of a tall tale, it also became known for its satirical
portrait of the American East. Although one of Twains
earliest and most successful pieces a piece that
established him as a sketchwriter and humorist this
story also has much in common with his later works, which
critics frequently note for their biting comments about
American society and human nature. Furthermore, it is
noted that by portraying himself as a fool, Twain could get
away with more outrageous and possibly offensive
comments. For example, he could feature a Westerner
(Wheeler) duping an Easterner (Twain) a situation that
reversed the popular stereotypes of the day without
offending Eastern audiences. It must be noted, however,
that Twain allowed Jim Smiley, a Westerner, to be duped
when he lets his guard down.