The Notorious Jumping Frog Of Calaveras County Summary

Response 1

The three stories "The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County", "Chickamauga" and "An Episode of War" were all produced between the years 1865 to 1890. This was a time where people were living in an atmosphere during and post-Civil War where African Americans were sometimes still kept as slaves as well as increased tensions between the Union and Confederates. People still lived out on large plantations and farmland where battles could have taken place. Children did not have many ways to entertain themselves during this time period and had to be watched in case of any battles breaking out near one's home. Following the end of the Civil War, however, Reconstruction took place and a new time began as the effects of the war were

being cleared up by the Union.

In the first story, "The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County", the narrator visits a man named Simon Wheeler out on a settlement in order to get information on a Reverend named Leonidas W.

Smiley. Instead of information on the Reverend, the narrator is told the story of Jim Smiley, a gambler who involves animals in his hobby. After losing bets with many other animals, Smiley comes upon a frog that can jump a remarkable distance and attempts to bet with it, however, he is cheated out by his opponent who hinders the frog by filling its mouth with buckshot. The setting of this story takes place around a mining settlement where the storyteller Simon Wheeler resides. We are given the evidence of the time period as Wheeler has to go outside and tend to work when he is needed near the end of this story. More evidence of this is given from the plot of this Wheeler's story as Smiley is a man who uses animals as gambling tools in this time period where people did not have the luxury of large gambling areas such as casinos. Animals would have been used much for betting as people could raise them and then use them as tools for one's own gain even though the conditions for them may have been harsh. Lastly, the style that Mark Twain, the author uses to portray Simon Wheeler immensely gives details to how people spoke in the 1880s. This is shown by the way he speaks to the narrator and expresses fascination with Jim Smiley's

habits.

In the next story, "Chickamauga" is told through the eyes of a young boy who runs away from his home on a plantation and takes his wooden sword out into the woods to emulate a soldier by fighting back nature.

He ends up getting lost and then is caught up in a battle between the Union and Confederates which he finds to be amusing as he tries to play along with the soldiers. The story ends with the boy running in the direction of a fire that turns out to be his home and witnesses the death of his mother. This story shows the effects the Civil War had on the people in America as people would likely lose their homes to battles. The style this story is written in displays how a child would have seen the scenario of war taking place. At first playing along with the soldiers and then coming face to face with reality as his home and family are gone. Being told through a child, this story explores the dark elements as a child loses everything to

war.

The last story, "An Episode of War" begins with a lieutenant who is giving out rations of coffee to other soldiers when he is wounded in the arm. His fellow soldiers attempt to help him, but his dismisses them and seeks out better help under the destruction of war in the distance. When he comes upon a clinic, he is very weak and feels as if he is on the verge of death, but a surgeon finds him and gives him the help he needs, despite the lieutenant's disapproval. The story ends with the soldier at home and being mourned over because of the loss of his arm even though he does not care about it. This story explores the lieutenant's thoughts over his wounded arm as he seems to not acknowledge that he needs help from others in order to keep from bleeding out and dying. The author makes him see his wound as a burden to others which is why he does not want to receive anyone's help or remorse. Instead of this, the lieutenant sees war as something to admire and respect rather than to fear showing his patriotism as he crosses the battlefield. In the end, he refuses to feel shame for the loss of his arm and dismisses his family's sadness for having to get it amputated.