Shawn Bartee
Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain)
The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
“He was a the curiousest man about always betting on anything that turned up you ever see, if he could get anybody to bet on the other side; and if he couldn’t he’d change sides. Any way that suited that suited the other man would suit him—any way just so’s he got a bet, he was satisfied. But still he was lucky, uncommon lucky; he most always come out the winner. He was always ready and laying for a chance; there couldn’t be no solit’ry thing mentioned but that feller’d to bet on it, and take ary side please, as I was telling you. If there was a horse-race, he’d bet on it; you’d find him flush or you’d find him busted at the end of it; if there was a dog-fight, he’d bet on it;, if there was a cat-fight, he’d bet on it, if there was a chicken fight, he’d bet on it” (Clemens, 273)
This passage was probably one of the most important passages of the short story. It gave us an insight about the character, Jim Smiley. He was a person who loved to bet, he would bet his life away if he wanted. I believe that his betting gave him a sense of freedom, satisfaction, a rush and independence. He would bet whether he would win or lose, he was obsessed. In my eyes, I think betting would eventually cause his demise. His betting is similar to the way we as Americans bet, with the casinos in Las Vegas, and Atlantic City, and now on ESPN they have poker on television. We all have a drive, and determination to win. If we don’t we will just keep trying, never to give up, maybe one day we will get rich, it’s the American dream. “Get rich or die trying”. I also think that the character Jim Smiley can be compared to the characters in “The Other Duel”. They all lived for action, that rush, and free will, whether it is death, or betting, whether it is Nihilistic, or just a search for satisfaction. All the characters would risk all they had for glory. In essence, glory is what they all longed for.
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2 comments:
Hi Shawn. You don't need to use such a long quote--but, it IS a great one...
Your response seems to indicate that you don't like the characters much. Is that so? How do you feel about their values? Ethics? Why do you feel as you do?
Twain was brilliant. Did you know that many of his books are available online free like
The Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc is available online here
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