the jumping frog

Amber James


Period 2

“The Jumping Frog”

I like the introduction to the story because the author uses his opinion of the tale that we read first. He actually challenges the realism of the story and feels that Simon Wheeler wasn’t a sufficient source. It’s as if he’s guiding us into the story with ease, he even tells us how the man narrated the story to him so we could picture it in that exact way, with the imagery that he provides. The way the author described how the man felt about the story was that he was excited and proud to tell it but he told it with such seriousness, hinting that it had to be a true story.

The story to me was very unbelievable but in a way can be realistic. On the unbelievable side, it’s like Smiley was too perfect. Usually when someone places a bet for money they bet on something that they seem to be sure of and for Smiley to take either side of a bet and be successful most of the time really seems unbelievable and illogical. Also he takes useless animals that no one else has use for and makes money off of them too. He named these animals after great political leaders who were undermined but persistent, just like the animals. No one believed in the animals but him and that’s what gave him such a good hustle. The part that gets me is when Andrew Jackson won many fights against bigger and healthier dogs but it took for a handicapped dog with no hind legs to defeat him all because of a flaw in his strategy. Now on the other side, which is the realistic side, with confidence, practice, and belief many things are possible. None of the things that smiley did were impossible. Yes it is possible for someone to be lucky. Maybe Smiley placed buts on the opposite side on purpose just to get a taker and his intentions were for someone to make him switch sides anyway. He could have been a smart man and knew how to handle the different types of people. One very intelligent thing that he did was take the frog that he had educated himself to another area because all of the fact that all of the townspeople new of what he was doing with the frog. He was a hustler at heart and would do anything for money. He even taught his dog how to hold out until all of the money was in the air to finally win the match. So in actuality this man could have been very greedy and money hungry and he did get caught up a couple of times. Also with his animals he showed that looks can be deceiving and to never underestimate your opponent.