Dialect. A dialect is a version of a language spoken by the people of
a particular place, time, or social group. As you read the story, try to understand the Western dialect Twain employs.
Frame Tale. A frame tale is a story that provides a vehicle for the telling of other stories. As you read the story, decide what the frame tale is.
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“The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” is Twain’s retelling of a popular nineteenth-century tall tale. A tall tale is a lighthearted and humorous story
that contains highly exaggerated, unrealistic events. Twain first became known nationally when the story was published in the Saturday Press in 1865. The story is also an outstanding example of regional writing. It portrays the entertainments of simple, uneducated men living in a frontier mining camp in California. The setting is a perfect arena for Twain to display his gift for capturing regional dialects. To commemorate the story, a frog-jumping contest is still held in Calaveras County today.
What story have you exaggerated to impress your listeners?
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