美国文学 Mark Twain 和jumping frog

MarkTwainBefore1-2(1835-1910)MostcelebratedhumoristinAmericanhistoryRepresentativeWriterofAmericanRealismAgreatliteraryartistandagreatsocialcriticinthehistoryoftheUnitedStatesBorninFlorida,Missouri,onNovember30,1835.Whenhewasfour,Twain'sfamilymovedtoHannibal.In1847thedeathofhisfatherbroughtanendtohiscarefreedays,andhehadtogotoworkattheageof12asaprinter’sapprentice.In1851,hebeganworkingasatypesetterandcontributorofarticlesandhumoroussketchesforanewspaperownedbyhisbrother.•From1857to1861,TwainworkedasariverboatpilotontheMississippiRiver.Thisoccupationgavehimhispenname,MarkTwain.•OnMississippiriverboats,twofathoms,adepthindicatingsafewaterforpassageofboat,wasmeasuredonthesoundingline.•“Marktwain”wasacallusedbysailors.Picturesfrom•In1863,heworkedataVirginiaCitynewspaper.Herehefirstusedhispenname.•In1864,TwainmovedtoSanFrancisco,stillasajournalist.•Hisfirstsuccessasawritercamewhenhishumoroustalltale,TheCelebratedJumpingFrogofCalaverasCounty,waspublishedin1865.Itbroughthimnationalattention.OnFebruary2,1870,TwainmarriedOliviaLangdon,theonlydaughterofawealthyNewYorkbusinessman..Picturesfrom(1874–1891)andovertwentysummersatQuarryFarm,Twainwrotemanyofhisclassicnovels：TheInnocentsAbroad(1869)TheGildedAge(1873)LifeonMississippi(1883)Twain’sgreatestfameandhisimportanceinAmericanliteraturerestlargelyonhistwobestknownnovels,TheAdventuresofTomSawyer《汤姆·索亚历险记》TheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn《哈克费恩历险记》By1900TwainhadbecomeAmerica’sforemostcelebrity.Picturesfrom•thefailureofhisinvestments,•hisfatiguingtravelsandlecturesinordertopayoffhisdebts,•thedeathofhiswifeandtwodaughters•thedarkeningsociallife•MarkTwaindiedofillnessonApril21,1910.Whenhepassedaway,newspapersaroundthecountrydeclared,“Thewholeworldismourning.”Clemens'shouseinHartfordGraveofMarkTwainWoodlawnCemetery,Elmira,NYRepresentativeWriterofAmericanRealismMarkTwaindealtlargelywiththelowerstrataofsociety.•Hemadecolloquialspeechanaccepted,respectableliterarymediumintheliteraryhistoryofthecountry.Itsinfluenceisclearlyvisiblein12th-centuryAmericanliterature.•MarkTwainwasasocialcriticaswell.Helovedfreedomandjustice,feltaprideinhumandignityandadvocatedbrotherhoodofman.Hehateddespisedmeannessandcruelty.TheCelebratedJumpingFrogofCalaverasCountyMarkTwainWhatshallwepayattentiontowhenwereadastory?•Background:(When+Where?)•Character(Who)•Plot(What)•Theme(What)•Style(How)BACKGROUNDDidYouKnow?Intheremoteminingcampsandfrontiertownsofthe1800s,lifewashardandentertainmentwasscarce.Tocreatesomefunandlaughter,peopleinventedtalltales–storiescontainingsuchquirky,larger-than-lifecharactersasPecosBillandPaulBunyan.Suchtaleswereoftenfirstpassedbywordofmouth,witheachpersonaddingafewdetails.TheTimeandPlaceThisstorytakesplaceintheearly1860sinasmallminingtowncalledAngel’sCamp,whichstillexistsinCalaverasCounty,California.AtAngel’sCamp,Twainfirstheardsomeonetellthestorythathelaterdevelopedinto“TheCelebratedJumpingFrogofCalaverasCounty.”Thisstoryissetinthegoldrush.In1848,inCaliferniagoldwasdiscovered,arapidmovementofpeopletothenewlydiscoveredgoldfield.TheEsternershadareputationforbeingcivilized,cultured,andadvanced;whereastheWesternerswereconsideredtobeless-educated,less-refinedandeasytobedeceived.Californiawasaworldofmen,isolated,homesick,andeagerforentertainment.Gambingwasoneoftheeasiestandmostpopularwaystoamusethemselves.Bizarrecharacter•“I”(aneducatedeasterner)•Myfriend•SimonWheeler•JimSmiley(agambler)•Thefeller(astranger)•Themare(fifteen-minutenag)•Thebull-pup(AndrewJackson—the7thpresidentoftheUnitedStates)•Thefrog(DanielWebster—afamousSenatorandnationalfigureduringTwain'slife)“I”(aneducatedeasterner):theauthorandnarratorofthestory,aswellasoneofitscharacters.Heisportrayedasthebuttofajoke,thejokebeinghaventolistentothefantastictalesofagarrulousoldmannamedSimonWheeler.JimSmileyisthefocusofSimonWheeler’stale.AresidentofCalaverasCounty’sAngel’sCampineither1849or1850,Jimisprimarilyknownforhisloveforbettingandwillbetonalmostanything—nomatterhowridiculousanelderlyresidentoftheWesternminingoperationknownasAngel’sCamp.Afat,baldingmanwhomTwainfindsinabar,Simonisdescribedcondescendinglyaspossessing“anexpressionofwinninggentlenessandsimplicity.”AndrewJackson(thedog’sname):AndrewJackson(1767–1845)isthe7thPresidentoftheUnitedStates,thefirstWesternertobecomepresident(1829-1837).Heisdescribedasbeingdeterminedandstrong-willed.DanielWebster(thefrog’sname):Heisastatesman(1782-1852).Heembodiestheveryspiritofthenation.MainplotsNarrativeChangesinThisStory•FirstPart:Thenarratoris“I”.ReceivedtheletterAcceptedtherequestWenttoseeSimonWheelerLeonidaswaswantedUnwillingnessOnlyJimexistedMainplotsNarrativeChangesinThisStory•SecondPart:ThenarratorchangesintoSimonwheeler•betbetbetGeneralknowledgeOfJimFemalehorseWeakdogFamousjumpingfrogJimSmileyLovestobet.Hebetsonanything.ThestrangercheatsAndbeatsJim.JimlosehisbetAndfindstheShotsinfrog.Itisveryold.Butalwayswinshimprizesatthelastmomentofthebet.ItlooksweakbutneveryieldstocompetitoruntilDeath.MainplotsNarrative