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Joseph Morris
Sister Grover
English 314-03
17 February 2016
Marx Twains Jumping Frog and the Battle of Class
Although one might not consider that class tensions existed in the late American frontier,
it appears to have been quite probable. Even in the ordinary lives of the common folk, the
lingering wafts of class tensions continued to survive. The famous author Samuel Clemens, a.k.a.
Mark Twain, lived in the 1800s and wrote quasi-outlandish tales that described the day-to-day
commonalities of his time. In those stories, specifically in the seemingly innocuous tale The
Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, Clemens lets Marxist attitudes gently slip out in
a barely noticeable fashion. In accordance with reflection theory or vulgar Marxism, this
short story creates three distinct characters that demonstrate a different aspect of the attitudes and
struggles that entail the tensions between the capitalistic bourgeoisie and the hard working
proletariat (Bressler 171).
Character 1: The Narrator
The first character that embodies the bourgeoisie attitude is the nameless narrator
himself. Whether Twain intended the storys narrator to be a reflection of the author himself is
uncertain, but what is certain is that this nameless individual is blatantly haughty. This puffed up
person feels that he has better things to do than mingle with the townsfolk of the mining camp.
He would have never lowered himself to interact with them if it had not been for his friend.
This nameless friend, who we may assume is just another bourgeoisie, decides to send the
narrator on a little goose chase by commissioning him to enquire the good-natured, garrulous

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old Simon Wheeler in the Podunk mining camp of Angels about a supposed childhood friend,
Rev. Leonidas W. Smiley. The narrator readily admits in hindsight that this must have been a red
herring, placed in order to ensnare the narrator in what he perceives as a never-ending,
bor[ing], tedious, useless, infernal reminiscence about a man by the name of Jim Smiley
(Twain). As a typical bourgeoisie, he would have preferred not to dabble with the commoner
folk, but was pranked into doing so.
After confronting Simon Wheeler, the narrator does not even attempt to hide his disdain
for the elderly miner. He begins by describing the man as simpl[e], fat, and bald-headed,
which in most cultures, including the American one, would not be construed as compliments.
The narrator then continues to insult the miners story as well. He could tell by Simons
earnestness and sincerity that the miner regarded [the story] as a really important matter, and
admired its two heroes as men of transcendent genius in finesse, but to the narrator the
spectacle of a man drifting serenely along through such a queer yarn without ever smiling, was
exquisitely absurd. He disliked everything about the miner, including his story. Just before
leaving, the nameless narrator leaves one last verbal insult: Oh! hang Smiley and his afflicted
cow (Twain)! As a bourgeoisie, he has neither time nor patience for the proletariat or their
pointless bantering. They are beneath him.
Character 2: Jim Smiley
Jim Smiley, the primary character in the miners tale, is the second person to emanate the
attitudes of the bourgeoisie. His propensity towards material things and disregard for those
around him culminate in a sly, calculating individual, bent on finding every opportunity to rid the
workers or wage slaves, of their wages (Bressler 168). Smiley embraces his addiction to
gambling and might as well be a reincarnation of greed itself, which is fitting for a bourgeoisie.

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He was always ready and laying for a chance to bet on anything (Twain). And strangely
enough he was lucky, uncommon lucky; he most always come out winner (Twain). It can only
be assumed that he had some trick up his sleeve, some ulterior knowledge that gave him an
unfair advantage, an edge over the competition no matter the bet. It was all about the money and
finding new ways to bleed the others dry of their cash. He would even con people into playing
with him. If he could get any body to bet on the other side; and if he couldn't, he'd change sides.
Any way that suited the other man would suit him any way just so's he got a bet, he was
satisfied (Twain). Why was he satisfied? It was because he was sure that he would most likely
win. Relying on sly gimmicks like a horse that looked pathetic but was a sure-fire late-bloomer
in a race, a dog that would get pushed around and after a while would latch onto the hind leg of
his opponent until the match was called, and a frog he trained himself for three months. His
whole life revolved around his need to gamble people out of their hard earned savings.
Like any good bourgeoisie, he was unconcerned for the welfare of the proletariat or even
his own animals. They were all just tools to him, devices that existed to increase his wealth, and
when they broke, they broke. He could always find another. Case in point, motivated by his
unquenchable thirst for gambling and money, Mr. Smiley heartlessly bet two-and-a-half that
Parson Walkers sickly bedridden wife would not get better. This act was completely and utterly
insensitive to all involved. His animals did not fare much better. He relentlessly ran his horse in
the races even though it had the asthma, or the distemper, or the consumption, or something of
that kind. He would also let his poor bull pup, Andrew Jackson, get roughed up in the ring until
in desperation it would latch onto the opposing dogs hind leg and hold on for dear life. That
plan worked until he went up against a dog who had no hind legs to speak of, leaving Andrew
Jackson with no recourse. As a result, Andrew was beat up so bad in that match that when it

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ended he limped off a piece and laid down and died (Twain). There is no indication in the
story that Smiley felt any remorse for the pup. If anything, he probably felt more disheartened by
the loss of his betting money than by the death of his dog. Like a typical bourgeoisie, money was
his only concern.
Character 3: a feller a stranger
Smileys bourgeoisie mindset eventually leads to a head to head encounter with the true
hero of the story, who is only referred to as a feller a stranger. This anonymous person
represents not just any proletariat; he represents the intelligent and courageous man who sets out
to combat the bourgeoisie on their own turf. He rises in a just rebellion against the conniving
capitalistic dog. Responding to Smileys bet of 40 dollars that his frog, Dan'l Webster, could
outjump any other in the county, he began to hatch his heroic plan with the words: I an't got no
frog; but if I had a frog, I'd bet you. The smug Smiley took the bait and headed out to fetch the
traveler a frog. As soon as the compulsive gambler left, the traveler pried open the frogs mouth
and took a tea- spoon and filled him full of quail shot filled him pretty near up to his chin and
set him on the floor. Preparations complete, the traveler waited. Upon Smileys return, they set
the new frog against the old one. With a start, the newly fetched frog gave a pounce, but to
Smileys utter disbelief Danl Webster did not budge an inch. The match was over as quickly as
it began, with the triumphant underdog taking the prize. He had won his fight against the
bourgeoisie and claimed his winnings. As he started away; and when he was going out at the
door, he sorter jerked his thumb over his shoulders this way at Dan'l, and says again, very
deliberate, Well, I don't see no p'ints about that frog that's any better'n any other frog (Twain).
Although the storyteller Simon Wheeler believes the feller was speaking specifically about the
frog, it is altogether possible that he was also referring to Smiley in that the stranger had beaten

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the capitalist at his own game. He had risen up and achieved victory against this middle class
man who nefariously attempted time and time again to relieve the poorer folk of their living
wages. As can be seen, this traveling stranger was a true hero to the common man.
Conclusion
Whether it was purposeful or unintentional, Mark Twains writings of the ordinary
American life reveal that the ancient class struggles continued to live on in their own way. The
workers continued scraping away for their wages, and the capitalists continued trying to weasel
the workers out of their pay. The Marxist tensions thrived, whether the people involved realized
it themselves or not. Indeed, there will always come a time when some feller, perhaps even a
stranger, will stand up in rebellion and fight against the capitalistic powers that be in order to
obtain his fair share of the economic pie. Thus the extraordinary can be quite ordinary, and the
ordinary quite extraordinary.

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Works Cited
Bressler, Charles E. Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice. 5th ed. Boston:
Longman, 2011. Print.
Twain, Mark. The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. Mark Twain in His Times.
University of Virginia Library, 1996. Web. 19 Feb. 2016.