Conflict In 'The Notorious Jumping Frog Of Calaveras County'

In Southwest humor, one of the elements used is "Conflict." Conflict further breaks down into several categories: The Eastern elitist versus commoner, trickster being tricked, and man versus nature. Typically, the Elitists feel they are better than most and developed and over inflated ego regarding themselves. Twain is a master of exploiting the effects of an enlarged ego in the presence of much more humble. In Twain's "The Dandy Frightening the Squatter", "The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" and "When the Buffalo Climbed a Tree" the elitists inflated egos become deflated in a most exclamatory way, and the lowly commoner actually prevails with a more "elite" character.

In the anecdote "Dandy Frightening the …show more content…
Jim Smiley is so sure of himself, that he would bet on anything, anyway, and win. "He was always ready and laying for a chance; there couldn't be no solittry thing mentioned, but that feller'd offer to bet on it, and -take any side you please, as I was just telling you" (Notorious.., 139). One day a stranger sees Smiley holding a box, and Smiley being Smiley starts to work the stranger for a bet. Smiley has this special trained jumping frog named Dan'l Webster that he claims can outjump any other frog around. When the stranger explains that he will bet, but he does not have a frog to jump against Dan'l. that is all Smiley needs. Smiley offers to go get the stranger a frog, and even asks the stranger to look after his box. Only a man that is absolutely sure he can win the bet would ask the person he is betting against to hold his prized frog just before the contest. They agree on a forty dollar bet, which is more than two months pay for most folks. Now the stranger is no fool, he needs to even the odds just a bit. So while Smiley is off in the swamp searching for a frog, the stranger pours quail shot into Dan'l mouth. When the time comes for the big jump, Dan'l does not move a muscle, the strangers frog (that Smiley provided) hops away to victory. The stranger wins the bet, takes the money and heads out the door, …show more content…
They happen upon some misfortune along the way that causes them some delay. They are probably not a very wealthy group since they are traveling in a mud wagon, which is not much more than a stripped down version of a stagecoach that does not have side walls. While waiting for the repairs, they are invited on a buffalo hunt. During this hunt, a member of the group, called Bemis, somehow finds himself stuck in a tree after being chased by a buffalo bull. The other members of the group make fun of Bemis' misfortune. Bemis' pride gets bruised and his feelings so hurt, he will not talk to anyone. "He was very sullen about the matter for some twenty-four hours, but at last he began to soften little by little." (When..., 142) After he begins to talk and tell his side of the adventure, in an effort to keep himself from looking at all bad, he spins the wildest of wild yarns. He makes himself out as exceptionally composed in the face of danger, an expert horseman equal to the greatest of rodeo cowboys. His lays it on thicker and heavier as he speaks. Bemis describes in detail, how a huge buffalo bull can not only climb a tree, but also allows Bemis to slip a lariat around his huge skull. And when challenged about the validity of the story, he provides the most arrogant of responses: "Bemis, is all that true, just as you have stated