The Famous Jumping Frog of Calaveras CountyThe Famous Jumping Frog of Calaveras County is a delightfully entertaining work. The characters are beautifully developed through fantastic descriptions, amusing actions and above all through smooth, flowing and terrific dialogue. Dialogue is indeed the main attraction of this event. Simon Wheeler's speech is optimistic and above all very friendly. Wheeler recounts Smiley's antics as any great storyteller would. Wheeler generously offers his own observations. They are relaxed and hospitable. Wheeler, speaking of Smiley's betting habits, adds: "Well, it never made any difference to him – he'd bet on anything – the craziest guy" (113). This observation is useful and amusing. Wheeler also offers a fabulous story to illustrate his point. He says Smiley made a bet that a man's wife's health wouldn't improve, contrary to what doctors say. The absurdity of such a bet leaves the reader laughing out loud, despite such a morbid joke. Even the frog is personified and carefully molded to become the most individual and unique frog that has ever existed. The frog is described by Wheeler as modest, direct and gifted. "Dan'l Webster was the name of the frog..." (114). Daniel's aptitude for intelligent thinking is evidenced by his ability to catch flies on command. Once again, a most absurd statement but nevertheless very comical. Oddly, Daniel is compared to a cat. Wheeler observes that "He [Smiley] would give him a little pinch behind, and the next minute you'd see that frog spinning in the air like a donut - see him lay down one summer, or maybe two, if he did . a good start, and I come back down flat and everything is fine, like a cat” (114). It could be argued that Daniel is the main character of the story. The true narrator of the story is an old friend of Smiley's. The friend's brief relationship with Wheeler is also rather interesting. Twain does not directly say that the man does not particularly like Wheeler, but alludes to it through the narrator's dialogue. Smiley's old friend sits down with Wheeler and describes the act thus: "Simon Wheeler pushed me into a corner and blocked me there with his chair, then sat down and proceeded to tell the monotonous story which follows this paragraph” (113). Through the man's choice of words, the reader quickly realizes that this is not a pleasant experience for him..