DOCUMENT RESUME ED 442 129 CS 217 177 TITLE Mark Twain and American Humor [Lesson Plan]. SPONS AGENCY National Endowment for the Humanities (NFAH), Washington, DC.; Council of the Great City Schools, Washington, DC.; MCI WorldCom, Arlington, VA. PUB DATE 2000-00-00 NOTE 8p.; Also sponsored by the National Trust for the Humanities. AVAILABLE FROM For full text: http://edsitement.neh.gov/lessonplans.html. PUB TYPE Non-Classroom (055) Guides EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Characterization; High Schools; *Humor; Language Arts; Language Usage; Lesson Plans; *Short Stories; Story Grammar; *United States Literature IDENTIFIERS Twain (Mark) ABSTRACT In this three-part lesson, students examine structure and characterization in the short story and consider the significance of humor through a study of Mark Twain's "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." In Part I, through skits and storytelling, students first examine the structure of Twain's story and the role he creates for his tall-tale storyteller, Simon Wheeler. They then investigate Twain's use of dialect by continuing a story that Wheeler starts to tell, imitating his comic style. In Part II, students compare Twain's story with one of the Sut Lovingood stories by George Washington Harris, again examining the story's structure by performing it as a skit. After considering how this structure "frames" the trickster Sut Lovingood, as compared to the frame Twain creates for his trickster, Jim Smiley, students produce a character sketch of Harris' comic protagonist and a sample of his humorous dialect. Finally, in Part III, students read a humorous story by Nathaniel Hawthorne in order to gain perspective on Twain's brand of humor and its significance within the context of American literary tradition. After debating the merits of "moral" humor like Hawthorne's as compared with the "folk" humor of Harris and Twain, students test the possibilities of blending these traditions by recasting a paragraph of Hawthorne's story in dialect style. The lesson plan also contains the subject areas covered in the lesson, time required to complete the lesson, the skills used in the lesson, the grade level (9-12), and lists of the standards developed by professional or government associations that are related to the lesson, as well as activities to extend the lesson. (RS) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Mark Twain and American Humor [Lesson Plan] U.S. DEPARTMENT Office of Educational OF EDUCATION Research and EDUCATIONAL Improvement RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has beer received from the reproduced as person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. 2 BEST COPY AVAILA: LE wysiwyg://383/http://edsitementneh.gov/lessonplans/marktwain.html iffliiR 640 WORUICOM BSI E'S A SLIDJEDT WIELIS t> Introduction Literature: American In this three-part lesson, students examine structure and Literature: Fiction characterization in the short story and consider the significance of Art; Folklore humor through a study of Mark Twain's "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." In Part I, through skits and storytelling, History: U.S.: The West students first examine the structure of Twain's story and the role he creates for his tall-tale storyteller, Simon Wheeler. They then investigate Twain's use of dialect by continuing a story that GRUIE I.EUELS BACK TO Wheeler starts to tell, imitating his comic style. In Part II, students 9-12 Home compare Twain's story with one of the Sut Lovingood stories by George Washington Harris, again examining the story's structure Lesson Plans TI a REVRED by performing it as a skit. After considering how this structure "frames" the trickster Sut Lovingood, as compared to the frame The full lesson plan requires three class periods, although Twain creates for his trickster, Jim Smiley, students produce a the individual parts of the character sketch of Harris' comic protagonist and a sample of his SEARCH EDSITEMENT lesson can be presented as humorous dialect. Finally, in Part III, students read a humorous free-standing single class story by Nathaniel Hawthorne in order to gain perspective on period units. Twain's brand of humor and its significance within the context of American literary tradition. After debating the merits of "moral" SHILLS I> humor like Hawthorne's as compared with the "folk" humor of reading literary texts Harris and Twain, students test the possibilities of blending these traditions by recasting a paragraph of Hawthorne's story in dialect critical analysis style. literary interpretation historical interpretation drawing Inferences and comparisons Learning Objectives creative writing To analyze the use of literary conventions and devices to develop Internet skills character and point of view in the short story; to investigate the purposes and significance of literary humor; to examine Mark mows JILIGME01 Twain's storytelling style in relation to that of other American humorists. NCTE /IRA List of Standards for the English Lanouaoe Arts Lesson Plan Students read a wide range 1. of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of PART I: A New Kind of Humor the cultures of the United States and the world; (more) 2. Students read a wide range When Mark Twain's "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of of literature from many Calaveras County" first appeared in 1865, it was hailed by periods In many genres to James Russell Lowell, the Boston-based leader of the literary build an understanding of the elite, as "the finest piece of humorous literature yet produced in many dimensions (e.g., STCOPYAVAILABLE 3 1 of 6 wysiwyg://383/http://edsitement. neh.govilessonplans/marktwain.html philosophical, ethical, America." This was high praise for a tall-tale from a hitherto little aesthetic) of human known San Francisco newspaper humorist, but Lowell aimed experience. (more) precisely at the most distinguishing feature of Twain's first 3. Students apply a wide range nationally acclaimed work of fiction, its transforming relationship to of strategies to comprehend, the long tradition of American humor. In this brief masterpiece Interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. (more) Twain combines the vibrant, loquacious storytelling tradition rooted 4. Students adjust their use of in folk tale, fable, and gossip with the more calculated literary spoken, written, and visual tradition of satire, irony, and wit. This lesson plan frames "The language (e.g., conventions, Jumping Frog" in this context, introducing students to both aspects style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with of American humor in order to deepen appreciation of Twain's a variety of audiences and for achievement. different purposes. (more) 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they Fri Begin by introducing students to Mark Twain's formative years write and use different as a Western journalist, a stage in his career that can come as writing process elements a surprise to those who "place" him as a Mississippi River appropriately to communicate with different audiencees for writer. For background, visit the People in THE WEST section of the a variety of purposes. New Perspectives on THE WEST website on EDSITEment; click (more) on Show Contents in the navigation bar at the foot of the page and 6. Students apply knowledge of select Clemens in the navigational sidebar for a short profile language structure, language highlighting Twain's (i.e., Samuel Clemens) experiences out West. conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media Also visit the Mark Twain in His Times website, which includes techniques, figurative samples and reviews of his early days as a humorous lecturer in language, and genre to California. Select Mark Twain on Stage at the website's homepage, create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts. then click on MT Live Lectures & Readings and select Our Fellow (more) Savages for the text of Twain's first lecture, an account of his visit 7. Students conduct research on to the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii), which he first performed in Issues and interests by 1866. Or click Reviews and Recollections on the Mark Twain on generating ideas and Stage page for 19th-century comment on Twain's talents as what questions, and by posing problems. (more) we might call a stand-up comedian today. Students use a variety of 8. technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, Have students read "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of databases, computer Calaveras County." An electronic text of the story is available networks, video) to gather in the Huck Finn section of Mark Twain in His Times. (Click and synthesize Information Huck Finn on the website's homepage, then select Sources & and to create and communicate knowledge. Pre-Texts and click on the picture of the jumping frog to retrieve (more) the text.) 9. Students develop an understanding of and respect Focus initially on the story's structure by having a small for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across group of students perform it as a skit. They will find that cultures, ethnic groups, Twain has devised a story-within-a-story framing structure geographic regions, and by making his narrator the reluctant audience for his social roles. (more) storyteller, Simon Wheeler, and by distinguishing his 11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, storyteller from his protagonist, Jim Smiley. creative, and critical After students have performed the story, discuss how its members of a variety of structure contributes to the comic effect. How does this literacy communities. (more) structure influence our perception of Jim Smiley? To what extent does he seem just a character in a story? To what National Council for the extent does he seem realistic, a picturesque inhabitant of Social Studies the Old West? To what extent does he seem a fantasy culture (more) 1. creation of the storyteller, Simon Wheeler? How do these perspectives combine in our response to Smiley as a comic National Standards for protagonist? Arts Education Go on to discuss the storyteller's contribution to the story's Theatre comic effect. How does Simon Wheeler's voice influence our Script writing through 1. perception of Smiley? To what extent does Wheeler's improvising, writing, and picturesque speaking style help bring Smiley's story to life? refining scripts based on BEST COPY AVAI 2 of 6 wysiwyg://383/http://edsitement.neh.gov/lessonplans/marktwain.html personal experience and To what extent does his distinctive style bring Wheeler heritage, imagination, himself to life as a comic character? literature, and history (more) Acting by developing, 2. Humorists generally have a target; they make jokes at communicating, and 4 someone's expense. Ask students: Who is the target in the sustaining characters in "Jumping Frog" story? improvisations and informal or formal productions (more) They will no doubt easily see that Jim Smiley is the primary Visual Arts target. He is a trickster who turns out to be too clever for his 4. Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and own good. Ask students for examples from fable and folklore cultures (more) of similar characters (e.g., Ananzi the spider in African 6. Making connections between folktales, Coyote in Navajo folktales, the hare in Aesop's visual arts and other fable of the tortoise and the hare). Are similar characters disciplines (more) still getting laughs in our humor today? Ask students for examples from recent television sitcoms and movies. View your state's standards In addition to Smiley, the narrator is also a target in Twain's story, a victim of the anonymous trickster who sent him to the garrulous Simon Wheeler. In fact, the narrator's eagerness to escape Wheeler at the end of the story suggests that he may be Wheeler's victim as well. Ask students for evidence from the story that Wheeler's tale of the jumping frog is a deliberate fiction, a "whopper" told with a straight face to "sucker in" a credulous listener. Help students recognize that the story's structure enables Twain's humor to puncture the pretensions of two comic victims at the same time, both the fast-talking Jim Smiley and the literate narrator. Ask: What are some similarities between Smiley and the narrator? How do they reflect on one another and on their different social circumstances the narrator a representative of "civilization" and Smiley a representative of the "frontier"? Have students experiment with Twain's storytelling technique by taking up the tale where Simon Wheeler left it, with the story of Jim Smiley's "yaller one-eyed cow that didn't have no tail, only jest a short stump like a bannanner." Have students work in small groups to brainstorm story ideas about this memorable animal and its trickster owner. Then have each student write a story about Jim Smiley and his cow, imitating the dialect style of Simon Wheeler. When they have completed their stories, have students read them aloud, then discuss the experience of writing in dialect. Is dialect a help or a hindrance? What resources does it make available for scene setting and characterization? Does it enlarge or restrict one's vocabulary? How does dialect influence plot development and narration? Does it limit one to the "and then, and then" connection of incident to incident typical of oral storytelling? Does it open opportunities for sliding easily off on a tangent? Have students comment on Twain's use of dialect, based on their own experience with this literary device. What goes misspellings? grammatical into the dialect he creates mistakes? inventive punctuation? loose sentence structure? colloquial turns of phrase? Have students point out examples of each of these stylistic tricks and describe the tricks they used to create a dialect effect. PART II: Regional Traditions 3 of 6 wysiwyg://383/http://edsitement. neh.govilessonplans/mark_twain.html TThe group of writers known as Southwest Humorists were an important influence on Mark Twain. These were educated storytellers who specialized in tall-tales from the backwoods of the area known as the Arkansas, Tennessee, western Georgia Old Southwest. For background on these writers, visit the student exhibit, Mark Twain & Southwestern Humor at the Mark Twain in His Times website. (On the website's homepage, click About This Site, then select Student Projects for a link to Mark Twain & Southwestern Humor.) To introduce your students to this tradition of American humor, have them read one of the Sut Lovingood stories by George Washington Harris. An electronic text of "Mrs. Yardley's Quilting Party," the most frequently anthologized Sut Lovingood yarn, is available at the Mark Twain & Southwestern Humor exhibit at the Mark Twain in His Times website. Students will likely find the dialect of Sut Lovingood difficult, and in places baffling. To address this difficulty, have students read parts of the story aloud, exaggerating the drawl and twang conveyed by Harris' spelling. Then ask students to compare this use of dialect with that found in Twain's "Jumping Frog" story. How does each dialect style (Twain's and Harris') characterize the speaker? How does each influence our attitude toward the speaker? Is Sut Lovingood more or less appealing for the way he speaks? Have students rewrite a passage of the Sut Lovingood story first in modern English, then in the dialect style of Mark Twain. What is gained and lost by each transformation? Focus next on the structure of Harris' story. Again, students might dramatize the structure by enacting the story as a skit. They will notice that Harris, too, frames his story by making it a tale told to his narrator, yet the storyteller in this case is the protagonist of the tale as well. How does this structure influence our perception of Sut Lovingood? How does it position him in relation to the narrator and the literate, "civilized" world that the narrator represents? How does it reflect on the "folk" world for which Sut is the spokesman? Based on the story's structure, who is the target of Harris' humor? To what extent is Sut Lovingood the instrument of Harris' ridicule and to what extent the object of it? Is Sut a trickster like Jim Smiley or, as Harris described him in the subtitle to his collection of Sut Lovingood stories, "a Nat'ral Born Durn'd Fool"? Critics generally agree that the most lasting achievement of 4 the Sut Lovingood stories is the characterization of Sut Lovingood himself. His vitality and spirit have been praised by Mark Twain and William Faulkner alike. Have students share in this enjoyment of an American original by writing character sketches of Sut Lovingood, describing his appearance and personality, and giving a sample of his distinctive speech. As inspiration, share with students the original illustrations of Sut Lovingood available at the Documenting the American South website. (On the website's homepage, click Library of Southern Literature, Beginning to 1920, then select Index of Authors and scroll down to "Harris, George Washington" for an electronic text of the collected Sut Lovingood stories with illustrations.) wysiwyg://383/http://edsitementneh.govilessonplans/mark_twain.html PART III: Literary Humor Finally, introduce students to the more "literary" tradition of American humor by having them read "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment," by Nathaniel Hawthorne, available in the electronic text of Twice-Told Tales at the Nathaniel Hawthorne website. (On the website's homepage, select Twice-Told Tales and scroll down the table of contents to "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment.") As students will notice at once, dialect and local color play no part in the humor of this story. The story's structure, too, is far removed from the traditions of oral transmission that underlie the structures developed by Twain and Harris. Have students attempt to present Hawthorne's story as a skit. Is there a role for Hawthorne's narrator in their dramatization of the story? Where does the narrator stand in relation to the action he describes? Is he the storyteller, like Simon Wheeler? an audience, like the narrators created by Twain and Harris? simply an observer of the action, like Hawthorne's reader? Have students cite evidence from the story to support their opinions. Have students consider Dr. Heidegger's role in the structure of the story. To what extent can he be compared to a storyteller like Simon Wheeler? To what extent can he be compared to a trickster like Jim Smiley or Sut Lovingood? To what extent is Dr. Heidegger a satirist who "stages" this experiment to reveal his victims' weaknesses? How does the story's structure influence our perception of Hawthorne's characters? Do they seem "storybook" characters? realistic? fanciful? Have students cite passages from the text to illustrate how the narrator's choice of words in describing his characters, and his choice of props and costumes for the scene, influence our perception of them. Though a more refined humorist than Harris and Twain, Hawthorne is also targeting an element or aspect of American society for ridicule. But who is Hawthorne's target? Is the story told at the expense of old people, like those whom Dr. Heidegger invites to taste the waters of the fountain of youth? To what extent does Hawthorne's use of allegorical elements, like the fountain of youth, bring a broader target into view? What does Dr. Heidegger's experiment reveal about "people in general"? What is the "moral" of Hawthorne's story? Is there a similar kind of "moral" in this sense to the stories of Harris and Twain? Should there be? Divide the class for a debate on this issue. Have one group argue that moral humor like Hawthorne's is superior to the often amoral humor of the folk tale and gossip tradition. Have the other group argue that Hawthorne's style of humor pales in comparison to that provided by humorists like Harris and Twain. Conclude this lesson by asking students to translate a passage from Hawthorne's story into dialect. Have them look, for example, at the paragraph beginning, "The fair widow knew, of old, that Colonel Killigrew's compliments were not always measured by sober truth..." Ask them to imagine how Simon Wheeler or Sut Lovingood might portray the scene Hawthorne's narrator describes. In the process of recasting Hawthorne's prose, they will likely discover that he is a more artful stylist than they wysiwyg://383/http://edsitement. neh.govilessonplans/mark_twain.html might at first suppose, and discover too, as Mark Twain discovered, that an equal measure of art is required to achieve such effects in the easy-going accents of a storyteller. Wending the Lesson Students interested in learning more about the humor of the Old Southwest will find a rich repository of texts in the Library of Southern Literature, Beginning to 1920 collection at the Documentina the American South website. Encourage them to sample A. B. Longstreet's Georqia Scenes and T. B. Thorpe's The Hive of "The Bee-Hunter." For a different perspective on American dialect humor, students might visit the American Verse Proiect website to sample the poems of Robert W. Service, such as "The Cremation of Sam McGee" in Spell of the Yukon. (Click on Browse the American Verse Project Texts on the website's homepage and scroll down the index of authors to the entries for Robert W. Service.) ERIC U.S. Department of Education Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) National Library of Education (NLE) Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) NOTICE Reproduction Basis This document is covered by a signed "Reproduction Release (Blanket)" form (on file within the ERIC system), encompassing all or classes of documents from its source organization and, therefore, does not require a "Specific Document" Release form. This document is Federally-funded, or carries its own permission to reproduce, or is otherwise in the public domain and, therefore, may be reproduced by ERIC without a signed Reproduction Release form (either "Specific Document" or "Blanket"). EFF-089 (3/2000)