Shirly Ong
English 48B
18 January, 2008
Journal #3 Mark Twain
Quote:
“But still he was lucky, uncommon lucky; he most always come out winner.”
Summary:
This is a quote taken from “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”. Simon Wheeler was telling Mark Twain about Jim Smiley. Jim Smiley was addicted to gambling. He bet on everything and he was the winner most of the time. Simon Wheeler thinks Jim Smiley has uncommon luck.
Response:
Jim Smiley’s story triggers my thought on the problem of addiction in gambling and a Chinese proverb “an army puffed up with pride is bound to lose”. Obviously, Jim Smiley is addicted to gambling. He bets on everything. He even bet on the life of Parson Walker’s wife. This is so rude! I believe that he is addicted to gambling because he has been the winner in bets most of the time. He thinks he can always win. Thus, he enjoys in betting on everything, regardless of the natures of his bets. The joy of winning is the greatest reinforcement in gambling. In casinos, many people want to keep on gambling no matter they are winning or losing because they want to have another chance of winning. That’s why gambling is addictive. With his “uncommon luck”, Jim Smiley fell in to a “trap” of gambling.
Later in the story, Jim Smiley lost when he was placing a bet on his jumping frog with a stranger. The stranger cheated by filling Jim’s frog with quail shot. Jim’s frog could not jump as it usually did. To me, this proves the proverb “an army puffed up with pride is bound to lose”. Jim Smiley is proud of his frog and his uncommon luck. It turns out that he lost. Indeed, it is pretty easy to make him lose! This is very sarcastic.
English 48B
18 January, 2008
Journal #3 Mark Twain
Quote:
“But still he was lucky, uncommon lucky; he most always come out winner.”
Summary:
This is a quote taken from “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”. Simon Wheeler was telling Mark Twain about Jim Smiley. Jim Smiley was addicted to gambling. He bet on everything and he was the winner most of the time. Simon Wheeler thinks Jim Smiley has uncommon luck.
Response:
Jim Smiley’s story triggers my thought on the problem of addiction in gambling and a Chinese proverb “an army puffed up with pride is bound to lose”. Obviously, Jim Smiley is addicted to gambling. He bets on everything. He even bet on the life of Parson Walker’s wife. This is so rude! I believe that he is addicted to gambling because he has been the winner in bets most of the time. He thinks he can always win. Thus, he enjoys in betting on everything, regardless of the natures of his bets. The joy of winning is the greatest reinforcement in gambling. In casinos, many people want to keep on gambling no matter they are winning or losing because they want to have another chance of winning. That’s why gambling is addictive. With his “uncommon luck”, Jim Smiley fell in to a “trap” of gambling.
Later in the story, Jim Smiley lost when he was placing a bet on his jumping frog with a stranger. The stranger cheated by filling Jim’s frog with quail shot. Jim’s frog could not jump as it usually did. To me, this proves the proverb “an army puffed up with pride is bound to lose”. Jim Smiley is proud of his frog and his uncommon luck. It turns out that he lost. Indeed, it is pretty easy to make him lose! This is very sarcastic.
1 comment:
20/20 I like the way you anchored and expressed your personal observations in Twain's own langauge!
Post a Comment