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Reading Notes W4: Yellow Bird and Twain

John Rollin Ridge (Yellow Bird) (p. 163-170)
·     First American Indian to publish a novel
·     Born in Georgia - Cherokee father and a white mother

From The Life and Adventures of Joaquin Murieta, the Celebrated California Bandit
·     Contemporary account of California as it was settling
·     Lawless
·     The war with Mexico has been fought, and California belonged to the United states
·      Follows Joaquin and his band as they set post-Mexico California ablaze
o  Joaquin Murieta: Mexican 
§ His complexion was neither very dark or very light, but clear and brilliant, and his countenance is pronounced to have been, at that time, exceedingly handsome and attractive. His large black eyes, kindling with the enthusiasm of his earnest nature, his firm and well-formed mouth, his well-shaped head from which the long, glossy, black hair hung down over his shoulders, his slivery voice full of generous utterance, and the frank and cordial bearing which distinguished him made him beloved by all with whom he came in contact (164).
·     Worked on a mining claim 
·     Moral bravery
·     Fortune and happiness was all he seeked
·     Joaquin wants revenge 
o  “Murieta’s revenge was very neatly complete” (167).
·     Joaquín attacked them in the night and killed many of Boyce's men

Mark Twain

The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
·     A story about a man name Simon Wheeler
o  “fat and bald-headed” (207)
o  Western style story-telling
o  Cultural differences between the East and West
·     Mining town in California: Angel’s Camp
·     Narrator is in search to find Wheeler to ask about Leonidas W. Smiley
·     Wheeler tells a story of Jim Smiley
o  Willing to bet the life of Parson’s wife shows his true passion for betting, as well as, greed.
o  Deceiving animal descriptions
o  Bulldog, Andrew Jackson
o  An honest man
·     Dan’l behavior is suspicious to Smiley and he has to immediately flee town due to his behavior. 
·       


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