The tone of “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” changes depending on whether the unnamed East Coast narrator or Wheeler is narrating. During the narrator’s sections of the story, the tone is much more critical, while, during Wheeler’s extended narration, the tone is jovial and conversational. The following passage from the end of the story captures the conflicting tones:
At the door I met the sociable Wheeler returning, and he buttonholed me and recommenced:
“Well, thish-yer Smiley had a yaller one-eyed cow that didn’t have no tail, only just a short stump like a bannanner, and—”
However, lacking both time and inclination, I did not wait to hear about the afflicted cow, but took my leave.
Here, Wheeler excitedly begins to tell the narrator about “a yaller one-eyed cow that didn’t have no tail, only just a short stump like a bannanner.” The playful language here contributes to a friendly and informal tone—he clearly wants to continue chatting with his new friend at the bar.
The narrator’s tone, however, is much more serious and judgmental, as seen in his description of himself as “lacking both time and inclination” to hear Wheeler’s next story. His formal language adds to the somewhat callous tone, as does his decision to leave without acknowledging or thanking Smiley in any way. Of course, by later writing out this entire story, the narrator indicates that he does respect Smiley despite their different (likely regionally-informed) modes of relating to socializing and storytelling.
