Question

as you read, take notes on how different characters in the story experience deception.
(1) in compliance with the request of a friend of mine, who wrote me from the east, i called on good - natured, garrulous old simon wheeler, and inquired after my friends friend, leonidas w. smiley, as requested to do, and i hereunto append the result. i have a lurking suspicion that leonidas w. smiley is a myth; that my friend never knew such a personage; and that he only conjectured that, if i asked old wheeler about him, it would remind him of his infamous jim smiley, and he would go to work and bore me nearly to death with some infernal reminiscence of him as long and tedious as it should be useless to me. if that was the design, it certainly succeeded.
i found simon wheeler dozing comfortably by the bar - room stove of the old, dilapidated tavern in the ancient mining camp of angels.

1. how does paragraph 1 contribute to the development of the storys theme?

Explanation:

Paragraph 1 sets the scene and introduces the narrator's purpose for visiting Simon Wheeler. It also hints at the potential for a long - winded story, which may be related to the story's theme of tall tales or deception. The narrator's suspicion about his friend's request and the possible connection to Jim Smiley starts to build intrigue.

Answer:

Paragraph 1 sets the scene, introduces the narrator's purpose, hints at a long - winded story, and builds intrigue related to the theme.