If there was a camp meeting, he would be there reg'lar to bet on Parson Walker, which he judged to be the best exhorter about here and so he was too, and a good man. Incongruity or hyperbole

Incongruity.

Explanation:

The given passage is from Mark Twain's The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. It tells the story of Jim Smiley, who owned a frog believed to be the highest jumper in all of the county. And it was this proud title of having the frog who can out-jump any other frog that led to its owner Jim famous or well known.

The particular passage is narrated by Simon Wheeler who was telling the unnamed narrator about a man named Smiley that he knew. Simon states that Jim Smiley was always betting at one thing or another, even in "camp meetings" where he would "bet on Parson Walker" who according to Jim, was "the best exhorter [] and a good man".

Now, incongruity is a state where the given statements are in contrast with each other. The things talked about or presented don't seem to match with each other, like Parson Walker being the best exhorter and a good man, which Jim clearly is not. Thus, this passage presents an incongruity in the description of the two persons described or talked about.

which statement best expresses the theme of this short story the value of being confused

yes yes it does !