National Mythology In Washington Irving's Rip Van Winkle

What is National Mythology? A national mythology helps the people of a nation and allow them to see themselves as members of a district and unique. The story of the rip Van Winkle happened years ago before and after the American Revolutionary War. In a small village that is located in the foothill of the Catskill Mountain that is where Rip Van Winkle lived. He is a Dutch villager. Rip was described as a simple easy going man and the people that lived in the village adore him because of his Kindness, generosity, and willingness to help his neighbors, but his wife is not happy with him because he is also a very lazy husband he doesn’t work around the house. Washington Irving’s national mythology "Rip Van Winkle” greatly impacts its reader through

The readers feel comfortable laughing at living because his personality is not mean spirited or harsh. In fact, this makes the characters more human and appealing. First quote shows he readers how Rip Van Winkle was like “Rip Van Winkle, however, was one of those happy mortals, of foolish, well-oiled dispositions who take the world easy, eat white bread or brown, whichever can be got with least thought or trouble, and would rather starve on a penny than work for a pound” (Irving 64). This quote explained how Rip Van Winkle is described as a man who is responsible and takes care of his Family. Also this quote shows that he is willing to work for anyone except for his own wife and family. And his unwillingness to change how he is makes his wife and children suffer, and does not show a good example for being a good husband and father. And also how he lets his wife talk to him badly makes him an irresponsible man. In this second quote show’s how Dame Van Winkle treat her husband “Rip’s sole domestic adherent was his dog Wolf, who was as much hen-pecked s his master; for Dame Van Winkle regarded them as companions in idleness, and even looked upon wolf with an evil eye, as the cause of his mater’s going so often astray” (Irving 65). This quote describes Dame Van Winkle was a virago or in other word is a noisy or scolding type of person, who