Rip Van Winkle: Innocent Or Guilty?
Transformation of the Tale: Washington Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle” and Robert Coover’s Rip Awake An American folklore that established Washington Irving as one of the first American authors, “Rip Van Winkle” is a short story about a local Dutch-American villager and the mysterious event that kept him away from home for twenty years. Narrated in the third person omniscient, the narrator depicts a panoramic view of the natural landscape as well as provides an objective view of the main character’s thoughts. To provide a closer view of his personal thoughts, Robert Coover reintroduces Rip Van Winkle with his own monologue in Rip Awake to give him a voice to describe the aftermath of his experience when he returns home.
He doesn’t know what he has done wrong to make his mother leave him in such a place. Initially in this novel Jennings is very innocent in each of the homes he travels to because he
John, feeling concerned and worried wasn’t sure if he should go and assist his wife or stay and help protect and serve his country. John decides that his wife is more important to him as she is the only loved one John has left. John leaves the next morning of the 21st as planned and returns back to his hometown in the
His son marries, and the narrator and his wife age further, and the transition into old age is complete with the death of the narrator’s father-in-law. Between these events we can see large shifts in attitudes and ideas, as well as health and well-being. These factors provide clear character evolution within the
“Rip Van Winkle” and the Emergence of an American Mythology. By Danise Bachman Rip van winkle in indeed a classic piece of American mythology. Washington Irving set this story in the past and filled it with exaggerated and sometimes, strange characters. It also features a mysterious and magical occurrence that put the main character to sleep for twenty years!
Rip Van Winkle is incredibly lazy and his dislike for responsibility mirrors that of America not wanting to be a servant of England. Before Rip falls asleep on the mountain, the town is considered to be quiet and peaceful. However, when he wakes, the town has changed into a bustling, excited little area. Even the tavern is different; King George's name has been replaced by General Washington.
Irving’s Character Alikeness Biographical and short story writer, Washington Irving is known for his works “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” However, he does have additional short stories. Between 1819 and 1820, Washington Irving published The Sketch Book, which was made up of approximately 30 short stories. Within those works were characters such as John Bull, Rip Van Winkle, Ichabod Crane, the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow, and several other unnamed characters. Now, the nameless characters in Washington Irving’s tales had just as deep impacts in their stories as named characters; from those deep impacts came about noticeable character resemblances between those characters.
Alcoholic Alana Club Connie Yonn West Coast University Abstract Melanie Curtin, editor of Rehab official webpage in 2017 said Alcoholics Alana Club is a private rehabilitation located in Anaheim, California. The rehabilitation focuses on the treatment of alcohol, substance, drug abuse. Providing individuals and families assistance with drug, alcohol, and mental health treatment that is reliable, unbiased, and trustworthy service. The organization aspires to make the process clear, painless, and straightforward.
In Rip Van Winkle, Irving uses the countryside and supernatural elements as an escape for Rip Van Winkle from the constant nagging of his wife and demand of labor, where he is finally happy and at peace. Does this reveal an insight into Irving’s character? II. As Rip wanders from his wife up the mountains with his dog, he eventually approaches a strange group of men playing nine-pins in a hollow.
He is intrigued by their attire and also by what they were doing. He gladly joins them in the game as well as in drinking. He feels drowsy and falls asleep. He thinks that he has slept for about a night but in actuality, he has slept for twenty years. The reader would have to imagine Rip gone into a deep sleep for twenty years.
When his enemy wanted to attack he went up and talked to the Indian leader (as cited previously) and made a deal “Deerslayer met his offered friendship in a proper spirit, and they shook hands cordially, each endeavoring to assure the other of his sincerity and desire to be at peace” (pg.167). Rip Van Winkle’s wife had a reason to henpeck him and it was because he was too lazy at home “… but as doing family duty, and keeping his farm in order, he found it impossible… 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” (pg.151). Deerslayer was the opposite of lazy, he liked to work hard in his job “Then indeed, the long practice of Deerslayer as a hunter did him good service. Accustomed to fire with the deer on the bound, and often when the precise position of the animal’s body had in a manner to be guessed at, he used the same expedients here”
Rip Van Winkle pursues a very seldom lifestyle with no pursuit and no ambition. He displays almost no willingness to change from his traditional ways after realizing the American colonies were independent from British Tyranny. He even still accepts the rule of King George III when he enters the town greeting the towns people with saying he is a loyal subject of the king. The reader can see his total disembodiment from the situation when the narrator says “instead of being a subject of his Majesty George the Third, he was now a free citizen of the United States. Rip, in fact, was no politician;
She has a lot of contempt for Rip due to his unwillingness to work and carefree lifestyle. Her abusive control over Rip represents King George and the British rule of the colonies. Even though the colonies were mistreated by the King they still stayed faithful and attached to the crown same as Rip stayed by his critical wife. Here the irony lies in Rip’s absence of feeling towards his wife Dame Van Winkle. Even though he was lectured and bossed around by her he still felt content.
When Richard’s heard the news of her husband’s death, he assumed Mrs. Mallard would be devastated. While everyone knew Mrs. Mallard was “afflicted with heart trouble” (57), him and her sister, Josephine, wanted to give her the news with “great care” (57). Josephine broke the news to Mrs. Mallard in “broken sentences”
In novels focusing on parody of European attributes of romanticism Washington Irving created the unexampled masterpieces. “Rip Van Winkle” being one of the unexampled works of Washington Irving combines gentle and perfect humor. This story is Irving’s imaginative reworking of an old German tale in which his valuable parody professionally covered. In the story Washington Irving gave the national shade to the description of events and outlandish beings for America.
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