Washington Irving wrote Rip Van Winkle with the American people in mind. At this time society was changing drastically. America was attempting to go through a struggle with forming their own identity. America was wanting to have an identity that would set them free from English culture and rule. Irving uses his main character, Rip Van Winkle, symbolize America. Rip goes through the same struggles that America was going through at this time before and after the Revolution. Irving uses such great symbolism in this story to describe the changes that American society went through. This story covers a wide variety of time periods including: America before English rule, early American colonies under English rule, and America after the Revolutionary War.
One main issue of the story was one of identity, especially at this time in history. Rip was having difficulty finding himself throughout the story. His wife constantly nagged at him probably all in good reason. His farm was fading away. He was lazy and unproductive. He underwent many emotional changes throughout the story. He didn't appreciate what he had, and before he could even blink it was gone. Life is too short to not appreciate everything in it and enjoy it to the fullest.
In the first paragraph I chose to look at, it leads right into when Rip goes off for a walk to go squirrel shooting. Although the main reason for his walk was to get away for his nagging wife. The story could be interpreted in two different ways. One being that Rip was a lazy bum who did not take responsibility for his wife, children, and farm. He rather go out and drink and hang with his buddies at the tavern. I believe Irving specifically wrote this story for men. The story makes the wife sound like the wretched, nagging, old ugly woman and all she cares about is bothering her husband. This to me sounds all to familiar to what goes on still to this day. I believe the story makes Dame Van Winkle out to be the one in change of the power, but in reality I believe it was Rip. If he was so powerless then he would do what she says to do all the time, but he doesn't, instead he ignores it and walks away. At this point in the story, he walks up into the Kaatskill mountains. Once up there he takes in all the beauty that surrounds him. To him this was heaven. Away from everything, including most of all his wife. He describes the river and mountains to be magical, which as we can see later really are. Rip has already made it up the highest point on the mountain by accident, He was trying to find his favorite spot to go hunting. One thing I noticed was the intense descriptions of the American scenery. Irving uses many words such as "magical" to describe the scene. He goes on to describe the Hudson river as "lordly." This to reflect on its magnificent size, especially from his view.
In the next paragraph, Rip describes the other side of the mountain. This he describes as "far down, deep, wild, and lonely." This to me sounds like his interpretation of what his life is now. It describes life in the village where he lives, his home life. At this point Rip was faced with the question of where to go? Should he go back down to the pit of hell or stay up in the glorious, peaceful mountains. This is just one of the many comparisons Irving makes though out the story. Dark is coming and Rip is not looking forwarded to returning to his wife.
In the third paragraph, was when Rip heard the voice calling his name. At this point Rip sees a man and thinks its one of his neighbors so hurries down to help him. Rip seems to have his values out of place. He runs immediately to help a stranger in need, but won't help his own family who needs him most of all. Dame Van Winkle might represent the Puritan's voice. Rip has completely no interest in material gain. He seems to be going against the conventional American life. When he wakes from the sleep this could symbolize his awakening into American awareness. The question is does being high on the Kaatskill mountains have any reason for Rip falling asleep for twenty years? Is there some sort of evil that comes from these mountains that led to his sleeping? Was it to teach Rip a lesson in life? That you should always treasure what you have on this earth especially your family. For they are the ones who love you unconditionally.
After Rip meets this dwarf-like stranger he helps him carry a keg of liquor down the hill, where he shares with him a drink. This is where he falls into a deep sleep. It seems like to me that the dwarf is symbolizing temptation. Rip knows it's late and he needs to get back home but instead is willing rather to help a stranger and engage in some alcoholic beverages. I believe in one way that Rip was a very unhappy man. He felt he had nothing to live for anymore. It sounds like his home life was very distraught whether that be his or her fault. The point being that he was unhappy and needed to be freed from her. I think God must have answered his prayers and gave him a fresh beginning.
Essay 2
Rip Van Winkle had grabbed his gun and his dog, Wolf, and headed out to the woods. He rested under a tree where evening came on quickly. As Rip was getting ready to journey back home, he heard a voice calling his name. He went to see who was calling his name. He discovered an old man carrying a keg on his back. Rip and the old man walked to a ravine in the mountain. There they found a band of odd-looking people. Rip and the old man drank from the keg the man was carrying on his back. Rip feel into a deep sleep, which bring us up to his awaking.
Rip Van Winkle woke up and it seemed to be the next morning. "The birds were hopping and twittering among the bushes, and the eagle was wheeling aloft, and breasting the pure mountain breeze." I think this symbolizes that the jeopardy that Rip was in the night before was over. The text said that the people in the ravine were rolling balls that echoed sounds of thunder through the ravine. That makes me picture a dark storm rolling in. This sets the scene with a little tension because Rip did not know what to make of the people in the ravine. He was a little frightened by them. So the birds singing and the sun rising the next morning seems to set the mood at ease again.
Rip thinks about what went on the night before. He remembers the old man, the keg of liquor, the party, and the flagon. The flagon was the cup that Rip Van Winkle drank from the night before. Rip Van Winkle said, "Oh! That flagon! That wicked flagon!" I thought it was humors that he blamed the cup for getting him "tipsy" and causing him to sleep through the night.
The first hint that is giving that Rip did a little more sleeping than he thought was the moment he reached for his gun. "He looked round for his gun, but in place of the clean, well-oiled fowling-piece he found an old firelock." It stated that the barrel was rusted and the stock was full of holes from worms eating away at it. Rip's first thought was that the people from the mountain had played a trick on him and stolen his gun. My first thought was different from Rip's. I figured that he would know that the rusted gun was his. The text mentioned more than once how his gun was well-oiled and well the gun was taken care of. Also, the story told how Rip would spend hours walking through swamps and fields just to kill a squirrel or a pigeon. In my personal opinion I would think if Rip took that care of his gun he would know exactly what it looked like. Even if it had rusted a bit he would still be able to recognize it. I imagine he was dazed and confused when he woke up and just did not recognize his gun. He also noticed that Wolf, his dog, was no where to be found. He whistled for him but to no response.
Thinking that the people in the mountains had stolen his gun and dog, Rip set out to the spot where he was the night before to reclaim his possessions. As he got up he was very stiff and his bones did not want to corporate. Rip passed it off to sleeping on the ground but to the reader that is a true sign that Rip probably slept longer than just one night. I also found humor in that Rip was scared that he might develop rheumatism from sleeping in the night air. He was not frightened off being sick, he was just scared of what his wife would do to him he got rheumatism.
As Rip arrived at the spot where the mountain people had been, to his astonishment a stream was now running through the ravine. "A mountain stream was now foaming down it, leaping from rock to rock, and filling the glen with babbling murmurs." To me, this relates how quickly nature changes. It can recreate itself into something totally different. It went from an amphitheater ravine, to a mountain stream with no trace of the people or Rip Van Winkle's remains. Also I think that the stream might be a slight symbolization. Where it says the "water leaped from rock to rock" that almost sounds like the water was the men that had been there the night before. It is almost like they were having fun jumping from rock to rock to spite Rip Van Winkle.
Essay 3
Rip Van Winkle and its Impact on Society
Events, no matter how small can change a society, a culture, and an outlook in the blink of an eye. Whether it is in a war, a speech, a gesture, or even a novel. Washington Irving made an incredible impact from his short story "Rip Van Winkle", drawing the events surrounding him to form a simple story with deep meaning. To bring to a pinpoint, the story shaped the American culture as the American culture shaped the story.
Washington should not be able to take full credit for his story. Rip Van Winkle originated from the Dutch folklores. The story was found in the house of Diedrich Knickerbocker. Although there was some speculation on the accuracy of the tale, historians agree that the story is "now admitted into all Historical collections as a book of unquestionable authority" (Irving, 1353). Knickerbocker claims that he actually talked to Winkle himself and concluded that Rip was in sound mind and that "the story therefore, is beyond the possibility of doubt" (1353). The Catskills are a parallel to the story. Filled with Indian folklores, the Catskills are believed to posses a Manitou or spirit that will take the form of the flesh of human or animal form that would strive to rid the area of bad or mischievous elements or people.
Combing the Dutch folklore, the Indian tales, and the idea of using short simple stories to make a point, Washington created a whole new dimension of literature. The British culture concluded that his story had become the new "American" literature.
Washington analysis of the relationship between the British and the colonists caused a minor stir among people. First, it was unconventional to even mention the revolution since it was such a touchy subject. Secondly, Washington made quite a statement with his notion that the British rule acted selfishly and oppressive, in turn, portrayed America as the hero.
From this folklore, others have grown from it. Some believe that Rip in fact did not fall asleep, but took adventurous journeys in foreign lands with strange people. Art and child-like fantasies have been the median to which the stories have been communicated. Drawings consist of fairy-like areas and magical settings have attracted children and adults alike.
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