Autumn Hadders
Honors American Lit.
Mr. Anguiano
11/1/24
Analyze Rip Van Winkle
The short story Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving is a widely known example of
American mythology. There are many aspects to American mythology, and Irving
incorporates three important ones into his short story. These three characteristics
are: it is set in the past and in interesting places, it is filled with remarkable and
exaggerated characters, and it features magical and mysterious events and their
consequences.
The first thing Irving addresses is the setting of the short story. Irving is very
deliberate and specific with his in-depth description of the physical setting; however
he is vague on the setting timewise. “Whoever has made a voyage up the Hudson
must remember the Kaatskill Mountains. They are a dismembered branch of the
great Appalachian family, and are seen away to the west of the river…they will
gather a hood of gray vapors about their summits, which, in the last rays of the
setting sun, will glow and light up like a crown of glory. At the foot of these fairy
mountains…village of great antiquity, having been founded by some of the Dutch
colonists, in the early times of the province…” Meanwhile, his description of the
time period has much less information. “While the country was yet a province of
Great Britan…” This adds a hint of mystery to the setting, and this can draw the
reader into the myth at the beginning.
Irving addresses his second characteristic of American mythology - that it is filled
with remarkable and exaggerated characters - all throughout the story. The most
remarkable characters that he writes in the story are the “little old men.” We can
infer this as Irving describes one of these “little men” as “He was a short square
built old fellow, with thick busy hair, and a grizzled beard. His dress was of the
antique Dutch fashion-a cloth jerkin strapped around the waist-several pair of
breeches, the outer one of ample volume, decorated with rows of buttons down the
sies, and bunches at the knees. He bore on his shoulder a stout keg…” These
remarkable “little men” have a positive affect on the reader, as it can draw them
into the story even more, because of the irregularity and mystery. On the other
hand, the most exaggerated character in Rip Van Winkle is Dame Van Winkle, Rip’s
wife. It describes the couple’s relationship as tense, with Dame Van Winkle being
the cause of it, because of her character and temperament. “But his wife kept
continually dinning in his ears about his idleness, his carelessness, and the ruin he
was bringing on his family. Morning, noon, and nigh, her tongue was incessantly
going, and every thing he said or did was sure to produce a torrent of household
eloquence.” This explanation is in no way realistic, but it can have a positive effect
on the reader, as the reader may be able to sympathize with Rip, as they may have
Honors American Lit.
Mr. Anguiano
11/1/24
Analyze Rip Van Winkle
The short story Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving is a widely known example of
American mythology. There are many aspects to American mythology, and Irving
incorporates three important ones into his short story. These three characteristics
are: it is set in the past and in interesting places, it is filled with remarkable and
exaggerated characters, and it features magical and mysterious events and their
consequences.
The first thing Irving addresses is the setting of the short story. Irving is very
deliberate and specific with his in-depth description of the physical setting; however
he is vague on the setting timewise. “Whoever has made a voyage up the Hudson
must remember the Kaatskill Mountains. They are a dismembered branch of the
great Appalachian family, and are seen away to the west of the river…they will
gather a hood of gray vapors about their summits, which, in the last rays of the
setting sun, will glow and light up like a crown of glory. At the foot of these fairy
mountains…village of great antiquity, having been founded by some of the Dutch
colonists, in the early times of the province…” Meanwhile, his description of the
time period has much less information. “While the country was yet a province of
Great Britan…” This adds a hint of mystery to the setting, and this can draw the
reader into the myth at the beginning.
Irving addresses his second characteristic of American mythology - that it is filled
with remarkable and exaggerated characters - all throughout the story. The most
remarkable characters that he writes in the story are the “little old men.” We can
infer this as Irving describes one of these “little men” as “He was a short square
built old fellow, with thick busy hair, and a grizzled beard. His dress was of the
antique Dutch fashion-a cloth jerkin strapped around the waist-several pair of
breeches, the outer one of ample volume, decorated with rows of buttons down the
sies, and bunches at the knees. He bore on his shoulder a stout keg…” These
remarkable “little men” have a positive affect on the reader, as it can draw them
into the story even more, because of the irregularity and mystery. On the other
hand, the most exaggerated character in Rip Van Winkle is Dame Van Winkle, Rip’s
wife. It describes the couple’s relationship as tense, with Dame Van Winkle being
the cause of it, because of her character and temperament. “But his wife kept
continually dinning in his ears about his idleness, his carelessness, and the ruin he
was bringing on his family. Morning, noon, and nigh, her tongue was incessantly
going, and every thing he said or did was sure to produce a torrent of household
eloquence.” This explanation is in no way realistic, but it can have a positive effect
on the reader, as the reader may be able to sympathize with Rip, as they may have
