What has changed in Rip Van Winkle’s town after his twenty years of sleep? How has the economy changed? How have people’s ways of interacting changed? Does Irving seem to welcome or dislike these changes? How do you know?
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How does “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” seem to regard Ichabod Crane? How is he different from those who have long lived in the valley? How would you characterize the clash of values between Crane and these long-time inhabitants?
As some of the other posts have suggested, I believe that Irving portrays a sort of measured ambivalence toward the newly founded American political regime in the end of Rip Van Winkle. Though the futuristic townspeople rally around their new democracy and try to rid themselves of a new “tory” threat, Van Winkle simply switches sides without much thought, passion, or worry. In comparison, his freedom from the tyranny of wedlock means much more to him than his newfound political context. If Irving means to suggest any definitive sentiment towards the “progress” achieved through the 20 year sleep, such commentary probably reads as negative. Environmental factors such as the tree over the inn, which Irving speaks of fondly in the beginning of the story, were replaced by unsightly manmade necessities of progress. A heated and tumultuous political climate has replaced a stable and calm one. Though Rip Van Winkle never explicitly reveals its author’s opinion on the merit of Revolutionary ideology, the text implicitly points towards a pessimistic ambivalence at best and an outright disdain at worst.
The reason that Irving suggests Rip gets left behind in these changes is that: “The great error in Rip’s composition was a strong dislike of all kinds of profitable labor.” Because he doesn’t want to make money, he has no place in a growing economy driven incessantly by moneymaking. Irving seems to have a tinge of sympathy and sentimentality for Rip in this; he is not a lazy person, only too caring and not selfish enough.
When he wakes up, he’s found things a little bigger and less quaint than it was: “The very village was altered; it was larger and more populous. There were rows of houses which he had never seen before, and those which had been his familiar haunts had disappeared.” Things have grown without him and he seems to have no place among this bigness. Rip was comfortable in his small village, going to the same sleepy pub. Now that pub has “a busy, bustling tone about it, instead of the accustomed drowsy tranquility.” This chaos seems too much for Rip. Nature has given way to politics in the form of the tree outside the pub being replaced by a flag. But Rip’s observation of the political change, that seems to many so great, is characterized by the trivial. George Washington doesn’t seem so different to him than King George—he’s the same figure in a painting, only his dress has changed. These political changes, Irving is suggesting, are merely cosmetic. The important changes to him are the ones among the people in Rip’s little town: “Rip’s heart died away at hearing of these sad changes in his home and friends and finding himself thus alone in the world.” This seems to be a lament by Irving of the direction things have moved in.
But the most poignant change for Rip is finding his daughter grown and that he has a grandson. These very personal, familial changes are what Rip and Irving and we as readers see as most important and touching at the end of the story.
The obvious foil set up by Washington Irving between Ichabod Crane and Brom is meant to portray the values of the long-time inahbitants of Sleepy Hollow in a more positive light against Crane’s values. Wherever Crane was weak in character or strength, Brom was strong. Brom has a lot of friends, Crane doesn’t, Crane is goofy, lanky and weak, Brom is not, Crane is a teacher and very book smart, and Brom outsmarts Crane by using his supernatural beliefs to rid the town of Crane. Even more Irving often compares Brom to animals, bear and a lion to be specific, which makes him closer to nature than Crane, further showing the differences between him and the long-time inhabitants.
Differences are also seen in how Baltus handles all of his wealth and what Crane desires to do with wealth. Here again, we see the contrast between classic wealthy liberal-hearted farmer and Crane, who is basically a moocher and a schemer. Baltus was content with the money he had and simply enjoys smoking his pipe, Crane was desperate for money and wanted to be as rich as he could.
I do agree with previous comments that state that Crane’s belief in the supernatural was the main reason for his downfall. I also wonder however, with the ending being ambiguous, if that ambiguity was really made to question the entire story as well and possibly remind readers this was simply a fictional story? Or to say that superstitions are bad and can lead to this? I’m not really sure what that would mean during this time period exactly or why Irving would have done that, but it’ certainly a thought.
The first noticeable difference between the town in Rip Van Winkle is the fact that much of the old has been replaced by new. Rip notices that his house has become dilapidated and uninhibited, and the inn that was his favorite hang out spot has been replaced. These details are interesting because their placement just after Rip’s waking up suggest that the town has seen some decay over the last 20 years. The next noticeable change in the town is the near total change in the town’s demographic. Not only are nearly all the citizens are new or unrecognizeable, but they are somewhat hostile and have heavily charged political views. This is striking because before Rip took his nap, the town was mostly a quiet farming village that acquiesced with the wishes of the King. The hostile interactions reflect the benefits of a free-thinking, more educated population. Further, in the end they town shows respect for Rip’s experiences which shows that they are more open-minded in this new society. I think all this reflects an overall more positive town. The town no longer seems stuck in a state of farming and subsistence: it has grown economically and socially. Also, Rip is finally accepted by many despite his laziness. I believe this is another positive of the new town because all the evidence from Rip’s life points to him being a selfless man who’s only problem was that he had a hard time doing what was best for himself. The newfound acceptance of Rip shows an appreciation for what he brings to the town.
As some of the other posts have argued, I believe that Irving, like Van Winkle has neutral feelings towards the new republic. When Rip Van Winkle returns from his 20-year slumber, one of the biggest changes he notices is the new found importance of politics in his village. Things seem to be moving at a faster pace than they had 20 years prior. Irving does not necessarily seem to dislike this. To me, it was not clear whether he favored the old village or the new, so I believe that he was most likely indifferent. The fact that his children perpetuated his family values, perhaps helps to provide proof that life before the revolution was not so different that after. If Irving had made Van Winkle’s transition back into normal life more difficult, I think that his feelings towards the revolution would have been made more clear, but the fact that Van Winkle was able to reenter the community with relatively little trouble leads me to the assumption that the author sees life before and after the revolution as not so much different than most would believe.
Even if you have not read the story of Rip Van Winkle, most Americans would say they know the premise of the folktale where a man takes a nap up in the Catskill mountains only to be awoken 20 years later and find his life completely changed. As many people has mentioned, the fact that Rip sleeps through the American Revolution is a crucial element in the story. After he awakes he still claims his loyalty to King George, which he is chastised for, yet even after he realizes what has happened (i.e. he took a 20 year nap), he does not seem to care. In this sense, he appears to be the antithesis of the American dream. People who work hard are rewarded in this American dream but for Rip, he missed one of the most important elements of American History, and is indifferent to the fact. Most Americans would be furious they missed such a critical change in their country’s history, however, Rip only seems relieved that he has now escaped the clutches of his wife.
Ichabod Crane is depicted first and foremost as a rather gangly, awkward fellow, with disproportionately long arms and large feet, and unsightly facial features. He is a cruel and unfair schoolmaster, and treats robust, hardy children with more disfavor than he treats weaker children (who perhaps remind him of himself as a child). He has an insatiable appetite, however, and satisfies his lust for food and the comforts of a home by acting as a friend to the local children. When staying in the home of a farmer, he half-heartedly renders himself somewhat useful and agreeable, but it becomes apparent that these traits do not describe Crane, though they can be attributed to the people who had been in the town for longer. Another salient facet of Ichabod’s character is his obsession and belief in the supernatural.
Ichabod stands out in the larger setting of Tarry Town, named for its inhabitants’ tendency to dawdle and described by the narrator to be a place where “population, manners, and customs, remain fixed; while the great torrent of migration and improvement, which is making such incessant changes in other parts of this restless country, sweeps by them unobserved.” The people are depicted as modest, well-intentioned and hard-working farmers, who take no stock in the fantastical ghost stories that Ichabod believes.
Eventually, the falseness of Ichabod’s character lead him to lose favor with the girl of his dreams, who eventually chooses a man of more honest values. His belief in the supernatural also leads to his downfall. Though the exact semantics of his disappearance are left to the reader’s imagination, it is clear that the clash between Ichabod’s and the locals’ characters can be characterized as ultimately catastrophic (though I don’t think the farmers were too unhappy to be rid of Ichabod Crane).
The world that Rip Van Winkle knew has changed significantly during the 20 years that he was asleep. The town has expanded, leaving behind traces of the old town that once was. His own home is decayed and abandoned. New houses have been constructed and general aura of the town has changed. No longer are people casually strolling about. Life is more fast paced and the revolution has sparked a political interest amongst the public. the small inn where people gathered was gone and a new hotel stood in its place. The town was strange to Rip, and was inhabited by strange people. he saw unfamiliar faces as he entered the village and was greeted by a gang of strange children. All the people he had known before were dead or had moved on to other things. he barely recognizes his own children when he sees them and thinks that he is indeed going crazy, he cannot possibly fathom the new life he was a part. People are not as cordially as before and Van Winkle is not as embraced walking through the town as he was 20 years prior. Irving seems to dislike the changes of contemporary life at the time. he enjoyed the simple, slower paced life that Van Winkle embodied before his slumber. Politics are a prominent aspect in society as several people ask Van Winkle who he was voting for and what side he was on. However, Irving embraces the freedom he has just as Van Winkle embraces his own freedom in his new life.
“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” regards Ichabod Crane as a trying but rather pitiful character. Crane is a school teacher from Connecticut that is trying to win over the heart of a local farmer’s daughter in Sleepy Hollow. Crane is obsessed with the supernatural and is enthralled by witch and ghost stories that others share with him. He is a man of awkward proportions, with long gangly limbs and sharp facial features. He also has an insatiable appetite that makes him come across as rude and mannerless at times. He seems to be regarded as a man that tries hard to be nice and gain others support but is not a genuine, caring person. He does not have the typical farmers’ values of hard work, contentment with wealth, and gentle behavior with women. He is instead a man who tries to portray himself as such in order to take the hand of the daughter of a wealthy farmer who is also beautiful. This inauthentic behavior is detected and he ultimately fails to win Katrina over. His courtship lacks the qualities of a true gentlemen and his manners and dancing skills do not help his cause. He simply does not fit in with the inhabitants because he has refused to take the time to learn their culture and adopt their way of life.
The story of Rip Van Winkle is particularly interesting because it inspires the reader to imagine how one would interpret the new republic without experiencing the American Revolutionary War, and the initial founding of the United States of America. When Rip returns to his town in the Catskill region of New York after his 20 year slumber it is clear that much has changed. His old house that he grew to resent due to his relationship with his wife is run down and abandoned. The new rows of houses that emerged and the changes to the Inn signify the effects of economic and political progress. The importance of politics in the new town is evident, and depicted in the scene in which he is asked which party he supports. Although Rip has trouble identifying with the traditions that define the progress of the town, he does not vehemently oppose them. Rather, he takes the time to appreciate the aspects of the town and its landscape that have stayed the same. The Catskill mountains and the Hudson river are still define the landscape, and his son Rip II and his daughter Judith still possess the same family values that defined the social relationships of the old town. Rip’s relatively neutral stance on the changes brought about by the American Revolution, and his appreciation of the lasting traditions that defined the old town show that the author is willing to welcome these changes because they do not alienate the old traditions. Instead, the old traditions created a solid foundation that change and progress built upon. The necessity of the American revolution promoted a period of progressive economics and politics, the author accepts these changes because they did not totally redefine the town but rather improved it.
As others have mentioned, Rip emerges from his slumber into a faster paced society – the town bustles around him, politics are actively discussed, a war has been fought, fashions have changed, and generally progress has worked its course. I would argue however that Irving is not lauding this progress. He never outwardly states as much, but there seems to be various indications of this as he describes the way the town looks, the way the people act, and the general attitudes of the characters.
For example, Irving writes, “Instead of the great tree that used to shelter the quiet
little Dutch inn of yore, there now was reared a tall, naked pole” (37). While the main natural landmarks of the area like the mountains and river have remained unchanged, the tree has fallen victim in industry and progress to become a “naked pole” – not exactly a flattering description.
Furthermore, the orator that Rip encounters is described as “a lean, bilious-looking fellow, with his pockets full of handbills, […] haranguing vehemently about rights of citizens” (37). This orator can be viewed as figurehead for nineteenth century attitudes towards progress and politics. It was a great time in American oratorical tradition with famed orators equitable to the celebrities of today. Thus it is indicative that Irving describes the orator and his haranguing in a less than flattering manner.
Finally, in terms of the inhabitants of the town and who believes Rips tale, “The old
Dutch inhabitants, […] almost universally gave it full credit” (40). Where the orator is figurehead of progress, the old Dutch are the symbols of the first settlers to the NY area and its old ways. Obviously, Rip is portrayed as an exceedingly likable character throughout the story and it is thus revealing that those who unwaveringly believe/ support him are the old Dutch and not the new inhabitants with their new ways.
Myles is right on with his analysis. Beyond just describing a town that has physically changed, Irving’s tone subtly criticizes the new community Rip Van Winkle enters into after wakening from his slumber. From the moment we gets to the outskirts of town, there is no sense of community that he describes from before. The children “ran at his heels, hooting after him, and pointing at his gray beard” (36). There is no empathy, and the sense of looking out for one’s neighbor is gone. Even the dogs he recognizes “for his old acquaintances, barked at him as he passed” (36).
The society Irvin describes is cold and unwelcoming. The economic explanations have been documented, but Irving also criticizes the democratic process. The first thing that the community members ask him, after “eyeing him from head to foot,” is to ask him whether he is a Federalist or a Democrat. Irvin is criticizing the polarization of the post-war society, where a person’s voting record is more important than any moral qualities.
It is certainly interesting to think about one one’s own life would look like after waking up from a 20-year sleep. For Rip Van Winkle, his slumber has eclipsed a very important period in United State’s History. Not only do we get to see how his personal life has changed drastically, but we also see how the politics, and I suppose the economics, of the town have changed as well. Aside from the logistical aspects of his life that would have changed (his beard, his gun, his dog, etc.), Rip notes a few important changes in his town. First, there is the change in fashion over 20 years. Second, he notices that the town has grown over the years and there are new houses that have been constructed where before there was nothing. I suppose this might suggest that this town hasn’t fallen into economic shambles, but rather has continued to grow and by adding more population, it is logical to assume the economy would expand. The most interesting changes however, center around the town inn – which has changed in name and face since Rip left. People are gathered around the square in what appears to be a political vote and we see that the nature of interpersonal interactions have become, at least in this example, more enlightened. People are debating with documents and pamphlets. Rip is immediately asked which side he votes (Federalist or Democrat). In the same place where 20 years earlier Rip and his friends had talked mostly about nothing, there was now a significant political debate being held. Most of the town was engaged and involved, which seems different then the scene he described before. I also love Rip’s confusion between King George and George Washington and the description of the painting.
I think Irving is welcoming these changes, though he pokes fun at many aspects. I think the fact that Washington and King George were so similar is indicative of people’s desire to have a leader and to pay respect to that leader. So while the King’s rule is gone, they have replaced his painting with very similar painting of a new leader. Also, the sense of liberation Rip feels at being freed from the reign of his wife is a possible comparison to Irving’s feelings on the town being freed from the King’s rule. Some things have changed, thought Rip continues to do just about the same thing he did before hand. The only difference is that now he is a great story on which to hang his hat.
After twenty years of sleeping high in the Kaatskill mountains, Rip Van Winkle meanders back to town believing that he just slept for one night. There was the same green grassy knoll, the same twittering birds. There “stood the Kaatskill mountains—there ran the silver Hudson at a distance—there was every hill and dale precisely as it had always been” (36). It appears that nature has permanence. Rip was able to follow the path back to town without getting lost or confused. This was in sharp contrast to his impressions upon entering the town that had changed. The village was larger, more populous, rows of new houses and others like the little village inn were gone (36). His own home was dilapidated and falling apart. The people had different attitudes and at first, they no longer recognized or welcomed him. The people were “busy,” “bustling,” with a “disputatious tone” and no longer was there the “drowsy tranquility” (37). These changes in the peoples’ actions and attitudes may have occurred from a more competitive economy. Rip’s daughter lives in a “snug, well furnished” comfortable home with a “stout, cheery” husband who works the farm (39). There appeared to be a dramatic shift towards political action. The tavern was populated by politicians who vehemently argued about liberty and citizen rights. A flag with “stars and stripes” hung by the door with a sign bearing the image of George Washington instead of the King of England. The populous appeared to be either Federal or Democrat and they spoke of the members of congress and of wars that Rip had never heard of before. Indeed, when Rip explains that he is “a loyal subject of the King,” he is quickly accused of being “A tory!” (37). Soon Rip settles into his new life, making new friends of the young and old, and “took his place once more on the bench, at the inn door, and was reverenced as one of the patriarchs of the village, and a chronicle of the old times ‘before the war’”(40). Irving seems to welcome these changes and this is represented by Rip’s revered position and by his happiness at being a free citizen—not only free from England but from the tyranny of Dame Van Winkle.
The story portrays Crane as an outsider, treating the tragic character with a mix of sympathy and disdain. Initially Irving emphasizes the admirable and sophisticated aspects of Crane’s character, pointing to his abilities as a teacher and his willingness to help the locals with everyday chores. However, these same traits prove to increasingly isolate him from the locals. In the plenty and tradition of Sleepy Hollow, Crane begins to hungers for wealth and seeks the hand of the daughter of a wealthy farmer. In contrast to Brom, who embodies the strength and hard work of the local farming tradition, Iriving depicts crane as gangly, awkward, and unattractive. Unlike the locals, Crane obsesses over local legends and tales of witchcraft as matters of fact. Ultimately, his greed and belief in the local legends lead to his downfall. The clash between Crane and the locals can be contextualized within the tension between a world of tradition, cultural homogeneity, and community versus progress and expansion.