Rip Van Winkle

I have read and understand the plagiarism policy as outlined in the syllabus and the sections in the IWU Catalog relating to the IWU Honesty/Cheating Policy. By affixing this statement to the title page of my paper, I certify that I have not cheated or plagiarized in the process of completing this assignment. If it is found that cheating and/or plagiarism did take place in the writing of this paper, I understand the possible consequences of the act/s, which could include expulsion from Indiana Wesleyan University.Rip Van WinkleIn 1819, an American author named Washington Irving wrote a short story titled “Rip Van Winkle”, which even today is a well-loved and often read story. Set in the years during the American Revolutionary War the story depicts Rip, his wife Dame, Rip Jr, and a host of other characters.

Rip was a man that hated work and wandered off into the mountains only to realize he has wasted away twenty years of his life. This story was found after the death of Washington so it is impossible for us to truly know the exact purpose and intent he had in writing this story.I believe that Washington Irving’s purpose for writing ‘Rip Van Winkle’ was to show people the risk in wasting away your life with alcohol and lack of motivation. The storyline theme is that of a lazy and absent-minded Rip who is continually loathed by his wife to improve and achieve more. This apparently pushes Rip into an ever increasingly lazy state of mind. Rip’s escape from his wife Dame is only achieved when he is at the local political club.

Although Dame cannot stand Rip’s lifestyle, the rest of the women in the city adore Rip.Eventually, Rip goes off into the woods where he sleeps or wastes twenty years of his life. Upon his return to the city, only an elder recognizes him. Rip moves in with his daughter and continues his life of laziness and a lacked attitude.

The major plot of "Rip Van Winkle" is encapsulated with narration from an unnamed person. Prior to the story beginning, three paragraphs expound on the story's creation: The tale "was found among the papers of the late Diedrich Knickerbocker”, a man who dedicated much of his life to studying and recording the history of the Dutch inhabitants of upstate New York.Knickerbocker's published history, the narrator claims, is known for its "scrupulous accuracy”, and the tale of "Rip Van Winkle”, therefore, should be accepted as truth. It is from this premise that we are to believe that the story actually took place in its written form.

From what I counted there are sixteen different named characters contained within the story. Rip Van Winkle (husband/dad), Dame Van Winkle (wife/mother), Rip Van Winkle, Jr. (son), and Judith Gardenier (daughter) are the main characters in the story. Rip’s dog, random ghosts, and others fill in the storyline.There are a few characters, which are not named, such as the narrator.

Some characters are only in the storyline for one instance then we do not hear of them again. The main characters are prevalent throughout the storyline and make significant contributions to the story. I believe there is much symbolism in this story. The most obvious is the “sleeping” for twenty years.

A human cannot sleep for twenty years so this must have a symbolic meaning and I believe that it is depicting the years wasted away for being lazy and unmotivated.However, that coin is two-sided. Many people are so wrapped up in their work that they later look back and realize they missed their child’s growth or childhood. Thus, I believe that the symbolism is to prove that everyone must find their personal “happy medium” between family life, work, hobbies, and everything else.

Based on the symbolism within the story it is clear to me the writer did not approve of Rip’s lifestyle and was using it as a warning to others. The point of views in the story are quite abundantly clear.Dame feels her husband Rip is lazy, lacks motivation, and has no passion or drive for work. From the point of view of the others in the city (other women and children), Rip is loved and adored for his stories and gifts.

From Rip’s point of view his life is badgering, annoying, and controlling. The point of view of the narrator paints Rip to be a henpecked husband, loathes profitable labor, easygoing, and a never-do-well resident of the town. So his family did not appreciate his lacked attitude; however, others outside his family did.Rip’s reputation was good in the town and bad within his family. Based on the way Rip is depicted, it would lead me to believe the writer was not intending for a reading to being this type of behavior.

The setting for this story is during the American Revolutionary War. The story takes place in a small Dutch town in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains of New York. The period is anywhere from 1769 to 1794, although critics have disagreed and argued over what exact timeframe the story took place. Much of the story takes place within the local inn.Based on the picture of “His Majesty George the Third”, historians and critics believe the story began sometime around 1769 to 1774.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a similar story that comes to mind when I think of this one. Walter also wasted away much of his life mindless daydreaming about various adventures. However, in reality Walter did not do anything of great importance. Walter, like Rip is not credited with doing anything of great importance. Neither seems to have contributed to the income in the home.

I believe that a reader could easily read both stories back-to-back and make the connection between the two stories.These stories are written by different authors at different periods; however, they both depict a husband or father that was not a good representation of a man or leader. I agree with Washington that this lazy and pointless lifestyle is not a healthy one and cannot be sustained in reality. Bills need paid, children need raised, and life needs an attentive occupant in the driver’s seat steering the car.

Rip should have care infinitely more about what his family thought of him and his actions than the local women and children. I think Rip is a great example of what not to be as a husband and father.