Analysis of the theme of history in Washington Irving’s Rip Van Winkle.
Objective:
Investigate and analyze the concept of history as it plays out in Rip Van Winkle
Points possible: 10
Overview:
In lecture on Rip Van Winkle and new beginnings we noted 4 places where this issue of history comes up in the story.
1. The background story: Washington Irving pretends that the entire story is a real historical account, even though we all know it is fictional.
2. Old Dutch figures: The figures who give Van Winkle the drink that puts him to sleep are dressed in the “antique Dutch fashion.” They do not look like contemporary American colonists.
3. Van Winkle loses his own history: His past is lost because he slept for 20 years.
4. The modern colonists reaction to Rip: After losing his history the residents of his town are at first afraid and distrustful of him, but then grow fond of him.
Writing the paper
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