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 our 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
For each of the 4 references to history in the story that are listed above, try to show how that element can be interpreted if we see Rip Van Winkle as a story about how Americans in general (or at the time of the story) relate to their own history. consider each of the 4 instance separately. You will need to generate an interpretation of at least 3 of the 4 references to history given above for a complete paper. Your paper should be at least 1 page (325 words) in length. (paper is worth 8 points)