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Rip Van Winkle
- 1. Symbols and References in Rip Van Winkle By: Washington Irving
- 2. American Revolu<on In the story, a prominent theme is the theme of the American Revolu<on. Before Winkle goes to sleep he lives in a village that is s<ll ruled by England. This can also be shown through Rip’s and his wife’s rela<onship, she nags on his like England nags on America. On the other hand, when Winkle wakes up his village now belongs to a new country, the United States of America, No longer is the village ruled by England’s King George, but instead by George Washington. When Rip wakes up and goes back to his town, people act friendly toward him which shows how people were changing to the new America. This is exactly what happened in the American Revolu<on, the people of America fought for their rights and their freedom and eventually became their own country through the winning of the Revolu<onary War.
- 3. Marriage This story contains a theme of marriage. The whole reason Rip Van Winkle leaves home and walks into the forest is because he is <red of his wife, Dame’s, nagging. In this story, marriage isn’t considered a good thing, but instead, it’s considered an undesirable chore. Many quotes from the story tell Rip’s feelings towards his wife, including the ones below. In this story, marriage isn’t considered a good thing, but instead, it’s considered an undesirable chore. ‐“From even this stronghold the unlucky Rip was at length routed by his termagant wife, who would suddenly break in upon the tranquility of the assemblage and call the members all to naught; nor was that august personage, Nicholas Vedder himself, sacred from the daring tongue of this terrible virago, who charged him outright with encouraging her husband in habits of idleness.” ‐“Poor Rip was at last reduced almost to despair; and his only alterna<ve, to escape from the labor of the farm and clamor of his wife, was to take gun in hand and stroll away into the woods.”
- 4. Change Another theme in this short story, is the theme of change. Irving conveys the message that although change is needed, people also have to keep some of the old tradi<ons and rules and integrate it with the new ones. When Rip Van Winkle awakes and goes back to him town he no<ces many changes, including a change in the town’s inn. He no<ces George Washington’s picture instead of King George’s and he also no<ces an American Flag. Even though there were dras<c changes the inn s<ll remained in the same place. Then the story goes on to describe his village when Rip wakes up. This quote for example describes one form of change in the village. “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.” This village is s<ll the same village but it’s been modernized and has grown.
- 5. Reference to the American Flag “Instead of the great tree that used to shelter the quiet liXle Dutch inn of yore, there now was reared a tall naked pole, with something on the top that looked like a red night‐cap, and from it was fluXering a flag, on which was a singular assemblage of stars and stripes ‐ all this was strange and incomprehensible.” ‐ This quote is a reference to the American Flag. Before Rip Van Winkle fell asleep, the American Flag had not been invented so this flag seemed foreign to him when he awoke.
- 6. Reference to George Washington “He recognized on the sign, however, the ruby face of King George, under which he had smoked so many a peaceful pipe; but even this was singularly metamorphosed. The red coat was changed for one of blue and buff, a sword was held in the hand instead of a sceptre, the head was decorated with a cocked hat, and underneath was painted in large characters, GENERAL WASHINGTON.” ‐ This quote references the new leader of the new country, George Washington. Before Washington was president, the na<on was under the rule of King George of England.