Rip Van Winkle: Whitfield's View Of An American

Owen Han Han 1

Mr.Naylor

Honors American Literature

September 15, 2014 Whitfields view of an American

One of the most meaningful event in America’s history is the American revolution. The thirteen colonies separate from the imperial ruling of England and together create the free and independant United States of America. One of the colonies to rebel and join America is New York, where a village is founded by the Dutch near the Kaatskill mountains. In this village, lives Dutch native Rip van Winkle. Rip goes on a hike in the mountains and - after passing out- he wakes up twenty years later, past the American revolution. Once he goes back to his village he realizes that people and places have dramatically changed. These

Before Rip goes off into the mountains and misses the war, he can be seen as typical American. He is a lazy and an obedient hen-pecked husband. "In a word, Rip was ready to attend to anybody's business but his own; but as to doing family duty, keeping his farm in order, he found it impossible." His refusal to be responsible can be seen as an American's unwillingness to be a servant of England. He is married to a bickering wife named Dame Van Winkle. Dame is a metaphor for England and its ruling over the colonies. Their relationship as husband and wife never thrived, “Times grew worse with Rip Van Vinkles as years of matrimony rolled on”(Whitfield, 38.) Rip’s relationship with his wife never thrives becomes worse and worse, as he continues to not work the fields and blha. This negative connection between them represents the more time colonists are spending time in america the worse relationship with the british colonies becomes. Rip often finds refuge and comfort going shooting in the woods with his

They reach an amphitheatre in the woods where a group of similarly odd-looking men are bowling. They all end up having a drink from the keg and Rip passes out. He wakes up to realize his gun has rusted, his dog is missing, and his beard has grown. He walks back to his village and realizes that many people and buildings have changed, including his home and the Inn. One big difference that he notices is the Inn is no longer there and where there used to be a picture of George III there is now one of George Washington. This is the first real sign that a major change has occurred. Many people ask him about his political view and Rip responds he is still a loyal subject of the crown. “”A tory! A tory! A spy! A refugee! Hustle him! Away with him!”(40) Because of the american rev no one supports the crown so they think rip is a spy. When Rip comes back from the elapsed time in the mountain more political talk is rising. Before they seemed unsatisfied with their achievements, being lazy and hanging around the pub. This further the opinion that Americans are lazy and unproductive subjects of the