Book/short-story review of Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving

Mythology Characteristics in Rip Van Winkle: An Emergence in American Mythology
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The short story Rip Van Winkle: An Emergence in American Mythology by Washington Irving creates an impression on the readers such that they are not able to decipher whether the story is based on a true historical encounter or mere fiction. Through the life of the main character, Rip Van Winkle, Irving demonstrates the themes of progress and change. The story’s setting is in the past and later changes to a modern setting when the change occurs.
Irving brings out RIP Van Winkle as a direct representation of an American man. Rip has a family: wife and children. His wife really nags due to his perpetual laziness, which is brought out strongly. To show his character of laziness, Irving writes of how Rip wakes up and goes to his children’s house instead of staying at his own (Young, p.562)
The use of gothic elements in the story is considered strange and mysterious. The crow that Rip sees flying off the mountains after he hears his name being called out is considered gothic and strange. When Rip goes to the mountains and has a meal with Henry Hudson, he falls to sleep and wakes up twenty years later. This is not normal and brings out the incredible and mysterious side of Irving’s story. No human being goes to sleep for twenty years.
The story conveys a strong message of change to the people. After Rip woke up from his twenty-year sleep, he realizes everything had changed.

His small village was now larger with new houses and even a Yankee hotel (Young, p.570). The people had also become active and more involved in others. Although he was welcomed and some of his children accepted him, Rip seems to have lost his identity in the midst of the new environment.
Works Cited
Young, Philip. “Fallen from Time: The Mythic Rip Van Winkle.” The Kenyon Review 22.4 (1960): 547-573.