Rip Van Winkle and the American Dream Essay - 645 Words

In Rip Van Winkle, Irving shows his doubts in the American Identity and the American dream. After the Revolutionary war, America was trying to develop its own course. They were free to govern their own course of development; however, some of them had an air of uncertainties on their own identity in this new country. Irving was born among this generation in the newly created United States of America, and also felt uncertainty about the American identity. Irving might be the writer that is the least positive about being an American. The main reason for this uncertainty is the new born American has no history and tradition while the Europe has a great one accumulated for thousands of years. Therefore, in order to solve this problem, Irving†¦show more content†¦He ‘s a lazy and obedient hen-pecked husband. â€Å"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 idleness to his responsibility can be seen as American’s unwillingness to be a servant of England. â€Å"There is phlegm and drowsy tranquility† around the town before the revolution war. However, after Rip awakes from his sleep for twenty years, everything in the town has changed. â€Å"There was a busy, bustling, disputatious tone about it, instead of the accustomed phlegm and drowsy tranquility.† Also, the sign outside the tavern where he spent much of his time has changed from King George to General Washington. After seeing all of these changes, at first Rip doubts his own identity, especially when he sees his son who is† a precise counterpart of himself.† However, before long, â€Å"he resumes his old walks and habits,† because he doesn’t compelled to change himself into a post Revolutionary American. Since it never happens as an event in his life, it makes no drastic change in Rip’s life. Because he has no indent to f it in the new society to be who he has to be at the new age, he tries to retreat or stay in the past which is what the Americans need to lead their cultural life. For Irving, he doesn’t want to an American who doesn’t know who he is, but no past and no history means no American identity. He might want to recover the lost past cut by theShow MoreRelatedRip Van Winkle and American Dream Essay662 Words   |  3 PagesIn Rip Van Winkle, Irving shows his doubts the American Identity and the American dream. After the Revolutionary war, American was trying to develop its own course. They were free to govern their own course of development; however, some of them had an air of uncertainties on their own identity in this new country. Irving was born among this generation in the newly created United States of America, and also felt uncertainty about the American identity. Irving might be the writer that is the leastRead More Rips Character and Symbolism in Washington Irvings Rip Van Winkle845 Words   |  4 PagesCharacter and Symbolism in Washington Irvings Rip Van Winkle Rip Van Winkle has been a well-known story told throughout time. There is not a doubt that as a child, many of you heard the words of Washington Irvings famous tale of the man who slept for twenty years. Nor can one forget the elves that Rip Van Winkle spent the night with in the amphitheater. 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