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American Literature, RIP
“Okay class, simmer down, simmer down, this weekend’s reading assignment will be pages one through fifty in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Yes, Jimmy, you have a question?” Yes’m ma’am, my momma and daddy won’t let me read that book.” Why replied the teacher? “ It’s offense to my parents, it uses the N word.” Jimmy, go home and tell you parents it’s supposed to offend us. Banning books is like banning history, oh wait they want to change that, too because it offends people. You know what happens if you start banning books? Your freedom is challenged. First Mockingbird, next Huck Finn, and maybe the Bible, who knows? American Literature is a history lesson. When John Steinbeck wrote, “Of Mice and Men,” he depicted the era of Depression. Where else would we get a first hand lesson by an eye witness of the Depression. Not many people are still alive to talk about it. Was there a lesson? When Atticus Finch states, “ you will never know a person until you walk in their shoes.” Yes, a big lesson about racism. Huck Finn befriends Jim a slave. Message? Mockingbird and Huck Finn are called, “coming of age,” novellas. When a child starts on one path and sees the other path. A story of personal growth. Mockingbird, similar genre, only he is an adult. An attorney who finally debates racism. They don’t write them like that anymore. There are lessons people refuse to see. You can’t ban books, you are giving up your First Amendment. Next they will ban, “Old Man and the Sea,” because of animal cruelty. He killed a marlin. Oh, wait, the message, did he really kill a marlin? Or was their some other meaning to the story.
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“Rip Van Winkle” is a short story by Washington Irving, an American author who is considered one of the early and significant figures in American literature. The story was first published in 1819 as part of Irving’s collection “The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.”
Summary of “Rip Van Winkle”
Setting: The story is set in the years before and after the American Revolutionary War in a small village near the Catskill Mountains in New York.
Main Character: Rip Van Winkle, a good-natured but lazy man who is loved by the villagers but nagged constantly by his wife, Dame Van Winkle.
Plot:
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Before the Revolutionary War:
- Rip Van Winkle is a simple, kind-hearted man who is well-liked by his neighbors but constantly criticized by his wife for his laziness and lack of ambition.
- To escape his wife’s nagging, Rip often goes hunting in the mountains with his dog, Wolf.
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The Magical Encounter:
- One day, while in the mountains, Rip encounters a group of mysterious, oddly-dressed men who are playing ninepins and drinking.
- Rip drinks some of their liquor and falls into a deep sleep.
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Waking Up:
- Rip wakes up to find that his gun is rusted, his dog is gone, and he feels strangely stiff.
- When he returns to his village, he discovers that everything has changed: the people, the buildings, and even the government.
- Rip learns that he has been asleep for 20 years and that the American Revolution has taken place during his slumber.
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After the Revolutionary War:
- Rip’s wife has passed away, and his children are now grown.
- The villagers eventually recognize Rip and accept his fantastic story.
- Rip resumes his easy-going lifestyle, now free from his wife’s nagging and enjoying the respect of the villagers who regard him as a living legend.
Themes and Significance
- Change and Transformation: The story explores the theme of personal and societal change. Rip’s long sleep symbolizes the passage of time and the dramatic changes brought by the American Revolution.
- Escape and Freedom: Rip’s desire to escape from his wife’s nagging reflects a broader theme of seeking freedom and independence, paralleling the American colonies’ quest for freedom from British rule.
- Nostalgia and Tradition: The story reflects a sense of nostalgia for the pre-Revolutionary past and the simplicity of rural life.
Literary Significance
“Rip Van Winkle” is notable for its use of American folklore and settings, helping to establish a distinct American literary tradition. Washington Irving’s humorous and engaging storytelling, along with his vivid descriptions of the Catskill Mountains and early American life, made “Rip Van Winkle” a beloved and enduring classic in American literature.
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