Discuss how the author makes Rip Van Winkle an interesting character? In “the story of Rip Van Winkle” written by Washington Irving is about a men named Rip Van Winkle, who is depicted as an interesting man. Rip Van Winkle was known as escaping from the reality and also a happy-go-lucky man. Rip Van Winkle, who lives under his wife’s controlling is a henpecked husband. He is always criticized by his wife for being lazy and for not doing housework, and for not caring about his family at home, in fact, he does but not for his family though. Rip Van Winkle will always be ready to attend to do anybody’s housework but his own; but as to doing family duty, and keeping his own farm in order, he found it’s impossible. He works for other people’s wives and entertains their children, which has gained him universal popularity. In this point, it appears that Rip Van Winkle has a split personality. One day, Rip goes outside of the house with his dog to avoid his wife’s blames.
On the way back home, Rip happens to meet a stranger and follows him. There, he drank some miracle wine and slept. He had remained asleep for twenty years. As a result of his 20 year nap, he misses watching his children grow up, his wife dies, and the village changes. He also sleeps through the entire American Revolution. However, the story also suggests that laziness has been rewarded. His wife, who was very critical of his lack of initiative, when he wakes up, is dead, and, therefore, he is freed from her nagging and her constant criticism. He no longer has to run and hide in the woods to find peace in his life. His life, after he wakes up, is better than it was before he fell asleep.
The Essay on Rip Van Winkle 6
... He uses Rip to represent America and Madame Van Winkle to represent England. Rip’s disdain for his wife represents the ... location that was somewhat exotic, allowing Rip to encounter the strange men with whom he drank. He ... came to providing for his family, but very generous with helping others. Rip slept for 20 years and ... has changed quite a bit, many of the men he once knew died fighting in the war. ...
When Rip Van Winkle came back to the village and told the villagers his story, everyone believed him, and quickly accepted him. He did not needed to change himself to fit in the society, but still being the same. In fact, he was still very popular in the village after the war. Rip Van Winkle is really a happy-go-lucky man, with weird charisma which makes him always so popular, no matter in the village “before the war” or after the Independence war in the village. In my point of view Rip Van Winkle is a man with unbelievable luck.
During his sleep, he got away from the war and his mean, nagging wife, and when he came back to the village after the sleep his daughter takes care of him immediately, whereas Rip Van Winkle did not take care of his daughter when she was a child. Therefore Rip Van Winkle is knows as happy-go-lucky. In “the story of Rip Van Winkle” through the actions and words from Rip Van Winkle he shows that he is a character with unbelievable luck, his split personality and his laziness had made him an interesting character.
