The main character, Rip Van Winkle, is a man to whom many can relate. He is well liked within his community, especially with children, “The children of village would shout with joy whenever he approached” (430). He is very lazy when it comes to doing any kind of work for himself or his family. His own farm is a disgrace. In fact, “it was the worst conditioned farm in the neighbourhood” (431). He is lighthearted and loved to help others when they need a helping hand. He is also a favorite of the good wives in town; he participates in the usual female gossip concerning “family squabbles.�

Typically a story of this kind will end showing that leaving one’s troubles by walking away and returning some twenty years later is a terrible mistake and that one would be punished for doing so. This story has quite an opposite ending. Just like the painting of General Washington, many things changed by appearance, but at large, it was all the same, except better. Rip’s life is better than what it was before he left. His wife was dead, which to him was beneficial because now no one could nag him day in and day out, his children were all grown and now they could take care of him, now he could legitimately “retire” into laziness and carelessness, and his country was free and independent. All of this government change did not affect Rip at all, “Rip, in fact, was no politician; the changes of state and empires made but little impression on him”(439). He quickly adapted back into his old life by hanging out with old friends and gossiping. This contrary ending gives the reader a feeling of reality, showing that all fairy tales don’t end with the “right” morals and lessons learned. Rip ran away from his problems and when he returned, they all had disappeared. Now he could be happy by living his life the way he wanted.

While Rip was asleep for twenty years, the world around him changed quickly and drastically. A war was won and King George no longer ruled Americans, rather, they had become free and independent. Rip was confused and asked

Some topics in this essay:
Van Winkle, George Washington, Wolf Rip’s, Diedrich Knickerbocker, King George, Van Winkle”, Needless Rip’s, van winkle, Rip Van, Washington Irving’s, rip van winkle, rip van, seeking identity, household chores, fairy tales, laziness carelessness, free independent, king george, pressures family,