"Rip Van Winkle" And Change?
What can we learn from the elements of satire and change exhibited in Rip Van Winkle? Can this old text under the umbrella of Romanticism exhort us to think? What Romanticism characteristics are exhibited within the text? Please reflect by 2:30p.m. on Fri., Nov. 30th.
posted by Greg T at Wednesday, November 28, 2012
25 Comments:
After reading the short story "Rip Van Winkle", by Washington Irving, I have now began to understand how Romanticism causes many people to feel much emotion, and makes us think. Reading about Rip Van Winkles upsetting life, while he was stuck living with his terrible life, makes me realize romanticism is not about sappy love stories. Instead, they are meant to make you feel many different eemotions. As Rip goes of into the forest, and sleeps for twenty years, much has changed in his absence. It makes me think, is the world changing to fast? Is it changing for the better or worst? In Rip's situation, the change is for the better. He comes home to a completely new wolrd, full of politics, and freedom from his wife. This short story shows elements of satire when referring to politics. When Rip comes home, he is confronted by a group of people talking politics. " the company broke up, and returned to the more important concerns of the election." This quote shows that politics is becoming more important than the auctual people. This story is telling us to enjoy the people around us, and not get to caught up in other things.
After hearing the short story of Rip Van Winkle, I can definitely see the romanticism within the story. When he leaves his home to escape from his wife, he goes into the woods and falls asleep and ends up waking up twenty years later. This strange plot line is very romantic. It would be impossible for someone to fall asleep for twenty years and still be living. It goes against the nature of science. Most of the stories of the time written by men were historical. Another distinct quality of romanticism is that nature in the story is very well described. Nature is a very popular element in the stories and poem of the romantic period and it is very distinct in Rip Van Winkle. The story being as basic as they come can still make us think. Who falls asleep for twenty years? No one, but it makes us think and use our imagination because what if this really happened?
I believe that the author uses satire to demonstrate change and the relaxed, carefree spirit of Rip Van Winkle. The story shows that people desire an escape from their responsibilities and struggles. Rip Van Winkle seems to be a very passive person and therefore was not negatively affected by the sudden and drastic change. Clearly, as time passed, many situations had become much different. However, due to his laid back personality, Rip Van Winkle reacted with an optimistic solution. Though he had lost so much time, his life had become ultimately better without him doing a thing. This makes me think that if we let our lives simply happen and not worry about the outcome of our problems, our experiences can be much more enjoyable. The romanticism is very evident within the text. The improbability of the plot, the idealism, and the idea of an outsider can contribute to the story's romantic characteristics.
The romanticism in the short story Rip Van Winkle is very apparent. This text is about a man who leaves his home and goes into the woods to escape his wife and his chores. He falls asleep for twenty years and when he wakes up his wife is dead. Romanticism is shown in this story through the fantasy of the plot. It is impossible to sleep for twenty years and not die. It is also very unrealistic that no one would find him during that time. Many texts that involve romanticism use nature to symbolize peace, tragedy, and many more emotions. In this story nature is symbolized as a release from the real world. This helps show that romanticism is not a love story; it is a unique, idealistic way of portraying a story. It makes the reader think about the many emotions and symbolic element exist within the text. It is the reader’s job to understand the underlying meaning of the stories.
This story exibits Romaticism because it gives a whimsicle idea of escape, but then the mysterious horror of reality at the same time. Change is big, but the fact that he goes into the forest and meets an elf leprecaun dude is kind of like how people were so entranced with nature, but it was very unrealistic to them. They thought it was really a place of dreams and weird games and chasing goats, and really its just quiet. Its unknown weather or not its a tragic or pleasant thing that he fast forwarded 20 years, but he now has to adapt, such as those moving to the city had to adapt to the new inventions and changing enviroment. Whats really messed is that he sleeps for 20 years, right? and he wakes up and his wife is dead, right? so why is his DOG still alive?!!! 20 years? out live his wife?! he was young enough to still work the farm and stuff, so she couldnt have been older than 50 or so... so even if the dog was a puppy, that thing is WAY too old! it should be dead! really... thoughtless authors...
The short story "Rip Van Winkle" written by Washington Irving demonstrates the importance of satire in a story. It allows the reader to feel exactly what the author wanted them to feel. Whether that is depressed, scared, excited, confused, upset, any kind of emotion at all. Romanticism seems to be in almost every poem/ short story/ chick flick, etc. Although, everyone experiences a romantic feeling differently, and act upon them differently. In this story, Rip constantly gets nagged from his wife, she criticizes him way too much. This drives Rip away from the family and village. He falls asleep and wakes up many years later to a whole new world. He literally and figuratively dreamed his issues away. Now he lives a happy life just the way he wanted. This just makes us think a little bit. What happens when we're gone? In this story, his wife is dead and he has no idea because he's asleep. Why is time so fast? We only have so much of it so we may as well enjoy it right? Or dream about how things will be better one day. All the satirized meanings allow us to think outside the box and decide what emotions we're feeling from there.
The short story "Rip Van Winkle" by Washington Irving is a good demonstration of Early American Romanticism because of the way it displays an imaginary escape compared to the real world. The man that has a great heart, but doesn't get along we'll with his nagging wife, leaves on a journey to the mountains and was able to sleep until his problems disappeared. It's a creative, way of escaping from reality, especially in this era. Most romantic stories have a lot of emotion attached to them, especially death or beauty of nature. This story in particular has a different form of romanticism, because it mostly shows the escape he experiences in his dreams... And partially in nature. Also the fantasy of being able to sleep for 20 years without dying, but the nagging wife did die.
The short story "RIP Van Winkle" definitely shows great romanticism through the plot. The idea of escaping and being able to get away and just relax for so long is such a wonderful, yet farfetched idea. Being able to escape from the world and all its problems for a period of time is something that many people in this day and age desire greatly. I know I would be thrilled to have the opportunity to just leave all my worries and responsibilities behind, even for just a short amount of time. Yet in the story, after this desire to get away from his chores is fulfilled, he returns and the harsh reality sets in, that while he was gone his wife had passed away. He seems to think that by escaping for such a long period of time, his life was completely able to continue without him present. He then comes to the mindset that this is okay and that people can just not worry about a thing and their lives will be okay. I don’t agree with this because having to worry about every test, every paper, every game, every practice, every meeting, etc. is something that shapes us now in high school to be the people we are going to be for the rest of our lives and if we just let it all pass, our life will just pass us by before we can even enjoy it. Overall I think the overall moral and theme of this story doesn’t necessarily have to be romanticism, but instead it is to value you the things you have and to not let your life pass you by.
The story "Rip Van Winkle" by, Washington Irving demonstrates lots of romanticism throughout the whole story. Whenever you escape or just get away from everyone and everything is never really a bad thing at all, not only is it for like 30 minutes its for a long period of time. I think anytime your able to just get away for a while and find the true meaning of relaxation you have also found romanticism. Sleeping for 20 years that's crazy! He got away I think is overall goal was to get away and relax but not for 20 years. that's a bit extreme. Sleeping for 20 years is obviously very unrealistic but the real shocker is why didn't anyone send a search team out to find him? It's like no one cared! Even though he got away for 20 years and accomplished his goal to relax, with his wife dying do you think it was really worth it?
The romanticism portrayed in the short story Rip Van Winkle is very illusive. The story starts off with a man just simply wanting an escape from reality from all responsibilities and his “nagging” wife. He goes into the woods, only to find out he falls asleep for twenty years. It is soon revealed as the story progresses that his wife has reason to be concerned with his neglecting of chores. What I found most interesting was when the story mentioned he loved helping others do their work, but often dismisses his own work. I can completely relate to that, I’ll clean all my friend’s room’s but I can’t seem to clean my own... Although this story is clearly fiction, you can still relate this escapism from reality to modern times. Teenagers often want to runaway from their home life, school life, or social life. The methods might not be as extreme as falling asleep in the woods for twenty years, but teenagers use tactics such as music, movies, or even sports. Reading this short story was eye opening in the fact that what I initially thought the movement of romanticism was, wasn’t true at all. Rather than just thinking the definition is just a typical love story, I realized it’s more about the commonality of humankind and, while using emotion and nature; the poets and their works reveal people's universal natures.
The story "Rip Van Winkle" demonstrates how romanticism causes emotion to escape a person. People like romanticism because it is an escape from reality. This story is an example because Rip Van Winkle leaves his home of stress and worry and leaves to go nap in the woods. The story juxtaposes how people use romanticism to deny the real world. Rip is constantly nagged by his wife to do chores and other tasks, like any other american. He decides to "escape" to the woods and ends up falling asleep which demonstrates how people can get lost in the writing of romanticism. Once they are done "sleeping" and come back to reality, they have a different and unique outlook on the world.
The story “Rip Van Winkle” by Washington Irving clearly has Romantic elements throughout it. This is because the story is purely escapism. The idea that Rip could suddenly escape all his responsibilities and problems is what gives the story romantic elements. Also the story is fictional which is different from much previous literature showing the transition into romantic literature. Also many romantic stories involve nature and love of nature. Rip Van Winkle is no exception and portrays nature in a positive way by having Rip’s relaxing getaway in the woods near Rips home.
Rip van Winkle is a short story about a man with an adventurous mind but does not want to work, or do chores. This story is categorized as Romanticism, not because it is a Romeo and Juliet story but rather a story that causes you to use your emotions. In the story he runs away into the forest where he likes to be in order to escape his wife that wants him to work. But so much time passes that when he comes back his wife is dead. This story really causes the reader to imagine the outcome of when free minds think. Its an interesting prediction of what can happen if people just let go.
After reading the story Rip Van Winkle, I immediately noticed clear themes of the early American Romantic period of literature. The nature is very heavily nature driven, a theme very common in this type of romantic literature. The beauty of nature and fear of death are constant romantic imagery.
I think this text is a true example of a very early period of American literature, and I think the elements of satire and change exhibited in Rip Van Winkle can foreshadow American literature for years to come.
In the story "Rip Van Winkle" elements of romanticism are exhibited in some ways. Rip Van Winkle is not happy with his life, so he goes into the woods and falls asleep for twenty years. The idea of falling asleep for twenty years illustrates a romantic escape from a world that Rip Van Winkle is not happy in. This fantasy in the plot shows the romantic idea of escaping a mundane and depressing life for one that is exciting and happy.
Thyg throughout this story there are elements of romantism shown. One example of it is the idea of escapism. Rip Van Winkle leaves his town with his gun and his dog and goes into the forest to hunt. In the forest he is escapin his daily life of helping people and getting yelled at by his wife. When he goes into the Forrest his life is changed because he falls asleep for 20 years. Which leads me to another example of romantism. This example is of nature in the story. A lot of the story is placed in the forest where Rip Van Winkle falls asleep for years. The nature sets the tone and mystery of the story because no one really knows what happened in the forest. People say that there is a legend of dwarfs that cause people to waste away years. Another example of romantism is that it is fictional. The reason it is fictional is because it is telling the story of a man who wanted to get away from his wife's nagging so he goes into the forest. In the forest he falls asleep for 20 years and when he wakes everything has changed.
AFTER WE READ THE SHORT STORY "RIP VAN WINKLE", BY WASHINGTON IRVING, I SAW SOME EXAMPLES OF ROMANTICISM IN THIS STORY. THIS STORY IS A VERY WEIRD WAY OF ROMANTICISM. RIP FALLS ASLEEP IN A FOREST FOR 20 YEARS. NATURE IS A KEY EXAMPLE OF ROMANTICISM. THE NATURE SETS THE TONE AND MYSTERY OF THE STORY BECAUSE NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FOREST. I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THIS SHORT STORY ARE UNREALISTIC. FOR EXAMPLE: THE DOG IS STILL ALIVE AFTER 20 YEARS. BUT HIS WIFE IS DEAD. IT DOESNT MAKE SENSE.
When reading the story of "Rip Van Winkle" it is easier to understand Romanticism. The element of escape is very present in this story. Rip's wife is yelling at him and always seems mad at him so he wants to escape. This is an easy thing to relate to in our everyday lives. Bad things happen or we are in situations we dont like so we escape in our own ways. Rip's way is by talking a walk into the mountains where he falls asleep for twenty years which lets him avoid his wife because he is dead. Another element in this story that is part of Romanticism is nature. Nature is part of Rip's escape from his wife. He likes to go fishing or take walks in the mountains. I do not see however, that there is much emotion involved besides Rip's being upset or annoyed by his wife. This story made me think, do we as a society spend to much time wishing things would happen or imagining a better place to be. We need to get back to reality and be present to those who are around us or we might miss something like 20 years of our lives for example.
The story "Rip Van Winkle" exemplifies romanticism using escapism, the supernatural, and the emphasis on nature. At the start of the story, Dame Van Winkle, Rip's wife, is characterized as a nagging nuisance of a wife -- Rip and his dog frequently go out hunting together to avoid his wife, and the story eventually leads to Rip falling asleep in the woods for twenty years. While in the note at the end of the story we are trying to be convinced that the story is based off of truth, I take his falling asleep in the woods away from his wife as a symbol of his extreme escapism. While asleep, he encounters gnome-like people which is more obviously supernatural, but also his falling asleep for twenty years is unrealistic. Again, while some swear this story to be based off truth, the truth of the matter is that this is a supernatural occurrence and an example of romanticism. The woods are explained as an idyllic place -- the author emphasizes the beauty, which is manifested in his, sometimes too long, descriptions of nature -- a characteristic of romanticism.
In the story Rip Van Winkle, we learn that the element of change can only happen when we want it to. Rip decides to change his life by going into the woods and leaving his wife. The author satirizes Rip's outcome for making the change in his life by making him sleep for 20 years, which is humanly impossible. Nature is what makes this old text so romantic, in the fact that when his wife was not there; the forest was there for him all 20 years that he was asleep. This idea is what makes us think about the idea "will we always have someone or something to rely on?" I do think that sleep is not something we can rely for 20 years, and that is what the author is teaching us; do not waste your time away sleeping but rather enjoying the company of others and finding someone that can not only rely on you but let you rely on them.
After reading "Rip Van Winkle" romanticism is very evident. With many references to nature, folklore and illusion. Rip falls asleep in the woods for twenty years suggesting a force greater than simply being overtired to keep him asleep. This magical element demonstrates true romanticism within the text. This story being completely implausible show values that we can learn from. When Rip wakes up he finds that everything has changed and everything about him has changed in appearance. This story for me makes me truly appreciate that even if many things around us change we stay the same. These romantic ideas of self discovery and escapism become clear. Rip escapes the troubles of his wife and the dying farm with all the chores in the world to do. When he awakes up they all disappeared. Instead there is this new world of politics and he is free of the burden of his wife, and he answers to only himself. Perhaps falling asleep saved his life. Had he been awake it would have been very likely that he would have fought in the revolutionary war, where his death was almost imminent. This romantic idea to allow him to sleep in the woods without pain or suffering probably saved his life.
After reading Rip Van Winkle, I see how romanticism was evident in the story. Leaving home to escape his wife and chores is an example of the escapism characteristics found in many works of romanticism. Also the attention to detail given to nature in the book is a common characteristic of romantic literature. The short story shows the transition from more historical writing to more fictional and imaginative writing.
We can learn for Rip Van Winkle that its important to remember that even if something is bad, doesnt mean it wont get better. Rip took his life for granted and then ended up missing out on his whole life including his children growing up. This short story can exhort us to think that we should make sure we live everyday to the fullest and to live everyday like its our last. The romanticism characteristic provided in this text is emotional. Rip decides to go into the woods based on the fact that he was frustrated with his wife. He was emotional when he came back because everything had changed.
After reading Washington Irving's Rip Van Winkle I now see how Romanticism is always changing along with many other aspects of our lives. In the story Rip goes to the mountains with his dog now Nature is a huge clue of romanticism. He falls asleep for 20 years when he gets up he realizes how the world around him has changed. The path leading to the cave is now a stream and his dog is not with him. This shows that romanticism is always changing. Another example of Romanticism is changing is with the King picture on the inn which now changed to a George Washington picture this shows that the "hero" of the past is now changed with the "hero" of the now.
After the short story "Rip Van Winkle", Romantacism is very noticable.As Rip escapes his chores and problems as he falls asleep under a tree or in nature for 20 years showing how nature is present in romanticism to show peace. Romanticism is not a way of showing love and affection, but a way of using symbols and giving a different outlook of things.
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