Rip Van Winkle and its Impact on Society
Events, no matter how small can change a society, a culture, and an outlook in the blink of an eye. Whether it is in a war, a speech, a gesture, or even a novel. Washington Irving made an incredible impact from his short story "Rip Van Winkle", drawing the events surrounding him to form a simple story with deep meaning. To bring to a pinpoint, the story shaped the American culture as the American culture shaped the story.
Washington should not be able to take full credit for his story. Rip Van Winkle originated from the Dutch folklores. The story was found in the house of Diedrich Knickerbocker. Although there was some speculation on the accuracy of the tale, historians agree that the story is "now admitted into all Historical collections as a book of unquestionable authority" (Irving, 1353). Knickerbocker claims that he actually talked to Winkle himself and concluded that Rip was in sound mind and that "the story therefore, is beyond the possibility of doubt" (1353). The Catskills are a parallel to the story. Filled with Indian folklores, the Catskills are believed to posses a Manitou or spirit that will take the form of the flesh of human or animal form that would strive to rid the area of bad or mischievous elements or people.
Combing the Dutch folklore, the Indian tales, and the idea of using short simple stories to make a point, Washington created a whole new dimension of literature. The British culture concluded that his story had become the new "American" literature.
Washington analysis of the relationship between the British and the colonists caused a minor stir among people. First, it was unconventional to even mention the revolution since it was such a touchy subject. Secondly, Washington made quite a statement with his notion that the British rule acted selfishly and oppressive, in turn, portrayed America as the hero.
From this folklore, others have grown from it. Some believe that Rip in fact did not fall asleep, but took adventurous journeys in foreign lands with strange people. Art and child-like fantasies have been the median to which the stories have been communicated.
...ture of King George in “Rip Van Winkle.” Rip returns to his village twenty years after he left and realizes that someone has transformed the King into George Washington (541). Irving, realizing that much of life is merely a refashioning of the same ideas and structures into something that looks new, has taken an old German folk tale and turned it into a story of American life. We may live in a time with vastly different resources, technologies, and opportunities, but the urges that drive us are still the same.
Irving, Washington. "Rip Van Winkle." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998.
Indoor tanning is becoming a very popular “hobby”, but most people do not know, or do not care, about its dangerous side effects. Studies show that people who use tanning booths have a much higher chance of being diagnosed with skin cancer. If someone were to start tanning indoors before they turn 30 or 25, the risk of them getting Melanoma peaks, and if they start tanning before they turn 20 or 25, they are much more likely to get basal and squamous cancer.
Natalie was 24 and had an itchy oddly shaped mole. She then went to get it checked out, and came to find she had melanoma. Natalie had to undergo 3 hours of surgery. “Tanning beds give you a 59% chance of skin cancer” Indoor tanning has bad effects on people because it increases your chance of skin cancer and the effects it has on skin appearance.
The greatest danger from this problem is faced by teenagers. Studies have shown that among artificial tanners, those who started at an early age are more likely to develop skin cancer. Out of high school-aged girls, 51 percent reported using a commercial tanning bed at least four times in the past year (Perron). The fact of the matter is younger people do not have the foresight to realize that being tan isn’t worth the sometimes fatal after-effects.
Many people strive to have beautiful, flawless, and tanned skin. In order to get that desired even bronzed glow year round, many people partake in the use of tanning beds, and tanning salons in communities throughout the country. Over the years, indoor tanning use has increasingly become more and more popular among adolescents and young adults. Tanning beds are equipped with special lightbulbs that emit ultraviolet, or UV, rays. These UV rays much like exposure to the sun, can harm the various layers of the skin. In a recent observation, it has been discovered that tanning beds cause what can be potentially severe health problems. Indoor tanning is dangerous because of the increased risk of multiple health problems, not the least of which is
Politically, the French and Indian War torn apart Britain and its American colonies. In Document C, George Washington is asking Robert Orme to let him become a higher rank in the military. He wanted more power. Washington wishes to serve under, "a Gentleman of General Braddock's abilities and experience." Although he was very sincere when he wrote this, Britain was not giving what he truly wanted. Upon this note, George Washington went against the British government. He started a revolution. Reverend Thomas Barnard also had some similar views and thoughts about Britain and its colonies. In his sermon of 1763, he says, "Safe from the Enemy of the Wilderness, safe from the gripping Hand of arbitrary Sway and cruel Superstition, here shall be the late founded Seat of Peace and Freedom." He believes that the American people have suffered and died on this land and they deserve more. They deserve freedom. Britain was losing control of their colonies. The people of the colonies wanted freedom. All of these political events led to the Revolutionary War.
Using a tanning bed for a nice bronze or prom? Think again. You’re actually helping up your body’s risk of skin cancer by 75% if under the age of 35 (NCSL). The World Health Organization's International Agency of Research on Cancer have declared ultraviolet radiation from artificial sources, such as tanning beds and sun lamps, to be a well known carcinogen (cancer-causing substance) (AAD.org). The federal government needs to further legislate tanning bed exposure by raising the age of usage, limiting the power of the beds and further reduce exposure times.
The small town was isolated from the rapid industrialization in the pre revolution era which influenced the Dutch to live a simple, traditional, slow life style. In this era Rip flourished. Rip was known and loved by the whole town because he would come to aid anybody at the first sound of distress. Despite of all the help he provided to the town he did not participate in his life at home, “Rip was ready to attend to any body’s business but his own; but as to doing family duty, and keeping his family in order, it was impossible,”(31). He neglected his farm because he believed it to be a useless piece of land and found a greater reward in helping others with their farm. He also neglected his children as they basically grew fatherless. Rip would seldom be at home due to what he describes as a shrew of a wife would be constantly barking orders at him to be participate more in the household and the children’s life.
The story “Rip Van Winkle” is about a character named Rip Van Winkle, a man who wanted nothing more out of life then to be able to do as he pleased and drink without responsibilities. One day he takes a trip into the Katskill mountains, which causes him to miss twenty years of his life. Rip wakes up after his sleep in the mountains and realizes that everything is different. He is faced with the life changing realization that he can no longer live he carefree life and must take some form of responsibility because the new villagers are hostile towards him due to his nature. In the end, Rip’s son stops the villagers from doing anything to Rip and this allows him to continue to live his carefree and chosen lifestyle.
Irving composed the story in light of the American individuals at time when society has changed drastically due to American Revolution. The analogies of Irving's Rip Van Winkle cover an array of Revolutionary encounters: America before English enforcement, early American provinces under English principle, and after the American Revolution. He suggests that there is an immense contrast which leads Rip astonished, to know he is in some other time. This could symbolize the American's perspective on their new home.
Institute of Medicine. (n.d.). Retrieved Jan 10, 2011, from Childhood Obesity Prevention Actions for Local Government: www.iom.edu/Activities/Childhood/LocalObesPrevention.asp
A long sleep can do most of us good, but for Rip Van Winkle, a deep slumber of 20 years left him waking up dazed and confused in a new country called America. “Rip Van Winkle” by Washington Irving was written as a satirical piece in order to parallel the happenings of the American Revolution and how not only Van Winkle had changed, but also the country around him as well. “Rip Van Winkle” not only tells the story of a character’s drastic change, but also tells of the shift that a young nation had to undergo through the symbolic representation of Van Winkle’s wife, implications of drinking, and political inclination.
The short story, “Rip Van Winkle”, is a tale of a man who went up into the mountains and after a long string of odd events went to sleep. He woke up twenty years later. He went from being use to what the world was like before the Revolutionary War of the United States to how things changed after the war. When he came back from the mountain he found that his wife and friends were gone. His children were grown up and living in this new world that he had stumbled into. He found that changes had been made to clothing and how people acted; buildings that used to be in the town were now gone or changed, and a government that he had no idea about. In this short story the author used the differences between pre-Revolutionary War and post-revolutionary war to show the changes of life and maintenance of some traditions. This is a reoccurring theme in this tale.