Compare And Contrast Tom Walker And Rip Van Winkle
Born in 1783, Washington Irving came into a society that was ready to prove itself to the rest of the world. Having defeated the British just a few years earlier the U.S.A. was still taking baby steps making it an exciting time. Irving reflects on this excitement in Rip Van Winkle, when old Van Winkle return to town after his long slumber he is shocked by the citizens curiosity into his political ideology. The people vigorously ask him questions about who he voted for and wonder if he is supporter of the Brits. Having just fought a war for their freedom the American people must have been very excited. They were facing the unknown, the country’s future was in their hands and the American people wanted nothing to get in their way. Rip Van Winkle
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In The Legend of Sleepy Hollow women are never referred to as being nothing more than housewives. Also Irving’s writing gives the impression that men only value Women for courting reasons; this can be seen through Crane’s attempts to win over Van Tassel. In the other two short stories both Rip Van Winkle’s and Tom Walker’s wife’s were the bane to their existence. Van Winkle’s wife never let him get rest and constantly drove him out of the house. Tom Walker’s wife stole all his wealth and physical and verbally abused him. Women within Irving’s short story are all depicted negatively. While some women in The legend of Sleepy Hollow are not evil, Irving makes them petty and have no true roles within the piece. He sends the message that women do not belong anywhere except for in the home. Irving further strengthens this message in The Devil and Tom Walker. Tom’s wife leaves the house twice, the first time she fails to communicate with the devil, the second time she loses all their valuables and dies. In the story it has a positive effect on Tom but it shows that Irving thinks women are powerless and incapable of doing anything right unless they are in their home. Irving’s views to women are radical to our perspective but for their time they are not abnormal. The messages he sends throughout his short stories stand as a reference to a different time and truly show how far our country has
In The Legend of Sleepy Hollow women are never referred to as being nothing more than housewives. Also Irving’s writing gives the impression that men only value Women for courting reasons; this can be seen through Crane’s attempts to win over Van Tassel. In the other two short stories both Rip Van Winkle’s and Tom Walker’s wife’s were the bane to their existence. Van Winkle’s wife never let him get rest and constantly drove him out of the house. Tom Walker’s wife stole all his wealth and physical and verbally abused him. Women within Irving’s short story are all depicted negatively. While some women in The legend of Sleepy Hollow are not evil, Irving makes them petty and have no true roles within the piece. He sends the message that women do not belong anywhere except for in the home. Irving further strengthens this message in The Devil and Tom Walker. Tom’s wife leaves the house twice, the first time she fails to communicate with the devil, the second time she loses all their valuables and dies. In the story it has a positive effect on Tom but it shows that Irving thinks women are powerless and incapable of doing anything right unless they are in their home. Irving’s views to women are radical to our perspective but for their time they are not abnormal. The messages he sends throughout his short stories stand as a reference to a different time and truly show how far our country has