Legend Of Sleepy Hollow Book And Movie Essay

“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving is a short story based on the well-known legend of the Headless Horseman. In the book the disappearance of the main character Ichabod Crane, leaves the readers guessing what the truth is behind the ending. In the beginning of the movie there are similarities to the book until later in the movie there is a twist that leads the plot to another direction. Washington Irving starts the short story by describing beautiful scenic images of a little valley surrounding Sleepy Hollow which is a place known to be the quietest in the world. Ichabod Crane is introduced as a man known for his strict ways in teaching as a local schoolhouse teacher. Ichabod has an interest for “pretty sisters” as well as
ghost stories that were popular around town. A famous ghost story known around town was of the legendary Headless Horseman. The tale was of a soldier who had his head shot off with a cannon ball and now roams Sleepy Hollow on his horse in search for his head which is replaced by a pumpkin that had a fiery glow. In this short story, Ichabod finds an interest in one of his female students named Katrina Van Tassel, who is the daughter of a wealthy and prosperous landowner, Heer Van Tassel. Katrina’s beauty along with her family’s wealth and crops becomes irresistible for Ichabod who falls in love and plans to marry Katrina so that one day Ichabod may own some of the family’s wealth. Unfortunately, a handsome man named Brom Van Brunt who was also in love with Katrina stands in Ichabod’s way. Brom Van Brunt, known for his pranks and trouble making, was called Brom Bones and rides his hose DareDevil. Brom was jealous at Ichabod’s attempts to marry Katrina. One night after a dance, Ichabod gathers around a circle of elderly people telling ghost stories and Brom happens to be in the circle and shares the story of the Headless Horseman which catches Ichabod’s attention. Later that night Ichabod rides home through the dark woods that crossed his path. As Ichabod rides on his horse Gunpowder through the dark woods, a dark figure starts to appear and is approaching Ichabod. As the dark figure approaches closer Ichabod fears the worst as he notices the dark figure is headless and riding a black horse. In an attempt to escape the Headless Horseman, Ichabod crosses over a bridge where the horseman is supposed to disappear into a burst of flames, but instead the horseman launches his pumpkin head knocking Ichabod off his Gunpowder leaving Ichabod unconscious. The next day all that was left were the remains of a smashed pumpkin and Ichabod nowhere to be found leaving the reader guessing, what really happened? Another version of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” was made into a movie directed by Tim Burton.
Burton’s movie had the same characters only thing that changed was the setting. In the movie Ichabod Crane, a detective for crime solving, was sent to Sleepy Hollow to solve the murder of three town’s people. Upon Ichabod’s arrival to Sleepy Hollow he meets Katrina whom he falls in love with, causing Brom to feel jealous. The beginning of the movie is closely related to the story except Ichabod is trying to solve the murder of 3 victim who had their heads cut off with the heads nowhere to be found. Burton kept the original tale from the short story except Brom did pretend to be the cloaked horseman. Burton decided to twist the story is his way by introducing magic and witchcraft into the movie. The truth behind the headless horseman was a demon responsible for the killings and was controlled by a witch. Ichabod’s mindset of lust and greed from the original plot now belongs to the real witch Katrina’s Stepmother who seeks revenge on the town of Sleepy Hollow. The movie ends with Ichabod kills the witch so that he may win over Katrina making Ichabod the hero of the story. The case is solved when the head of the Headless Horseman is returned to him allowing him to return to hell taking along the witch showing how good overcomes
evil. Both stories tell the tale of a person whose lust and greed lead to their own destruction. In the original story told by Washington Irving, Ichabod’s desire for the Van Tassel’s wealth led him to chase after a girl that only angered the local bully. Whatever his fate was at the end of the original story, he no longer returned to Sleepy Hollow and lost the girl and land he wanted. His lust and greed drove him to his destruction. Ichabod Crane was portrayed as a greedy selfish man who would do anything to get what he wanted. The movie portrayed Ichabod as a nice decent man who only wanted justice and peace for Sleepy Hollow. Katrina’s stepmother becomes the person whose greed and jealousy leads her to her own destruction. Her desire to control land and money leads her on the path of the supernatural in order to obtain all of her desires. The Headless Horseman was her way to take revenge on the Van Tassel family and anyone who could possibly gain control of the family’s inheritance. Between the two stories I found Washington Irving’s version to be more appealing. Irving uses suspense to build the imagination. When talking about the Horseman, he used dark descriptions, which helped create a more frightening mood. While describing scenes in detail Irving allows the reader to fill in the missing pieces using their imagination. Both stories leave the reader to ponder with many differences and a few similarities that actually tie both stories together.