The overall impression we get of Ichabod is that he feels himself superior to the villagers. Conversely, characters like Brom Bones feel superior to Ichabod (Irving 50). This is an attitude on both sides still prevails today. Many times in my life, I have encountered people from the East who want to know if we have running water and electricity in Oklahoma. People with a formal education often underestimate my father, a self-made man, because his speech resounds of Tennessee and Alabama, where he