Rip Van Winkle: An American Mythology

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Rip Van Winkle (An American Mythology) Rip Van Winkle is a short fiction story by Washing Irving. In the story Irving uses exaggeration. The situations and characters in the story are greatly exaggerated. In using exaggeration, he creates a work that is unrealistic. He creates a sense of humor throughout the entire story. Irving tells the fiction humorous exaggerated story of the life of the fictional character Rip Van Winkle. In this story Rip Van Winkles unique character is shown. As well as the main odd situation he faces. A national mythology begins to develop when a nation matures. A national mythology is a body of stories that reflect and celebrate the nation's ideas. National mythologies were important because through a national mythology…show more content…
In the story Rip Van Winkle it is set in the past, and an exciting place. In the story Irving explains how the village is old. “It is a little village of great antiquity" (62). He also illustrates the mystical nature of the village. “At the foot of these fairy mountains, the voyager may have descried the light smoke curling up from a village” (62). In national mythologies as well as them being set in the past or exciting places, they also have unique characters. National mythologies are filled with remarkable, strange, or exaggerated characters. In Rip Van Winkle, the character Rip Van Winkle is a strange remarkable character. Irving describes Rip Van Winkle as a good-natured man. “I have observed that he was a simple, good-natured man; he was moreover a kind neighbor, and an obedient, henpecked husband” (62). He also shows that Rip Van Winkle is widely liked amongst the people in his village. “Indeed, to the latter circumstance might be owing that meekness of spirit which gained him such universal popularity...” (62). As well as Irving having remarkable characters in his story. He also shows or mysterious events and their

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