Irving's "Rip Van Winkle"

George Baroudos
Mr. Thomas
English 11
11 November 2013

A – “His children too, were as ragged and wild as if they belonged to nobody” (10). This quote really reminds me of the Ewells in To Kill a Mockingbird. Both of these families are not well mannered and in many senses do not have proper guidance. They are filthy and do not listen to anything. These types of people are the outcasts of society. They are looked down upon and have no respect. I can imagine both of these families having the smelly kid in class. With no rules nothing gets done, that’s why they are known as the lazy family.

D – “The very village was altered; it was larger and more populous” (18). This has become a common trend in our lives today. Throughout the country we have witnessed small towns overrun by large companies. We have witnessed the building of large malls, or stadiums rise up in small towns. As time progresses technology and a need for modernization to happen. Rip Van Winkle is shocked to see that things aren’t the way they used to be. It is difficult to adjust to any drastic change and in many senses we don’t want to do it. That’s why it is so difficult for elderly people to adjust to the changes of modern times. Many times we force ourselves to change for the better, but it is never easy. It is also hard for Rip seeing how his perception has changed greatly and it most definitely hurts especially seeing his house in ruins.

I – In so many ways this whole chapter has been about change. This chapter hasn’t been based on small change either, it is based on large scale life changing change. For example, the retreat of Thoreau, that is a life-changing event. Throughout the whole chapter we have seen drastic changes in life resulting in better things or worse things. We know have seen that adapting to change is never easy and we should know that going to Xavier. Changing from the man you have always been is hard. When we do not receive the respect we have been getting it is just plain difficult.

Matthew Bourdon
Mr. Thomas
English 11
11/11/13
C. I am somewhat confused as to why Rip went into such a deep sleep. “One taste provoked another; and reiterated his visits to the flagon so often that at length his senses were overpowered, his eyes swam in his head, his head gradually declined, and he fell into a deep sleep.” (Page 16) This was very interesting and what I lacked to understand was if the drink was some sort of potion or did he just fall asleep on his own. Either way this part of the story really made me tune in to what was ahead throughout the rest of the story.
A. This is similar and reminded me of the book by H.G. Wells called the Time Machine. Rip wakes up to find everything different, he is older now with a long gray beard, and he doesn’t recognize anything. “He found the house gone to decay the roof fallen in, the windows shattered, and the doors off the hinges. A half-starved dog that looked like Wolf was skulking about it. Rip called him by his name, but the cur snarled, showed his teeth, and passed on.” (Page 18-19) This shows how he basically traveled through time just in a different way. He fell into a long sleep while in the book Time Machine, the character actually uses a time machine.
I. I agree with Eoin’s comment about the changes and how it relates to the students at Xavier. It could somewhat relate because since we were Freshman, a lot has changed like teachers, new faces, and the building itself in some areas. The same way Rip saw change in his village in the Catskill Mountains, Xavier students see change every year throughout the community.

Matthew Chan
Mr. Thomas
English 11
11 November 2013

A. This story can be related to couples in today’s society. Many friends and neighbors who see you everyday outside from your house might think that you are caring and loving like Rip Van Winkle. However, everything changes when you are home. Your husband or wife will start arguing at you for being a horrible person and will make you feel down. Many people also have “switched personalities” meaning they are a different person inside and out of their homes.
C. Who is right? Rip or Dame? I think Dame is right because Rip is very lazy when he is home. He has failed his role as a good husband and father to his family. He truly doesn’t care about them since he leaves for a day of fun and relaxing. However, you should at least tell your family where you are going just in case something bad happens to you. You leave your family for twenty years and when you wake up, the whole world has changed. He deserves this punishment which can be a learning experience for him.
E. I found it significant how Rip was part of a political and philosophical club and discussed current events. Since he was asleep of twenty years, he missed one of America’s most important events in history, the American Revolution. I found it funny when he went to the hotel and found out that everyone from the group was not there. It was also funny when the group asked him which political party he belonged to and he said he was a loyal subject to the king. Everyone found him as a traitor and a Tory. If I was part of the group, I would have kicked him out of the town immediately.

11/11/13

D.  When I was reading, there were many lines that I liked, but the lines that I liked the most was "In that same village, and in one of these very houses (which, to tell the precise truth, was sadly time-worn and weather-beaten), there lived many years since, while the country was yet a province of Great Britain, a simple good-natured fellow, of the name of Rip Van Winkle" (Page 8).  The reason why I like this line so much is because it is very detailed on where the scene is and who is being introduced into the story and to where he might be going.

C.  While I was reading Rip Van Winkle, I came across was why did Rip Van Winkle decide to leave for 20 years and not once did he think of going back to say hi or check into his family.  If I was to leave for 20 years, I would have kept in contact with my family and definitely visit my family at least once a year.  One other thing I did not understand during the reading was the fact that Rip Van Winkle dozed off for so long.  Was it because of all his traveling the previous day?

I.  I agree with John Marano with his A, because several times I have thought about running away, but then I thought that I would just end up back at home since I was little then and did not know how to take care of myself.  I also have thought have running away, but the fact that you are little when you think this, and the fact that because of the age, you do not know how to take care of yourself yet, you might as well just stay home and be in your room, where no one can bother you for a while.  That is well worth it, because when you are older you will have to move out eventually, so you might as well try to enjoy the fact that you have a place to stay while you are little, because you don't know what is going to happen when you are older.

A. I like how they describe his father hood " he assisted at their sports, made their playthings, taught them to fly kites and shoot marbles, and told them long stories of ghosts, witches, and Indians." It reminds me of my dad alot when i was young. he was always at my sports games cheeren me on. He would help me with my toys even though he was very busy. He once came to a kite day at my old school. He also would read me and my brother stories before we would go to sleep. I remember him slowly making his way through the early harry potter books. In addition i thought it was funny/weird that they grouped indians with ghosts and witches. 

e. I didnt like how Dame van Winkle would beat the dog. they describe the dog as "an honorable dog, he was as courageous an animal as every scoured the woods-but what courage can withstand ever during and all besetting terrors of a woman's tongue?" Im very against the abuse of animals. But this also shows a lot about Dame. She's a total bitch the fact that she has the heart to be so cruel to this majestic animal. 

i. If he was so unhappy with his wife why didnt he have a misterres. many people in that time had more than one wife or at least a woman on the side. it states that alot of the other wives were very fond of him. it was social more acceptable then now a days .

Michael Annunziata
Mr. Thomas
English 11
11,11,13
A. One connection that I can make to this reading is that I kind of knew what was going to happen because I heard about this story before I read it. The story of the man falling asleep for twenty years and then later waking up and seeing how the whole world changed is quite a common reading. And because it was so popular it pretty much ruined the story for me. And it made me not get the full experience of reading this passage that I should have gotten. That’s my connection to this reading.
C. One thing that did confuse me throughout the reading was that Rip Van Winckle just wandered off into the woods and woke up twenty years later. I mean I know it’s fiction but it just doesn’t make sense. How is it possible that no body sees the part of the woods that he was in. How is it possible that a man even sleeps for twenty years without waking up at least wants I mean he wasn’t in a coma so it just doesn’t add up to me. That is what I was confused about while reading this story.
E. Although this story did give me a lot of questions at the end of the day I loved this story because I feel like you can make so many connections to it and it makes you think if you had the chance to sleep for twenty years and have your life changed would you. I think I would.