Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving

I love the story of Rip Van Winkle, because it reminds me of my own life, and how often I feel when I encounter something from my childhood that brought me great enjoyment or pleasure. I dive into a world of deep emotion and serendipity as I recollect the significance of what I had known before my life presently, and wish at times I could turn the clock back. As Irving writes the tale of Rip Van Winkle, I can only image that he found recollections of his own life in which to attribute this story, maybe evening seeing himself as Winkle in some instances. In Winkle's case though, much of his past was loathsome, because of the demands of his nagging wife who found his ways to be, as Irving puts it, "impertinent". But though Winkle was a lazy man to himself all of his life, it seems at best to his character that this is also the source of his pleasure even after he as awaken some twenty years later, and finds his wife to be dead and gone. It is evident then, at the knowledge of his wife's death, and is contented simple ways, that he finds the most enjoyment out of his new  life. It proves a great lesson, that enjoyment in life comes from being contented with today, and I wonder if that was something Irving was learning himself.

To look at this story from a different perspective would not be hard, for Irving supplies many different supporting characters to help us grasp Rip Van Winkle's tale, and it is to some interest that we see it from all of their perspectives. I think Irving purposefully brings in his children and town's people, so that we see the importance of this man's life no matter how unprofitable it may seem to be. Many people can find themselves in a place where they feel that their life is worthless, and reaps no pleasure. Though Winkle finds pleasure in simplicity, this is also his downfall, as he counts other people as more important then himself. What this story suggests, is that regardless of how someone may feel about themselves, there is always someone else who holds worth to that person whether they see it or not. The very fact that his son and daughter, and really all the town's people, are so shocked at Winkle's appearance, shows us something of his worth, even though it was still in question who this man actually was at this point in the story. For years Winkle never saw his life as anything important only other people's, and certainly never cared enough for his children or his wife. But after meeting his children fully grown, and learning of his wife's death, he now sees his life differently and finds enjoyment out of being just who he was made to be.

HTML: http://brentbooks.blogspot.com/2012/03/what-was-theme-of-rip-van-winkle.html