About the Author

Washington Irving was an American author, historian, and diplomat born in New
York City in 1783. He is best known for his contributions to American literature,
including classic works such as "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle."
Irving's literary career began in 1802, and he wrote under several pseudonyms, including
Geoffrey Crayon and Diedrich Knickerbocker. He also served as the U.S. minister to
Spain from 1842 to 1846, and his diplomatic work helped to improve relations between
the two countries. Irving is often credited with helping to create a sense of national
identity in the United States through his use of American themes and folklore in his
writing. He is considered one of the most important American writers of the early 19th
century and continues to be widely read and studied today.

Identity Issue in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle”

Washington Irving is one of the most significant writers in American literary

history. His works, particularly "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle,"
capture the essence of American culture and identity. Both tales explore the identity
issue in different ways, and today, together with my colleague Andreea Stîlpeanu, we
will analyze how Irving approaches this issue in his creations.
“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," is a short story that explores the issue of
identity. The main character, Ichabod Crane, is a schoolteacher who arrives in Sleepy
Hollow, a small town in New York State, and falls in love with a beautiful local girl
named Katrina Van Tassel. The story highlights how Ichabod's identity is shaped by his
desire to fit in and be accepted by the community, which ultimately leads to his downfall.
One of the central themes of the story is the issue of social class and status.
Ichabod is portrayed as an outsider in Sleepy Hollow, due to his physical appearance and
lack of wealth. His long nose and protruding ears make him a subject of ridicule and
further fuel his insecurity about his social status. Ichabod's appearance shapes his
identity, as he is constantly reminded of his lack of attractiveness and how it affects his
ability to fit in. Ichabod's identity is also defined by his profession as a schoolteacher.
While he is respected for his intelligence and knowledge, his position as a teacher places
him in a lower social class compared to the wealthy landowners of Sleepy Hollow. This
adds to his insecurity about his social status and drives his desire to be accepted by the
upper class of the town.
His desire for Katrina is driven by his hope to improve his social standing and be
accepted by the upper class of the town. However, this desire ultimately causes him to
overlook the fact that Katrina may not reciprocate his feelings. Ichabod's search for
identity is threatened by the presence of the Headless Horseman, who is a ghostly figure
that haunts the village. The Horseman represents a threat to Ichabod's sense of identity,
as he symbolizes the unknown and the uncontrollable. This is evident in the way that the
Horseman is portrayed as being an otherworldly creature, who is both terrifying and
fascinating.
Furthermore, Ichabod's identity is also threatened by the rivalry he shares with
another man in the village, named Brom Bones. Brom represents a challenge to
Ichabod's identity, as he is everything that Ichabod is not. He is strong, confident, and
well-liked by the community, which puts him at odds with Ichabod. This rivalry
culminates in a race between the two men, which Ichabod ultimately loses, leaving him
feeling even more isolated and unsure of his place in the world.
The tale also explores the ways in which identity is tied to our relationships
with others and the communities in which we live. Ichabod's search for identity, as
portrayed in the story, highlights the importance of understanding who we are and
where we come from. It also underscores the importance of the relationships we build
with others, and the role they play in shaping our identities. Overall, "The Legend of
Sleepy Hollow" is a powerful exploration of identity, and its enduring relevance is a
testament to the timeless nature of this important theme.

Washington Irving, America’s first writer, is best known by his famous short
story “Rip Van Winkle” which emphasizes the struggle of finding a new identity after
the American Revolution because of the characters that appear, the symbolism, and the
setting where the story is placed.
"Rip Van Winkle" is a tale about a man who falls asleep in the mountains
and wakes up twenty years later to find that his entire world has changed. The story
explores the issue of identity in the context of change and evolution. Rip Van
Winkle is a man who is resistant to change, and his identity is rooted in his
attachment to the past. His refusal to embrace the changes in his world ultimately
leads to his alienation from the community.
Rip Van Winkle has had only to deal with the change in his surroundings.
Having no doubts about his personal character, his fears remain singular only briefly, for
when the crowd points to a man whom they call Rip Van Winkle, he begins to question
his being as well. "I'm not myself I'm somebody else-that's me yonder-no-that's
somebody else, got into my shoes...".

Frustration has set in by this point, as our hero Rip cannot explain the events that
have happened to him. In one night, his world had drastically changed, and no logical
explanation can be found. The larger issue at hand, though, is the identity crisis that Van
Winkle is suffering. Upon a detailed analysis of this climactic section, two dominating
themes are found: confusion and the issue of personal identity. The result shows that
Rip's character is a representation of Dutch ethnicity who felt they were losing their
cultural identity.
Furthermore, the story of Rip Van Winkle is an allegory for the changing identity
of America in the early 19th century. The country was experiencing rapid growth and
development, and many people were struggling to adapt to these changes. Like Rip Van
Winkle, they were nostalgic for a simpler time, and they found it difficult to reconcile
themselves to the new reality.
To build this identity, Americans wanted to be recognized in the world as a
particular culture and they rejected all the English influence in art and literature, because
any cultural products which represent the singularity of the country appeared and a sense
of inferiority towards British culture emerged in America. People all over the world knew
North America as a British colony. In Rip van Winkle, it is represented through the
well-known fame of Rip as a subjugated and submissive husband in his hometown, all
women knowing his suffering and his inevitable attachment to Dame van Winkle
(Hilton, 1986). This takes the metaphor a step further by making the comparison
between Rip Van Winkle finally escaping his wife forever and America finally getting
freedom from the English government. This aspect of the story gives a lot of insight into
how Irving viewed the country before and after the Revolution, and how America was in
search of their own identity from England.

Rip Van Winkle’s aim is to live the way he wants. He is amiable and a favorite
in the village. He is so good that he plays with the village children and would never
refuse to assist a neighbor even in the roughest toil. The way people used to live in the
past, he spends his time in the same
way. He loves to hunt, fish and gossip with friends while sitting in an inn. This is
the way of living Rip has chosen for himself and he refuses to give in and give up. When
he comes back to the village, he never gives up his old lazy lifestyle. After his return, he
does not work. His grown-up daughter takes care of him and he spends his time as he
used to do before a long sleep. Rip sits on the bench, meets people and tells them about
his surrealistic story and adventure. This is how our dearest Rip gains self-identity
through the story.

In conclusion, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle" are two of
Washington Irving's most famous works, and they explore the issue of identity in different
ways. "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" depicts the struggle of an outsider to fit in and be
accepted by society, while "Rip Van Winkle" explores the issue of change and the
resistance to it. Both works are allegories for the evolving identity of America in the 19th
century and continue to be relevant today as we grapple with issues of identity and
belonging.