These included Johnathan Oldstyle (1802-03), Diedrich Knickerbocker (1807-09), and Geoffrey Crayon (1819-20). Though short-lived, had distinct characteristics which differentiated them from one another, similar to multiple personalities with the common characteristics of a satirical sense of humor. Each alias came with its own type of historical or realistic research and in-depth observations and imaginations (Hart 320). Washington Irving’s only desire was to make the people around him happy no matter how he felt (Johnston 167). He became these aliases to get people to take notice of him and their surroundings as a “wake-up …show more content…
Rip’s demeanor to please seems to result from Irving’s own personality. This fictional character escaped to the mountains from Dame Van Winkle’s wrath, but returned to a new world of foolishness after the Revolutionary War like his escape to Europe from the disappointment of his brother and the changes of the world. His humor always presented itself as Rip Van Winkle exclaimed, “God knows, I’m not myself- I’m somebody else- I was myself last night…, and I’m changed, and I can’t tell what’s my name or who I am” (Irving 43). “His necessary remove from the state of things, clothed in his antiquated Dutch fashions, grants him the detachment required to register these changes” (Wyman