Themes In Washington Irving's Legend Of Sleepy Hollow

Improved Essays
In, Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Washington Irving highlights a viable arrangement of starvation pictures that starts with his long portrayal of the emaciated, haggard Ichabod and reaches out to the practically physical yearning that his hero feels when he sees the rich produce of Van Tassel 's territory. Irving utilizes imagery, tone, and symbol to suit the equally mixed story line and underlying concept in this story. The author of this short story creates a mysterious and suspenseful tone which leads the reader to haunted journey. Washington Irving utilized greed as to be the main theme throughout the story; Ichabod wants to marry Katrina out of his lust for money and power, not love.
Imagery described by the author is a very powerful verdict and the reader can sense the way of talking of the author. Irving describes the main character in a sarcastic way
…show more content…
Irving 's point by point portrayals of Ichabod 's unattractive appearance, egotistical inspirations and agonizing disposition make a scary and vile tone. Irving demonstrates the impossible to miss, dim side of Ichabod. The premonition, spooky woodland and old stories add to the anticipation. Readers know something horrendous is going to happen - and perhaps Ichabod is meant to deserve it with his greediness and selfishness. Irving makes a tone that is to a great degree adversarial. Ichabod wants to marry Katrina out of his desire for cash and force, not cherish. Irving portrays him as having "green smooth eyes," an expression that symbolizes his jealousy and greed. Irving additionally portrays his huge mouth and unquenchable appetite, giving readers the impression that he has monster-like characteristics. Ichabod is a suitable anti-hero which leaves the readers with no disappointments when he is confronted by the headless horseman. The unfavorable, premonition components support the antagonistic yet captivating

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Katy Van Zandt Mrs. Mary Smith AP Literature 20 September 2017 How to Read Literature Like a Professor: Analysis! In the book ‘How to Read Literature Like a Professor’, Thomas C. Foster uses examples of literary devices such as theme, symbols, and irony to give us the tools we need to succeed in analyzing literature on a deeper level. He also incorporates the importance of theme throughout the entire book, by addressing it in almost every chapter.…

    • 905 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    ”(249). In conjunction with the use of incongruous juxtaposition and this metaphor; the monster considers his arrogance good, or bad solely on his current emotion. Towards the end of this novel it mentions “the long journey into the away-from-this-tree self. No. One day, one day of that sort, would never come.…

    • 769 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    When the Monster gradually understands his unnatural disposition and the judgmental and violent capabilities of humans, he transitions from altruistic actions to animalistic behaviors. After experiencing immediate rejection from his beloved De Laceys and maker, he wonders, “I was…endued with a figure hideously deformed and loathsome… Was I then a monster, a blot upon the earth, from which all men fled and whom all disowned?... the agony that these reflections inflicted upon me…sorrow only increased with knowledge” (85). When he realizes the extent to which his physical attributes incite trepidation and disgust among humans, he views himself as a stain on the canvas of society.…

    • 814 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Every one of us as kids loved reading myths such as Hercules or Perseus. However, did you know that there are some myths that originated right at home? Washington Irving’s story of Rip Van Winkle manages to merge several traits of a mythological story. The traits we will focus on include, setting the story in the past, filled with exaggerated characters, and features magical events with their consequences. How do these traits affect the story?…

    • 1010 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    It is De Lacey’s knowledge that enables the Creature to tell his story to Frankenstein using a mutual language. They both then tell their tales to Walton, who tells them to his sister and the readers of the novel. Each layer of storytelling is meant for interpretation; the Creature pays close attention to his “teacher” when Felix is reading of Ruins of Empire, of the Asiatics and the Greeks (Bugg 662). Frankenstein studies the Creature’s emotions, wondering how he could have created something so plainly destructive. Walton plays a neutral role, listening to both sides of the story with patience and retelling the facts exactly as he hears them.…

    • 1052 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    I gazed on my victim, and my heart swelled with exultation and hellish triumph.. ” The creature becomes a perpetrator of cruelty, and through his intentional actions causes harm to the Frankenstein family- cruelty in turn inspiring…

    • 708 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    The Thing Theme

    • 1923 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Addison describes this theme by stating, “the film presents a (…) story world of cold isolation in which humans do not form strong relationships with one another” (162). The horror conventions used to portray this include: body horror, excess, lack of closure, ‘the monster’, and disgust reaction shots. These horror conventions are developed through the specific use cinematography and mise en scène as a means of projecting the films themes. *This can be explored through the examination of a climactic scene towards the middle of the movie, where Macready (the film’s protagonist) undergoes blood tests for each of the men in order to differentiate between human and alien, leading to the revelation that Palmer is an imitation, who then transforms into the creature…

    • 1923 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    In works of literature, authors will use a foil character of the protagonist to illuminate differences and similarities between the two and elucidate the protagonist’s true character. In Frankenstein, Or The Modern Prometheus, the creature is the best known foil character of Victor Frankenstein because the two contrast yet resemble each other in several aspects. The divergent characteristics of the two allow the reader to harvest important flaws in each. With the creature and Victor having contradicting personalities and histories, the reader can easily distinguish specific accented qualities of each. The creature is a more potent foil for Victor Frankenstein because of his success in highlighting their differences and similarities through their origins, personalities, and appearances.…

    • 1061 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This can be misleading as he goes on to compare the pros and cons film can have on the text. Before he does this though, he asks questions in which provide the basis for his article. “How do we see the monster, what does he see, and how does he want to be seen” (Heffernan 4450)? The two essays he chooses to talk about really dig deep into the text and brings the reader many ideas that could have been overlooked. One of these being the way Frankenstein, the monster, looks upon Justine, “longing to obtain one look of affection from her eyes” (Shelley).…

    • 451 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the short story “The Devil and Tom Walker”, published in 1824 by Washington Irving, a conversion from an illustrative, descriptive tone to a revealing tone is a technique the author uses to give the reader an insight into the selfishness and greed of the character Tom Walker and his wife. Many literary elements are used in writings from this period in time and even writings from the present in order to convey a lesson, or moral, for the person reading to take away from the piece of literature. Washington Irving was one of these authors, and the use of literary elements are found in this particular short story. Dismal imagery, harsh irony, and ominous symbolism are all portrayed in this story in order to show how greed can lead to corruption…

    • 1167 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    What do a cat and a headless horse man have in common? The world may never know. But, the world will know how the two stories by Edgar Allan Poe and Washington Irving are incredibly different but also very similar. “The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving share many aspects of romanticism; these include the importance of nature, supernatural events, and a sense of individualism. Although these similarities are present the stories are very different.…

    • 939 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Monsters who are foul in appearance contain complex ideas and personalities then become outcast by their societies and are forced to deal with the pain of being outsiders. This is evident in both Frankenstein…

    • 1404 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Authors profusely use themes to add dimension, help the reader understand, and direct the reader in following the path of novel’s intention. Providing a novel with the structural value of a theme, the author keeps the reader guided. In a Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving uses themes to combine the complexity of his work. Without the theme of religion/doubt tying in with fate versus free will, the novel would lose substance and value. Faith and religion, without a doubt, is the underlying main source of the novel’s overtone.…

    • 1285 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The creature continually faces societal rejection, which plays a crucial role in the development of his identity as a monster. The moment the creature comes to life, Frankenstein is horrified by “his yellow skin” which “scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath”, and by his “watery eyes”, “shrivelled complexion”, and “straight, black…

    • 1757 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    In literature, there is a cornucopia of authors whose works are arguably more different than they are similar. However, even through the seemingly stark contrast of various authors, there are similarities that are way too often overlooked or just unconsidered. Edgar Allan Poe and Washington Irving were authors most renowned for their short stories during the Romantic Era of literature, each having their own unique style. Poe was known for his use of horror and the dark characteristics of human nature, and Irving for his use of fantasy and humor of different varieties. Two seemingly different approaches to literature by two seemingly different authors . . .…

    • 1738 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays