What Is Rip Van Winkle Symbolism

A2. Washington Irving writes the short story, “Rip Van Winkle”, as a way to show the newly formed United States of America that it is not only okay but crucial to accept and recognize their ancestor’s natural history. During this time, colonist wanted to completely erase their past culture to create a better and unique American culture. In attempt to show how important their ancestors are, Washington Irving focuses on the Dutch culture that still bled throughout America at this time throughout the story of “Rip Van Winkle”. Irving writes that the main character, Rip Van Winkle, leaves the village and takes a nap on the Catskill mountains after meeting with Hollanders and when he wakes up to return to the village everything was changed and history was destroyed. This symbolizes how Irving felt towards Americans destroying their past to create a new culture and the repercussions of this action. Washington Irving uses symbolism to show the path that Americans were heading down by completely separating themselves from their ancestors culture. If Americans at this time deleted their past our culture would not be the same today and would not be true to who we are because all of American history shapes today’s culture.
B2. Georgiana tells her husband “[i]t had made me worship you more than ever” …show more content…
Romantic literature are works that portrays imagination and emotion of human beings. “The Birthmark” is a romantic piece of literature due to the love that Georgiana shows for her husband, Alymer. Georgiana is accepting and loving towards her husband after she learns of his failed experiments. Even after learning of the failed experiments, Georgiana is still willing to sacrifice her life for an experiment she knows will not work in order to please her husband. The author uses this story to show the limitations of the Enlightenment thinking by showing that Alymer is not accepting of his wife’s flaw, the birthmark on her face, even though is wife accepts and loves his