Amy Irving

A Ghostly Turn of Events A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, is a beloved tale that people of all ages have loved for its emotional and moral appeal. It is a story focusing on the life of Ebenezer Scrooge, a greedy and cold-hearted money-lender, who is visited by four ghostly apparitions who convince him together to change his merciless ways. At the beginning of this tale, Scrooge does not recognize the effects of his greed, so the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future take it upon…

Sleepy Hollow is a cold, foggy, place that barely anyone visits. It is where the legend of the Headless Horseman began. They say that the Headless Horseman is the ghost of a Hessian soldier who got his head shot off by a cannonball in the Civil War, and has been searching for his head on the path of the Sleepy Hollow bridge ever since. Brom Van Brunt is a very muscular, charismatic man who lives in Sleepy Hollow. He has a crush on a young woman named Katrina, who is extensively the most…

“Rip Van Winkle” by Washington and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving have different examples of figurative language that allows for them to be classified as romantic and gothic. During the 1800s, writers began Gothic and romantic forms of literature. Gothic literature explores a pessimistic perspective in human nature while using dark themes and horrific images. A famous example is Washington Irving. Romantic literature explores more optimistic themes and generally extends…

Run, Sheep, Run is a short story written by Rosemary Howland that follows Nancy Martin’s perspective on Mattie Babcock, the new girl at school. Mattie seems to be different than the girls and boys at Edison High, being tall and big boned. In the story, she is described as having a plain face, drab hair, and a big toothy smile, which was the main thing that everyone at Edison High noticed. Before reading this short story, I read the title, which is what I usually do before indulging myself in a…

in the novel say that the original figure held a feather symbolizing the sagamore’s frustration at being unable to write; still other say there was a tomahawk and he possibly was either crazy or signifying that without his arms he does not fight (Irving 10). With the loss of his figurative arms he has been emasculated and no longer can partake in the violence that is man versus man. Sagamore is also the name of Mr. Fish’s Labrador. An interesting turn of events, as a dog is also without arms.…

Foreshadowing in Owen Meany (612-617) A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving gifts us with the story of Owen Meany, a small, miraculous boy with a big mission. Owen Meany knows that he is ‘god’s instrument’. He later finds out, in a dream, when he is going to die, how he is going to die, and he is going to die a hero. The story offers a great deal of foreshadowing. The main idea that has foreshadowing are things being ‘armless’. Some of these items that are armless include: Owen, the…

strange and incomprehensible about the unknown, that inspired awe and checked familiarity” (Irving 7). Rip feels the allure of the supernatural. Irving shows Rip’s displeasure for the reality of his dull, boring, and restricted life in the…

the people's constitution!” (Irving 311) Another Cold War controversy that Johnny experiences in the book is the Iran-Contra scandal of the Reagan era. The Iran-Contra scandal involved Reagan indirectly funding the Contras (Nicaraguan rebels) without Congressional approval. Again, Johnny is frustrated because he thinks people should focus more on the issues than on the scandalous nature of them, as is shown when he said, “I don’t think most American’s care.” (Irving 324) This supports the…

Although, the play gives a great visual of the story. Whether you're looking to see which version of the story is better, they are both very similar, but still have great differences. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is a short story written by Washington Irving, and is a very detailed piece of writing. The story is very well known with many people throughout the world, and is even said to be a classic. Thus, becoming popular as…

In an ever changing world, what is promised initially may not always go as planned when it is put to the test. John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany, tells the story of Johnny Wheelwright, a boy growing up in Gravesend, New Hampshire, struggling with identity and faith. But one cannot tell the story of Johnny Wheelwright without including Owen Meany, the tiny, dwarflike boy who is the only reason Johnny believes in God. Owen is a major spiritual character and his actions have direct correlations…