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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. When on page 31, the narrator refers to Rip's wife's nagging as a "torrent of household eloquence," what tone is created?

2. Who is the author of "Rip Van Winkle"?

3. Under what pseudonym was "Rip Van Winkle" published?

4. On page 29, the mountains are said to be "lording it over the surrounding country." This is an example of which literary technique?

5. Who is Peter Stuyvesant?

Short Essay Questions

1. What relationship does Rip have with the village children, and how does it characterize him?

2. Describe how Rip's relationship with the dog contrasts with his wife's relationship with the dog.

3. What do Rip and his friends do when they gather together outside the village inn, and how does this characterize Rip?

4. Describe the condition of Rip's children.

5. Describe the relationship between Rip and his wife.

6. How is the setting of the Catskills described?

7. Explain the relationship of Washington Irving, Diedrich Knickerbocker, and Geoffrey Crayon.

8. Describe the contents of the story's epigraph and tell how this relates to the frame narrative.

9. Explain what the frame narrative says about the historian who recorded Rip's story--where does his work come from, and how reliable is it?

10. Describe the condition of Rip's home and farm.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay in which you analyze the use of Dutch identity in this story. What do you notice about the connection of the Dutch settlers to Europe, and how are their culture and colonial history being put to use? Be sure to offer textual evidence for your claims and cite all sources in MLA format.

Essay Topic 2

The "termagant" wife is a frequent feature of Irving's work. Write an essay in which you consider from both a historical and literary perspective what the purpose of such a character might be. That is, how would such a character have been received in Irving's time? What literary precedent is there for a character of this nature? How does the inclusion of this type of character affect the plot and communicate theme? Be sure to offer textual evidence for your claims and cite all sources in MLA format.

Essay Topic 3

Analyze the thematic purpose of including Rip's son and grandson in the story. Be sure to use textual evidence to defend your claims.

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