View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. On page 30, the reader learns that Rip is "obsequious" and his wife is a "termagant." What can accurately be said about their relationship?

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

3. Where does Rip spend time with his friends?

4. On page 28, the reader is told that the narrator of the main story is known for "scrupulous" accuracy. What kind of accuracy is this?

5. What is true of Rip's children in the beginning of the story?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is the setting of the Catskills described?

2. 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?

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

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

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

6. Describe the relationship between Rip and his wife.

7. Describe the condition of Rip's children.

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain how Irving uses diction, detail, and figurative language to make the Catskill Mountains almost equivalent to another character in this story. Be sure to use textual evidence to defend your claims.

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

Write an essay in which you analyze the use of stories attributed to indigenous cultures in the "Postscript." Be sure to use textual evidence to defend your claims, and if you use outside sources, be sure to cite them in MLA format.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 903 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample