Characters
Who is the main protagonist of the story?
Rip Van Winkle
Where does Rip go to escape everyday responsibilities?
The Catskill Mountains
What literary movement is Rip Van Winkle associated with?
Romanticism
How might Rip feel if he realizes everyone he once knew has grown old or passed away?
Despondent
Which romantic element does the quote reflect?
"The mountain were clothed in blue and purple"
Appreciation of Nature
Who is Rip's constantly nagging wife?
Dame Van Winkle
What initial incident sends Rip and his dog into the Catskills mountains?
He is wandering through the mountains with his dog.
Answers will vary
Possible answers -
1. rusty gun
2. aging body
3. dog's gone
4. Village has changed
5. American flag/ George Washington's picture
Which vocabulary word best describes how Rip would feel when he realizes 20 years have passed?
Incredulous
Which romantic element does the following quote reflect:
"That his father had once seen them in their old Dutch dresses playing nin-pins in the hollow of a mountain"
Supernatural and Mystery
What is the name of Rip's loyal dog?
Wolf
What is the denouement of Rip Van Winkle?
Rip settles into the role of village storyteller recounting his mysterious encounter in the mountains.
Give one example of an external conflict in the story.
Possible answers:
Character vs. Character - Rip vs his wife
Character vs. Nature - Rip's journey through the woods
Character vs. Society - Rip focuses on the past and tradition rather than change and progress of the new era.
Rip being productive and helpful to all except his own family is -
Perverse
"The Catskills mountains have always been a region full of fable"
Past and Folklore
Who is the old man that Rip encounters in the mountains?
A mysterious stranger (later explained by the narrator to be ghosts of Henry Hudson's crew who shipwrecked")
Rip awakens and discovers 20 years have passed.
Give two examples of an internal conflict that Rip Van Winkle has in the story.
Possible answers:
1. Man vs. self - Rip battles between appeasing his wife and wanting to be free
2. Man vs. self - Rip becomes confused when he stumbles across his village and everything has changed.
3. Man vs. self - Rip is unsure on whether he should follow the strange man in the mountains.
Describes how Dame Van Winkle expresses her frustration with Rip.
Which romantic elements fits the following quote:
"The whole neighborhood was in a state of great perplexity"
Imagination and emotion
Who is the village tavern owner in town before Rip disappears?
Nicolas Vedder
What are three things that Rip Van Winkle discovers upon returning to the village?
Possible answers:
1.Wife died
2. American Revolution has taken place
3. Children are grown up
4. Tavern is a political hub
Give one example of irony in Rip Van Winkle.
Rip sleeps through a major political change, the American Revolution, but he has not changed himself.
Describes Rip's dog, wolf, and his undying devotion and loyalty to his owner.
Obsequious
Which romantic element fits the following quote:
"He was fain to escape from the labor of the farm and the clamor of his wife"
Self-expression and freedom