Student Question

Does the story "Rip Van Winkle" have a defined thesis?

Quick answer:

Rip Van Winkle, although he has avoided conflict in his life and simply wishes to be left alone, is rewarded by finding himself in the middle of a battle. Although he thinks it would be better not to know about the war and all that it entails, he finds out soon enough that he had a part to play in the struggle for independence. The hustle and bustle of daily life in America seems to have no effect on him—he sleeps through the entire event. This is similar to what many people do today; they choose not to get involved with politics or current events because they think it would be better if they did not know about it. In "Rip Van Winkle,"

Expert Answers

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One theme that could be used as a thesis is the idea that turbulent events are better ignored or avoided, instead of addressed or confronted. Rip Van Winkle discovers that he has slept through the American Revolution and the death of his wife, who was the cause of his hike in the woods that day. Instead of being forced into responsibility by fighting in the war, or having to finally come to terms with his wife and settle their differences, the lazy Rip discovers that simply by waiting, he has managed to put them behind himself, and can now continue living in comfortable sloth as he has always wanted. The last lines of the story seem to confirm this as a virtue, not a vice:

...it is a common wish of all henpecked husbands in the neighborhood, when life hangs heavy on their hands, that they might have a quieting draught out of Rip Van Winkle’s flagon.
(Irving, "Rip Van Winkle," bartleby.com)

Although it is certainly easier to avoid conflict, sometimes it is necessary, and Rip never learns this lesson. Instead, he has his laziness rewarded, although it is roundabout and steals years of his own life. Reading more deeply into the text, it would seem that Rip has lost the chance to grow as an individual; his "reward" is actually the completion of his personal growth, and he refuses to grow any further. In this vein, a thesis could read:

  • When conflict is avoided, the result can be positive.

or

  • Avoiding conflict often leads to the inability to ever fix problems. 

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