Thursday, January 12, 2012

What is the theme of Rip Van Winkle? Is it still relevant today?

I believe that the theme of the story Rip Van Winkle is that you should not let life pass you by or don’t take what you have for granted. In this story Rip Van Winkle misses a lot in his life, and even though he wasn’t ecstatically happy in his life I think Rip was still upset that his life passed him by. When Rip woke up from his 20 year nap his first thought was what was his wife thinking about him not coming home all night. Little did he know she was gone, and it had really been 20 years. I believe that this theme is still relevant today. Many people may not sleep their life away, but they sure do waste moments that could be so special to them. Living life is a part of life and if you are not living then why are you here at all?

- Gina Pedrotty

1 comment:

ACC English 3 said...

The story of Rip Van Winkle has the reoccurring theme of living life while it is still there and not letting a second pass you by without living it to the fullest. This theme is still alive today and I think it will be forever. Rip Van Winkle wakes up after twenty years of sleep and everything has changed and he had slept through it all. I believe the author is conveying to the reader that life should be lived with no regrets and if you don’t try to do so, then life will pass you as if you slept through it. The author is saying that life shouldn’t be taken for granted because every day is a chance to do something new and if we don’t take advantage of life then we will end up like Rip Van Winkle, sleeping away twenty years of his life.

- Matthew Parasch