Part 1. Part 1. Washington Irving (1783--1859)Washington Irving (1783--1859)

Part 2. Part 2. James Fennimore Cooper(1789-1851)James Fennimore Cooper(1789-1851)

Part 2.Washington Irving (1783--1859):Part 2.Washington Irving (1783--1859):

a classic writera classic writer

The first successful man The first successful man of letters in Americaof letters in America

the first belletristthe first belletrist the first literary humorist the first literary humorist the first modern short stories the first modern short stories the first to write history and biography as the first to write history and biography as

entertainment entertainment the nonfiction prose as a literary genrethe nonfiction prose as a literary genre the first American writer to gain international the first American writer to gain international

famefame The Sketch BookThe Sketch Book marked the beginning of marked the beginning of

American Romanticism. American Romanticism.

life storylife story

Born into a wealthy merchant family in New YorkBorn into a wealthy merchant family in New York

Read widely in English literature at homeRead widely in English literature at home

Studied law but had a greater interest in writing than in lawStudied law but had a greater interest in writing than in law

Published his first book in 1809Published his first book in 1809

Bought Sunnyside at fifty and spent the rest of his life thereBought Sunnyside at fifty and spent the rest of his life there

Hudson River

Hudson River

Hudson RiverHudson River

Hudson River and New York city Irving’s Home Sunnyside

Major worksMajor works A History of New York from the Beginning of the world to the A History of New York from the Beginning of the world to the

End of the Dutch Dynasty byEnd of the Dutch Dynasty by Diedrick Knickerbocker Diedrick Knickerbocker (1809)(1809)

The Sketch BookThe Sketch Book of Geoffrey of Geoffrey Crayon Crayon GentGent (1819-1820) (1819-1820)

““Rip Van Winkle”, “The Legend of Sleepy HollowRip Van Winkle”, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow””

The History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher The History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher ColumbusColumbus(1828)(1828)

A Chronicle of the Conquest of the GranadaA Chronicle of the Conquest of the Granada(1829)(1829) The AlhambraThe Alhambra(1832)(1832) Life of George WashingtonLife of George Washington (1855-1859) (1855-1859)

Major works: “Knickerbocker” worksMajor works: “Knickerbocker” works

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Rip Van Winkle

Writing styleWriting style

beautiful, refinedbeautiful, refined fluent, dignifiedfluent, dignified imaginativeimaginative humoroushumorous lucidlucid

Rip Van WinkleRip Van Winkle

SettingSetting: :

time—5 or 6 years before the American time—5 or 6 years before the American Revolution and ends twenty years laterRevolution and ends twenty years later

place—a village in eastern New York, place—a village in eastern New York, near the Hudson River and the Catskill near the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains Mountains

Characters:Characters:

Rip Van WinkleRip Van Winkle

Dame Van WinkleDame Van Winkle

WolfWolf

Other minor charactersOther minor characters

Plot:Plot:

Theme: Theme: change with continuity and preservation of change with continuity and preservation of

traditiontradition the magic of the imaginationthe magic of the imagination

Style:Style:

personificationpersonification humorous in characterizationhumorous in characterization beautiful in portraying the sceneriesbeautiful in portraying the sceneries

Study Questions for Study Questions for Rip Van Winkle  Rip Van Winkle  

1.1. Even though he was a failure as a farmer, Even though he was a failure as a farmer, Rip Van Winkle was a success as a human Rip Van Winkle was a success as a human being. What were the most praiseworthy being. What were the most praiseworthy qualities that he possessed? (para 5,6,7)qualities that he possessed? (para 5,6,7)

2.2. In what way does Irving's portrayal of Dame In what way does Irving's portrayal of Dame Van Winkle help to illumine Rip's character?Van Winkle help to illumine Rip's character?(5-16) (5-16)

3.3. If you fell asleep today and awakened 20 If you fell asleep today and awakened 20 years from now, what questions would you years from now, what questions would you ask the first person you saw?  ask the first person you saw? 

4. Please read paragraph 33 and 34. Pay 4. Please read paragraph 33 and 34. Pay attention to the village inn and the folks who attention to the village inn and the folks who gathered there. Find out the differences gathered there. Find out the differences between the past and the present. Can you between the past and the present. Can you see rip’s political attitude indicated by these see rip’s political attitude indicated by these two paragraphs?two paragraphs?

5. When Rip returns to his village, he learns 5. When Rip returns to his village, he learns that Dame Van Winkle has died and that his that Dame Van Winkle has died and that his fellow Americans liberated themselves from fellow Americans liberated themselves from English rule in a revolutionary war. What do English rule in a revolutionary war. What do the war and the death of Rip's wife have in the war and the death of Rip's wife have in common in terms of how Rip will live the rest common in terms of how Rip will live the rest of his life?of his life?

Questions for The Legend of Sleepy HollowQuestions for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

According to the story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”:According to the story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”:

What is the legend in the story?What is the legend in the story? Name the main characters in the story.Name the main characters in the story. Give the physical descriptions of the main characters.Give the physical descriptions of the main characters. Describe the three elements in the story—love, heroism Describe the three elements in the story—love, heroism

and ghosts.and ghosts.

Part 3. Part 3. James Fennimore Cooper(1789-1851)James Fennimore Cooper(1789-1851)

Life storyLife story

born in a rich familyborn in a rich family entered Yale at 13entered Yale at 13 expelled at 16 for careless attitude and practical jokesexpelled at 16 for careless attitude and practical jokes went to sea for 5 yearswent to sea for 5 years a bet with his wife led him to literary careera bet with his wife led him to literary career traveled to Europe, criticized by American presstraveled to Europe, criticized by American press

Major worksMajor works

The Spy(1821)The Spy(1821) The “Leatherstocking Tales:”The “Leatherstocking Tales:” The PioneerThe Pioneer (1823) 4 (1823) 4 The Last of the MohicansThe Last of the Mohicans (1826) 2 (1826) 2 The PrairieThe Prairie (1827) 5 (1827) 5 The Pathfinder The Pathfinder (1840)(1840) 3 3 The DeerslayerThe Deerslayer (1841) 1 (1841) 1

Natty Bumppo: Natty Bumppo:

A man with a sense of good A man with a sense of good and evil and right and wrongand evil and right and wrong

The ideal American The ideal American embodiment of human embodiment of human virtues like innocence, virtues like innocence, simplicity, honesty and simplicity, honesty and generositygenerosity

Self-sufficient, mobile, freeSelf-sufficient, mobile, free

Hawk-Eye, Pathfinder, Deerslayer

ExercisesExercises

1. In the early 19th century, Washington 1. In the early 19th century, Washington Irving wrote ________ which became the Irving wrote ________ which became the first work by an American writer to win first work by an American writer to win financial success on both sides of the financial success on both sides of the Atlantic.Atlantic.

The Sketch Book

2. Washington Irving was best known for his famous 2. Washington Irving was best known for his famous short stories such as ____ and _____.short stories such as ____ and _____.

A. A. Rip Van WinkleRip Van Winkle B. B. The Legend of Sleepy The Legend of Sleepy HollowHollow

C. C. Life of GoldsmithLife of Goldsmith D. D. Life of WashingtonLife of Washington

3. The central figure in the Leatherstocking Tales is 3. The central figure in the Leatherstocking Tales is _________, who goes by the various names of _________, who goes by the various names of Leatherstocking, Deerslayer, Pathfinder and Leatherstocking, Deerslayer, Pathfinder and Hawkeye.Hawkeye.

(A, B)

Natty Bumppo