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| American Gothic Tales |
Second Story:
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
by Washington Irving
Let me first start out with a brief description of a tale that most of you should know already. This story was first published in 1820 but was said to have been set circa 1790 in a Dutch settlement of Tarry Town (known as Tarrytown, New York). The setting is sometime in Autumn and revolves around a small glen called Sleepy Hollow. The main character, Ichabod Crane is a tall and lanky school teacher from Connecticut and is quite superstitious. The town has many ghost stories but Ichabod is particularly interested in one about a headless horseman galloping the woods towards a church cemetery where it is said to hold his head.
Everyone can always relate to the chills of a good ghost story and this is where The Legend of Sleepy Hollow transcends the date in which it was written. What I liked so much about Ichabod was his delight at being scared, almost like a guilty pleasure. Most will agree that a "good scare" gives you quite the adrenaline rush, therefore releasing endorphin into the brain. I've always loved a good endorphin high and that "good scare" is a great way to obtain it without having to go jump out of a plane or off a cliff. I've found myself seeking out scary places (any haunted spots I could find) to obtain that rush. I believe this addiction to the supernatural is one I share with Mr. Crane.
Another thing I really enjoyed, was the use of analogies Irving uses. I was particularly fond of his reference to Ichabod's spirit and form, pliability and perseverance in nature as supple-jack (a climbing plant that has a tough and pliable stem). The image of this is truly clever, endearing and made me laugh. The story is riddled with such clever analogies and it made the story fun to read. Not only does the Author use these great analogies but his writing style flows with poetic words, put so well together as to place yourself within Sleepy Hollow not wanting to return. However, a downside to the story would be that the descriptions of the environments and settings were drawn out and sometimes a bit overly descriptive (at least for my taste).
I'll leave you with this one question.... Was Ichabod Crane met with the terrible fate of the headless horseman or was it foul play from his rival? I'm inclined to believe it was foul play which to me seems more sinister to me than a ghost.... but Irving leaves this for you to decide yourself. Oh, I do love a good open ending.
Everyone can always relate to the chills of a good ghost story and this is where The Legend of Sleepy Hollow transcends the date in which it was written. What I liked so much about Ichabod was his delight at being scared, almost like a guilty pleasure. Most will agree that a "good scare" gives you quite the adrenaline rush, therefore releasing endorphin into the brain. I've always loved a good endorphin high and that "good scare" is a great way to obtain it without having to go jump out of a plane or off a cliff. I've found myself seeking out scary places (any haunted spots I could find) to obtain that rush. I believe this addiction to the supernatural is one I share with Mr. Crane.
Another thing I really enjoyed, was the use of analogies Irving uses. I was particularly fond of his reference to Ichabod's spirit and form, pliability and perseverance in nature as supple-jack (a climbing plant that has a tough and pliable stem). The image of this is truly clever, endearing and made me laugh. The story is riddled with such clever analogies and it made the story fun to read. Not only does the Author use these great analogies but his writing style flows with poetic words, put so well together as to place yourself within Sleepy Hollow not wanting to return. However, a downside to the story would be that the descriptions of the environments and settings were drawn out and sometimes a bit overly descriptive (at least for my taste).
I'll leave you with this one question.... Was Ichabod Crane met with the terrible fate of the headless horseman or was it foul play from his rival? I'm inclined to believe it was foul play which to me seems more sinister to me than a ghost.... but Irving leaves this for you to decide yourself. Oh, I do love a good open ending.
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