How The American Revolution Changed America s Political...

At its most basic level Rip Van Winkle is a humorous story of a man who sets off into the mountains to find so much needed peace and quiet, then sleeps for twenty years. Washington Irving uses a combination of satire, imagery, and irony, intertwined with symbolism, to paint an allegorical image of the American Revolution. Irving particularly focuses the tale of Rip on America’s political struggle during the latter half of the eighteenth century while highlighting the role of England as a colonializing society. The use of symbolism helps in creating a vivid mental picture and a physical sensation of the subject without directly referring to the details of the revolution itself. Understanding the symbolism helps in deriving the full meaning of Irving’s writing and the themes it addresses. Ultimately, an analysis of the symbolism will help in understanding the American struggle against England, and how the American Revolution shaped the future of America. The American Revolution represented a period of rapid change in America. While America had long been a colony of England, the Revolution represented a fight for independence, an insurgency in political mindedness, and a call for change in terms of the way society operated. The primary colonial government represented the crown while the growing body of Americans wanted a government that actively represented the people and the interest of Americans over the interest of the English mainland. As a result, Americans valiantly roseShow MoreRelatedWas The American Revolution Revolutionary?1549 Words   |  7 Pagesextent was the American Revolution revolutionary, one must define qualifications to accredit such a revolution. Is a revolution defined as a complete and utmost overthrow of an established government by a new regime? Or is a revolution defined as a subversive change in societal values/roles that changes the structures of a pre-existing social order? Or possibly both? 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