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Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 – November 28, 1859) was an American author often referred to as the "Father of American Literature." He was the first real literary superstar America produced. He is best known for his stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle," both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. He created fictional researches as the narrators to tell his "historical" stories. While his work is often criticized as Americanized versions of German folk stories, there is no denying an American satire that permeates his work.
Below are copies of the two short stories that we will be reading in class:
"Rip Van Winkle"- This is one of Irving's most famous literary works. Even Wishbone is a fan. While satirical in nature, it is a classic tale of man's escape into nature.
"The Devil and Tom Walker"- This is a nice companion piece to "Rip Van Winkle." Once again Irving's satirical nature is present, but this story focuses on the cost of one's soul.
Audio Link: Here is a link to an audio version of the story to help with comprehension if needed.
Here are several links for Saturday Night Live clips for our study of satire:
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