In Rip Van Winkle, do you think Irving was trying to discourage laziness or idleness, if so why

-- Anonymous, January 31, 2000

Answers

It is possible that Irving was discouraging laziness, but he also may have been urging tolerance. Rip's wife was exactly the nicest person in the world. Rip may have been just doing the things he did to spite his wife. Maybe that is why he went off into the forest in the first place; to get out of the house. If his wife was more tolerant and understanding and saw Rip for the nice guy that he was, things may have been different. I think that is what Irving was trying to get across to his readers.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2000