Rip's Dependence on Society for Personal IdentityRip Van Winkle After falling asleep in the forest, a man returns to find his abandoned home, his town he has turned his dead or missing friends and his own identity into serious doubt. He suddenly recognizes his exact likeness while walking down the street and for a moment loses his identity. This is not a piece of science fiction but rather Washington Irving's famous story of Rip Van Winkle. The moment Van Winkle sees his exact likeness as he walks up the mountain, he lets out an anguished cry: "...I can't say my name or who I am!" (Page 410) With that one statement we understand Van Winkle's predicament. Without his community to define him, Van Winkle is lost, existing only through the eyes of others. To better understand Van Winkle's plight we must first understand his character and how he was viewed by his community. Examining the text we find ample examples of both. Irving describes his main character as a lovable fool. As stated in the text Van Winkle is "...one of those happy mortals, of silly, well-oiled disposition, who take the world at their leisure, eat white or wholemeal bread, which can always be obtained with the least thought or trouble, and they would rather starve on a penny than work for a pound." (Page 404) He is also said to be a man who, "If left to himself, would blow his life with a whistle..." (Page 404) Clearly Van Winkle has little concern for matters of advancement. Yet you have to look at how he fits into his rustic community to get a clearer impression of him. While much is satirized about Van Winkle being a “tortured husband,” the story is… middle of paper… …na an “old woman” who finally steps forward and proclaims, “Of course! it's Rip Van Winkle - it's himself." (Page 411) After his identification is confirmed by the elder Peter Vanderdonk, Van Winkle is Van Winkle again. Once identified, Van Winkle's place in the community is restored. Indeed, his status improves to the point of being considered "one of the patriarchs of the village", because in their eyes he is now a historic citizen. Van Winkle's story shows us how dependent he was on the community, without which he could not have existed. His place within society and the recognition of others were crucial to how he defined himself. Works Cited: Irving, Washington. "Rip Van Winkle." Heath's Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paolo Lauter. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998.