Rip Van Winkle - A Lovable Fool Irving describes his main character as a lovable fool. As stated in the text, Van Winkle is ... one of those happy, silly-natured, well-oiled mortals, who take the world in their stride, eat white or whole-grain bread, which can be obtained with the least thought or trouble, and would I would rather starve on a penny than work for a pound. He is also said to be a man who, if left to his own devices, would whistle his life away... Clearly Van Winkle is concerned with matters of progress. Yet you have to look at how he fits into his rustic community to get a clearer impression of him. Although much is satirized that Van Winkle is a troubled husband, the story also provides evidence of his many good works. Not afraid of hard labor, Van Winkle is seen by those in his community as one who never refused to assist a neighbor in the hardest work, and was a point man in all the country pranks for shelling Indian corn or the construction of stone fences. . He is also seen as well-liked by the fairer sex, as the text continues: Even the women of the village hired him to run their errands and to do those little jobs that their helpful husbands would not do for them. He too has his place among the idle philosophers who gather in front of the inn to discuss the events of the day. In this case, Van Winkle finds himself in good company: Nicholas Vedder is the owner of the inn and Van Bummel is the teacher at the town school. Even the children of the village love him. The reason for his popularity provides further evidence of Van Winkle's character. He watched their sports, made their toys, taught them to fly kites and throw marbles, and told them long stories of ghosts, witches, and Indians. In light of all this, Van Winkle seems to embody Christian charity and kindness. His only real flaw is that he would rather be in anyone's business but his own. But constant attention to others spells disaster at home, and Van Winkle is a failure with both his farm and his wife. But even taking these flaws into account, it is still accepted by society. Whether he is considered a saint or a fool doesn't really matter, because he has a place. Rip 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.