Rip Van Winkle & Treasure Island

RIP VAN WINKLE & TREASURE ISLAND
Washington Irving’s highly acclaimed story of “Rip Van Winkle” has been appealing to readers young and old for many years. It has withstood the test of time as a valued literary achievement for many reasons. I believe this book satisfies or excels in all of the standards by which we evaluate literature. Written from the narrator’s point of view, Irving succeeds in getting your attention first by claiming that it is an accurate account of the late Diedrich Knickerbocker, and then with his statement concerning the questionable literary merit of the tale. The element of mystery and doubt stirs the imagination and challenges the reader to form his/her own opinion for what follows. He further captivates his audience with wonderfully descriptive phrases of the Kaatskill mountains. He paints a picture with words portraying it as a place of wonder and enchantment. Of his characters, I dare say that no reader could help but chuckle at the humor a...