Sleep Hallow Notes by Washington Irving

Sleep Hallow Notes by Washington Irving

1. Terry Town and the Beginning

   • The author begins the text by describing Terry Town in great detail. The name was given by the former housewives of the town.
     • The town next to it is one of the quietest places in the world.
   • The author talks about the first time he killed a squirrel.
     • What is the importance of this and Terry Town in general?

2. Sleepy Hallow

   • A very drowsy influence takes over the land. A spell is held over the minds of the good people causing them to walk in continual reverie. They are subject to trances and visions. The whole land had local tales and haunted spots.
     • Sleepy Hallow is by people called the Sleepy Hallow Boys.
     • The dominant spirit of the island is in charge of all the magic in the air. It is a figure on horseback without a head. People think its the spirit if a Hessian Trooper during the Revolutionary War.
       • It is thought that he is in search of is head. He is seen at the church often.
       • Why would a war veteran live in Sleepy Hallow?
     • This shows the common trait of Gothic writing of Supernatural events.

3. School in Sleepy Hallow and Crane

   • Ichabod Crane is the person who instructs the children. He is tall and can be mistaken for a scarecrow. He is also from Connecticut.
     • His schoolhouse was designed so that a thief could come inside easily but would not be able to leave. The schoolhouse stood in a rather lonely but pleasant situation. His scholars were also not spoiled.
     • He was even friends with his students and got along with the students that had good housewives and sisters.
       • Every week or so he lives with another of his students since he does not make much money.
         • He would help around with the family as well.
         • Because of this, he would often get along with the female circle and he got majority of the gossip.
         • This shows how unstable he is. He can't support himself and relies on his students for shelter. It gives a bad impression of Sleepy Hallow since this is the first character we met.
     • He believed in the supernatural.
       • No story was too gross or scary for him to swallow.
       • He talked about the Devil and his works. He thought that daylight put an end to all the evils.
         • Did he compare the works of the Devil to a women?

4. Ichabod Crane and Katrina Van Tessel

   • Katrina Van Tessel was a student who had Crane for music. She is very beautiful.
     • Once Crane saw her eyes, he feel in love.
       • Katrina is very wealthy and has a large farm and when Crane discovered this, he wanted to become her suitor.
         • Ichabod starts to dream about what he can do with the estate.
           • He loves every aspect of the estate. He loves the house and the actual land. He started to think about how he would get the estate.
             • However Brom Brones could is a possible suitor for Karina. Brom is known for his strength and is liked by everyone. Most of the other suitors have cowered away from Brom.
               • The Gothic trait of Byronic Hero can be seen here since Brom is brooding and rebellious.
               • Ichabod knew that Brom was big competition but he does not give up.
                 • He started to go to Katrina's house much more often and would use the singing lessons as an excuse. He would then try to woo her. Her parent's were never paying close attention.
                   • A feud between Brom and Ichabod started to form.
                     • Brom wants to do a physical fight while Ichabod avoids this knowing he will loose. Brom tries his hardest to embarrass Ichabod in front of Katrina.
                       • Why doesn't Katrina choose someone to prevent the feud?
                   • The author discusses how hard it is to woo a women's heart.
         • Does Ichabod like the idea of being rich or the beauty of Karina more? What is the true reason he wants to marry her?

5. Vocabulary Words

   • "Ichabod Crane....“tarried,” in Sleepy Hollow, for the purpose of instructing the children of the vicinity. "
     • word: tarried
       • meaning: stay longer than intended.
   • "In addition to his other vocations, he was the singing-master of the neighborhood, and picked up many bright shillings by instructing the young folks in psalmody."
     • word: psalmody
       • meaning: the singing of psalms
   • "There was something extremely provoking in this obstinately pacific system; it left Brom no alternative but to draw upon the funds of rustic waggery in his disposition, and to play off boorish practical jokes upon his rival."
     • word: obstinately
       • meaning: Stubbornly adhering to an attitude
   • "The dominant spirit, however, that haunts this enchanted region, and seems to be commander-in-chief of all the powers of the air, is the apparition of a figure on horseback, without a head."
     • meaning: apparition
       • meaning: a ghost

6. The Party and After

   • When Ichabod is in the classroom, a messenger comes to his room and invites him to a party from the Van Tassels. He sends his students home early and goes to the party. Brom comes to with his dangerous horse. Ichabod has a good time and eats all the food he wants and dances with Katrina while Brom is jealous.
     • He talks with the other men and they share stories about war and ghosts.
       • After the party he talks with Katrina and when he leaves its dark outside. All the ghost stories come back to him and he becomes more and more scared and he starts to approach the church where the Headless Horsemen lives.
         • When he crosses a haunted stream, he sees a shadow and he knows he can't outrun a ghost. He tries to get courage and to get his horse to keep moving.
           • The shadow is a large horsemen one a large horse. He rids alongside Ichabond and Ichabond tries to run past him but this does not work because the shadow man is still keeping his pace.
             • Ichabond realizes that this is the Headless Horsemen and Ichabond is very scared. He tries to run faster but it doesn't work and his horse leads him to the ghost's church.
               • Ichabond falls off his horse and they reach the bridge where the Horsemen vanishes. The ghost throws his head at Ichabond causing him to fall off his horse.
                 • The horse arrives at Hans's door the next day without a saddle or rider. He becomes concerned and starts a search party. They find hoof prints, Ichabond's bat and a smashed pumpkin. They also can't find his body and they searched the creek.
                   • The search is stopped because no one needs him to return since he has no debt. They claim he was talked by the Horsemen and Brom marries Katrina. Brom always seems suspicious when the story is told and laughs about the pumpkin.
                     • The schoolhouse becomes no longer used and the story is told to others.
               • This shows the Gothic trait of the supernatural.

7. Postscript

   • The postscript states that the author printed the story how he heard it and that he does not believe half of the story.

8. The main use of figurative language in this text is imagery.