Brom was also, like Ichabod, after the heart of Katrina Van Tassel, The books states that "This rantipole hero had for some time singled out the blooming Katrina for the object of his uncouth gallantries-. This little rivalry for Katrina seemed to cause quite a bit of tension between the two.
One of the most significant characters in this story is Katrina Van Tassel, the lady who had both the protagonist and antagonist after her heart. The book described her as "A blooming lass of fresh eighteen; plump as a partridge; ripe and melting and rosy-cheeked as one of her father's peaches, and universally famed, not merely for her beauty, but her vast expectations-. At one point Ichabod danced with her at a party and the book states that "Brom Bones, sorely smitten with love jealousy sat brooding by himself in one corner."" I see Katrina as the cause of Ichabod's death. He was too caught up in winning her that he failed to notice his surroundings, such as Brom and his growing jealousy.
The story seems to be about Ichabod Crane's obsession with a Katrina Van Tassel and Brom Bones who wants to have this lady for himself. It all takes place in a small, remote, peaceful town whose only excitement seems to be in ghost stories. The inciting incident is when the story first introduces Ichabod's love for a lady, in which the book states " If his path had not been crossed by a being that causes more perplexity that ghosts, goblins, and the whole race of witches put together, and that was "a woman-. This all slowly develops into something bigger when Brom Bones and his interest in Katrina is introduced, "This rantipole hero had for some time singled out the blooming Katrina for the object of his uncouth gallantries-. The rivalry between the two is then introduced on page 21 where the book states, "Such was the formidable rival with whom Ichabod Crane had to contend, and, considering all things, a stouter man than he would have shrunk from the competition, and a wiser man would have despaired-.
