Washington Irving's story, Rip Van Winkle, proves "Every change of season, every change of weather, indeed, every hour of the day, produces some change"(449). Change is the only constant aspect of life. For people to maintain success in life, they must shift with the times. .
The story of Rip Van Winkle conflicts with this truth by allowing Winkle to achieve his dream life without having to change to suit his new time period.
Although Winkle possessed a "meekness of spirit which gained him such universal popularity" (450), he was not satisfied with his life. "Rip was ready to attend to any body's business but his own"(450), and this inescapable flaw lead to his unhappiness. His wife constantly nagged him to work, which caused Winkle to become "reduced almost to despair."(452) This misery eventually lead Winkle to fall asleep for twenty years.
After Winkle had awoken and returned to his town, he instantly become dumbfounded by the enormous changes."A troop of strange children ran at his heels, hooting after him, and pointing at his gray beard. The dogs, too, not one of which he recognized for his old acquaintances, barked at him as he passed."(455) Not only was he no longer adored by all the townspeople, but he was not even known. The reader now assumes when Irving states, "Rip's heart died away, at hearing of theses sad changes in his home and friends, and finding himself thus alone in the world "(457), that Winkle has proved that when one does not change with the times, failure follows. .
At the beginning of the story, Winkle's dream becomes obvious; "If left to himself, he would have whistled life away, in perfect contentment."(451) After the reader has assumed that Winkle will feel dejected and cheerless throughout the rest of his life, he finds his daughter and begins to make friends. Foremost, Winkle is delighted to find that his bothersome wife, the route of his unhappiness, has deceased.
