The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Short Story: Group: 14 Luisa Herazo and Yarima Hoyos
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Short Story: Group: 14 Luisa Herazo and Yarima Hoyos
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Short Story: Group: 14 Luisa Herazo and Yarima Hoyos
1. Where is Sleepy Hollow located, what is the physical geography and atmosphere of
Sleepy Hollow?
2. What year does the story take place and how is that different than the year it was
published?
4. What is the townspeople´s predominant viewpoint of the supernatural at the start of the
story?
8. Are the townspeople described by the narrator as ahead of the times or behind the times?
10. What is Ichabod Crane´s main job, and what else does he do to make money?
11. What kind of relationship does Crane have with the community?
12. Where does Ichabod Crane live, and why does he need to be able to have all of his
13. How does Ichabod help both farmers and their wives? What information does he provide
them?
14. What subject does Ichabod like to read about, and what has increased his interest in this
subject?
15. What would happen to Ichabod when he would walk home at night after spending the
afternoon reading?
Answers:
1. Sleepy Hollow is located in a Valley, among high hills, two miles away from Tarry
town in the State of New York, close to the eastern shore of the Hudson River. There
is a forest, where a grove of tall walnut-trees shades one side of the valley and the
nature is peculiarly quiet. The Valley of sleepy Hollow is under a drowsy and
witching power sway. There are a lot of legends that state about being the area
2. The story was published in 1820 by Irving Washington, but it takes place in 1790.
After some research, it can be said that both the story and publication happens after
the revolutionary war. In the decade of 1790, was the time when the United States of
electoral system, politics, federal states etc. In contrast in 1820 was held the
presidential elections whose winner was James Monroe. It was a pacific era, better
known as the Era of good feelings, because among the society existed the desire of
(Netherlands)
4. At the beginning of the story the people was aware of the witching sway that was
above Sleepy Hollow, because there were a lot of rumors about it and people was
afraid of being there. Moreover, people of the village enjoy listening terrifying
stories. For instance, at the party offered by Van Tassel everybody was concentrating
5. People in town rumored that Sleepy Hollow is a bewitched place. The inhabitants of
the vicinity used to affirm different reasons why the glen is haunted. The following
fragment of the story illustrates the former statement: “Some say that the place was
bewitched by a high German doctor, during the early days of the settlement; others,
that an old Indian chief, the prophet or wizard of his tribe, held his powwows there
before the country was discovered by Master Hendrick Hudson. Certain it is, the
place still continues under the sway of some witching power that holds a spell over
the minds of the good people, causing them to walk in a continual reverie. They are
given to all kinds of marvelous beliefs; are subject to trances and visions; and
frequently see strange sights, and hear music and voices in the air”.
6. The most popular ghost story in the Sleepy Hollow is the one of the Headless
Horseman.
7. First of all, the character of the Headless Horseman, according to the legend is a
Hessian trooper whose head was carried away by a cannon ball. His haunt is always
riding a fast horse and he does not only ride in the valley, but also in the vicinity of
the church. It is important to remark that during the revolutionary time, the British
government hired about 30.000 German troops to help fight during the American
Revolution.
8. The narrator describes that the inhabitants of the town are behind the times. He
affirms that their manner and customs remain fixed despite the changes in the other
areas of the country due to the unceasing torrent of migrations and constant changes.
10. The main job of Ichabod Crane was being the main teacher in the school of the
vicinity of Sleepy Hollow. He was a very authoritarian teacher and used to punish all
the students who did not fulfill their duties or behave properly during the classes.
Moreover, he was also the singing master, which was another way to earn some
to his status of teacher, he was a welcomed guest in the community and was a good
husband prospectus for the ladies. Specially, with Mr. Van Tassel, he could gain the
family confidence, but that was not enough to marry Katrina. However, there was a
man named Brom Van Brunt, who was Katrina’s suitor. Therefore, the relationship
between them was complicated because it existed a competition for Katrina’s love.
12. Ichabod Crane does not have a real home. As he was a schoolmaster in the small town
of Sleepy Hollow, the contributions that he receives, a part of the poor salary he had,
were rooms and food from the parents of his students. The fact that he had all his
belongings in a small bungle reflect that he was not able to buy many things but the
ones he already had and as he moved out constantly, he never know where he was
going to sleep.
13. Ichabod helps the farmers and wives by teaching their children since the prices of
education at that time were high. Also, he was a great listener when it comes to horror
tales and the wives used to tell him a lot of this stories about ghost and goblins while
he help them with some chores. As well, he assisted the farmers in light labors of their
14. He likes to read about witchcraft. He increased his interest in this subject with the
believed.
15. When he walk home after spending the afternoon reading, he used to let his
imagination goes with the sound of the trees, birds and owls. He got so frightened that
1. What are the two main things Katrina Von Tassel is known for?
2. What two things make it difficult for Ichabod to fulfill his goal of marrying Katrina?
5. What does Brom Bones do once he finds out Ichabod also has a crush on Katrina?
6. How does Irving use Ichabod’s and Brom’s horses as extensions and symbols of their
characters?
Answers:
1. She was known because she was the only daughter of a substantial Dutch farmer as
2. She was so beautiful that she had a lot of admires who wanted to win her heart like
3. As he was a singing teacher, he would go to Katrina’s house using the singing lessons
as an excuse.
4. Ichabod is described as a tall, bony boy who looks always ill. He is always frightened
and believes all the legends of the town. Brom Bones is the opposite. He is described
as the town hero and strong man. In the story, Ichabod is described as a feminist since
he helped the wives in their chores while Brom was the opposite, a chauvinist.
5. When he finds out he has a crush on Katrina, he always humiliate and fool Ichabod in
front of her as well as he messes with the school where Ichabod teaches
6. The horses were a clear representation of each of them. In the case of Ichabod, his
horse was always frighten and look alike to his physical appearance of ill. In contrast,