Transcript Document
The Legend of 1. How did Tarry Town get its name? The housewives whose husbands lingered about the village tavern gave Tarry Town its name. 1. How did Sleepy Hollow get its name? Sleepy Hollow was called that because it was so quiet and tranquil that it lulled people to sleep. 2. What mood does the setting of the story create? The area is said to have a “drowsy, dreamy influence” on people, which seems to make them more susceptible to fantasies associated with the night. Many of the inhabitants accepted the idea that the place was bewitched and believed in the local stories about various supernatural happenings. Although they accept these wild superstitions, they do not seem to be frightened, but instead think of these strange visions and sounds as natural. In general, the area seems to have a very laid-back, comfortable atmosphere, which allows the story to describe supernatural events without having them seem terrifying. 3. Who do the villagers believe the headless horseman is? How did he lose his head? He is supposedly a Hessian soldier who had his head blown off by a cannon ball during the Revolutionary War. 4. What do the villagers think he is doing out at night? Why is he said to be in such a hurry? He is believed to be riding back to the scene of battle in search of his head, but, (since he is a ghost who is only free to wander at night), he must hurry back to the churchyard where he is buried before day break. 5. What is Ichabod Crane’s job? He is a school teacher What other job did Ichabod do to earn money? He also teaches singing lessons 6. Where does Ichabod live? He lives in the houses of the farmers whose children attend the school. Why does he need to have all of his belongings in a small bundle? He only spends a week at a time at each place so he can only have a few possessions so that he could easily carry them with him as he moved from place to place. 7. What are two things that Ichabod would do to make himself useful to the farmers? He would do any light work around the farm such as caring for the livestock and other chores. How does he help the wives? He would help the wives with taking care of the children. 8. Why do the women in the countryside think Ichabod is an important person? Schoolmasters were generally more educated than anyone else– therefore, they were thought to be superior in their tastes and habits. How do the mothers treat him as a result? The mothers treated him to the finest food and nicest china. How do the younger girls respond to him? They were impressed by his “superior elegance and way of talking” 9. What subject does Ichabod like to read about? He likes to read about ghosts and spirits– Cotton Mather’s History of New England Witchcraft. What has increased his interest in this subject? Living in the “spellbound region” of Tarrytown has enhanced his interest in “dreadful tales”. 10. What would happen to Ichabod when he would walk home at night after spending the afternoon reading? Because he would read until dusk, he would have to walk in the dark towards the house in which he was currently staying with his mind filled with wild thoughts provoked by his readings. As a result, he would be frightened by almost everything he heard or saw and imagined himself surrounded by unknown dangers. How would he handle that? To stop thinking these wild thoughts and to drive away whatever evil spirits were about, he would sing psalms. 11. What are the two main things that Katrina Van Tassel is known for? She is known for her beauty and the fortune she will inherit from her father. What different things does she wear that demonstrate this? Her clothes show that she is a flirt who is proud of her appearance; her short petticoat which displayed “the prettiest foot and ankle” would have been considered fairly racy for the time. Her wealth is indicated by the pure gold jewelry she wears, brought over from Holland by an ancestor.