Rather than attempt to analyze the works of a more obscure writer, I have decided to focus on America's well-known and widely respected early author, Washington Irving. Washington's story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, is well known among my colleagues, but I can accurately assume that far fewer have bothered to read it. I'm sure many are familiar with the numerous movie and cartoon imitations that the Headless Horseman has spawned. They won't worry though, as I'll be exploring this literary classic for your dear, apathetic MTV generation. At the beginning of the story, it is stated in brackets that the story was found among the papers of a certain Dietrich Knickerbocker. Also, at the beginning of Irving's other story, Rip Van Winkle, the same thing is said. I can only wonder what Washington meant when he went out of his way to use a pseudonym in his stories, probably known to be his anyway. Was this to increase the mystical sense of the story? Was this some kind of "Blair Witch Project" nonsense to add life and fake authenticity to the story? Or is he simply mocking New York's elitist and old-fashioned Dutch residents? I am familiar with the phrase Knickerbocker which must have gained some notoriety as it is a popular nickname for a New Yorker and has spawned a horrible basketball team in desperate need of a new general manager. Irving's story, with its long, rambling paragraphs, isn't necessarily easy to read, but it's certainly much more comprehensible than some of the other things we've read in this era. He may be long-winded, but he writes for the most part, letting us know clearly and knowingly the key parts of our story, the setting, its inhabitants, and our pros and antagonists. I like his writing and can see how this story has held up so well over the years, definitely a man first... middle of the paper... and more profoundly shows Enlightenment thinking and a story of great romance. While “Sleepy Hallow” can be considered part of the Enlightenment era, it still maintains those Puritan roots. It's a Puritan tale of good over evil, with a kind teacher, an evil undead mercenary, and a town haunted by a German doctor. It contains many Puritan ideals. Both Ichabod Cane and Abraham are both hardworking and educated gentlemen. Ichabod is held in high respect for his faith, sings in church and always lends a helping hand to the townspeople. It's a classic story of brains versus brawn, David and Goliath. I really enjoyed this story and was quite surprised that I hadn't come across it earlier in my English classes. Also, having read some other stories from this era (most of them very dry and with congested narrative) makes you appreciate this classic much more..