Get here the summary, notes, questions, answers, pdf, and extras of NBSE class 9 English chapter Rip Van Winkle. However, these notes should be used only for references, and additions/modifications should be made as per the requirements.
Summary
Rip Van Winkle was a kind and friendly man who lived in a small village at the foot of the Kaatskill mountains. He loved helping his neighbors and playing with the village children. However, Rip was very lazy. He disliked doing work on his farm and would often wander off into the woods with his dog Wolf to avoid work and get away from his wife Dame Van Winkle’s scolding about his laziness.
One day, to escape his wife’s anger, Rip walked up into the mountains with his dog. There he met a strange bearded man carrying a keg of liquor. Rip helped the man carry the keg to a spot where some oddly dressed men were playing an intense, silent game of nine-pins. When Rip’s companion offered Rip and the other men liquor from the keg, Rip drank some and immediately fell into a deep sleep.
When Rip woke up, he was surprised to find himself alone in the mountains. His gun had rusted and Wolf was nowhere to be found. Rip walked back to the village but everything seemed changed. The village was bigger with unfamiliar faces and oddly dressed people. Even Rip’s own house was decrepit and abandoned.
In confusion, Rip realized his beard had grown a foot long. Some village children laughed and stared at him. A group of men told him he had been gone for 20 years! They claimed he was Rip Van Winkle and had disappeared in the mountains decades ago.
Finally an old woman recognized him. She explained Rip had vanished 20 years ago and many thought him dead. She welcomed him home. Rip’s grown daughter came and took him to live with her. Though confused by the dramatic changes, in time Rip made new friends in the village. His easygoing spirit allowed him to once again become a beloved familiar face in the town.
Video tutorial
Textual questions and answers
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Dame Van Winkle continuously reminded Rip Van Winkle about.
A. the weeds in the fields B. his idleness and carelessness C. his cow that always went astray D. their ragged and wild children
Answer: B. his idleness and carelessness
2. Rip Van Winkle walked away to the highest parts of the Kaatskill Mountains because
A. he wanted to get away from his neighbours B. he wanted to get away from Wolf, his companion in idleness C. he wanted to escape his wife’s rage D. he wanted to play with the strange men
Answer: C. he wanted to escape his wife’s rage
3. The people of the village stared at him in surprise because
A. they had never seen him before B. his beard had grown a foot long C. he had come back after twenty years D. the children were hooting after him
Answer: B. his beard had grown a foot long [Note: the correct answer can be any of the options, logically thinking, The story doesn’t explicitly state the correct answer]
4. When Rip Van Winkle returned to the village he found
A. that dogs recognised him and followed him around B. the village had changed and it had more people C. the children were shouting with joy D. that Dame Van Winkle was not angry with him anymore
Answer: B. the village had changed and it had more people
5. The first person to recognise Rip was
A. Wolf B. Dame Van Winkle C. Rip’s daughter D. An old woman
Answer: D. An old woman
Read and Write
1. Rip Van Winkle had a way with children. Give three reasons to justify the statement.
Answer: Rip Van Winkle had a way with children because he helped them at sports, made their playthings, taught them to fly kites and shoot marbles, and told them long stories.
2. How did Rip Van Winkle spend his days?
Answer: Rip Van Winkle spent his days fishing all day long, carrying a light gun on his shoulder and spending hours in the woods to shoot a few squirrels or wild pigeons, and avoiding work on his farm.
3. What happened as a result of Rip Van Winkle’s laziness?
Answer: As a result of Rip Van Winkle’s laziness, his farm was the worst off compared to those of his neighbours, with fences always falling to pieces, his cow going astray or getting among the cabbages, and weeds growing in his fields.
4. How did Rip Van Winkle react to his wife’s scolding?
Answer: Rip Van Winkle reacted to his wife’s scolding by taking the gun in hand and strolling away into the woods, thus avoiding her wrath.
5. Whom did Rip encounter on the hills?
Answer: On the hills, Rip encountered a strange figure, a short old fellow with thick bushy hair and a grizzled beard, dressed in old Dutch fashion, carrying a keg on his shoulder.
6. Where did the strange man take Rip?
Answer: The strange man took Rip to a place where there were odd-looking persons playing at nine-pins.
7. What were the strange men doing?
Answer: The strange men were playing at nine-pins in complete silence, their faces very serious despite having fun.
8. How was Rip lulled into a deep sleep?
Answer: Rip was lulled into a deep sleep after drinking several glasses of liquor, which he found to his liking, and then fell into a deep sleep.
9. How had everything changed when Rip woke up?
Answer: When Rip woke up, he found his gun old and rusted, Wolf gone, and it difficult to get up. The village had changed; it was larger and more populated, with strange names over the doors and strange faces at the windows, and Rip’s beard had grown a foot long.
10. How was Rip Van Winkle finally accepted back in his village?
Answer: Rip Van Winkle was finally accepted back in his village when an old woman recognised him and exclaimed, “It’s Rip Van Winkle! Welcome home again, you kind neighbour!” Then Rip’s daughter heard of this and took him home to live with her, and soon Rip made new young friends again, becoming their favourite uncle.
Think and write
1. How would you characterize Rip Van Winkle? (Hints: you may include-henpecked, easy-going, lazy, irresponsible, likeable, etc.) Give one reason for each of these traits.
Answer: Rip Van Winkle embodies several traits: he is easy-going, as he prefers leisure and companionship over work; lazy, evident by his neglected farm and preference for fishing and hunting; likeable, given his popularity among village children and his amiability with everyone; irresponsible, because he fails to maintain his farm and look after his family; and henpecked, as he constantly endures scolding from his wife without making any changes to his behavior.
2. How would you characterize his wife? (Hints: you may include- -a shrew, hot-tempered, bossy, disturbed, etc.) Give one reason for each trait.
Answer: His wife is depicted as hot-tempered and bossy, frequently chastising Rip for his idleness and the disarray of their home. She is disturbed by Rip’s lack of responsibility, which fuels her constant complaints and scolding, reflecting her deep frustration with their living situation and Rip’s inaction.
3. What were the similarities and differences in Rip’s village in the beginning and at the end of the story?
Answer:
| Village in the beginning of the story | Village at the end of the story |
| Similarities – Children on the road – Dogs on the road – People on the road | – Children on the road – Dogs on the road – People on the road |
| Differences – Rip was happy – Rip knew everyone – The village was smaller and less populated. | – Rip was confused. – Rip recognised no one – The village had grown larger and more populated. |
In the beginning and at the end of the story, children playing on the road remain a constant, symbolizing the village’s ongoing life and youthfulness. However, significant differences emerge upon Rip’s return; initially happy and familiar with his surroundings, Rip finds himself confused and alienated in a village that has grown more populated and changed in appearance, reflecting the profound transformations during his twenty-year absence.
4. What essentially are the characteristics of a hero? Would you consider Rip Van Winkle a hero? Why or why not?
Answer: A hero typically exhibits bravery, selflessness, and inspires others. Rip Van Winkle, while likeable, lacks these heroic qualities; his actions are motivated by a desire to escape responsibility rather than confront challenges or benefit others. Thus, Rip does not fit the traditional definition of a hero, as his story focuses more on the consequences of his escapism and neglect.
5. What is the moral of ‘Rip Van Winkle’? Answer in about 100 words.
Answer: The moral of “Rip Van Winkle” centres on the pitfalls of avoidance and neglect of one’s duties. Rip’s withdrawal from societal and familial responsibilities leads to his eventual estrangement from the world, underscoring the importance of staying engaged with one’s community and adapting to change. The story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of shirking responsibilities and the inevitable progress of time and society, which waits for no one. It emphasises the value of active participation in life’s duties and the negative consequences of choosing escapism over engagement..
Extra MCQs
1. Where did Rip Van Winkle live?
A. In the heart of the city B. At the foot of the Kaatskill mountains C. Near a large river D. On a small island
Answer: B. At the foot of the Kaatskill mountains
15. Where did Rip go to live after returning to the village?
A. With his wife B. Alone in his old house C. With his daughter D. In the mountains
Answer: C. With his daughter
Extra Questions and Answers
1. Where did Rip Van Winkle live?
Answer: Rip Van Winkle lived at the foot of the Kaatskill mountains in a village.
15. Who is the author of “Rip Van Winkle”?
Answer: Washington Irving is the author of “Rip Van Winkle”.
Ron’e Dutta is a journalist, teacher, aspiring novelist, and blogger. He manages Online Free Notes and reads Victorian literature. His favourite book is Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte and he hopes to travel the world. Get in touch with him by sending him a friend request.
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