Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Complex Sentence

1 independent and one dependent clause

Simple Sentence

1 independent clause

Compound-complex

2 independent clauses and 1 or more dependent clauses

What makes it seem that Brom Bones knew something about what happened that night?

Every time a pumpkin is mentioned, he laughs.

What mood is Ichabod in when he leaves Katrina's house that night? What evidence is there of his mood? What speculation does the author make as to what happened?

He is really upset and lonely. It says that everything was very melancholy and that he was heavy hearted. He is kicking his horse and he wants to go home. He thinks he got dumped by Katrina.

What story is told about Brouwer's encounter with the headless horseman?

He is riding home, the HH shows up, turns into a skeleton, and then throws him into the creek.

What happens when Ichabod slows down or speeds up in an attempt to get away from the dark horse and its rider? What does Ichabod see that makes him so terrified that he sends his horse into full flight?

He is right behind him every step. He sees the headless horseman is headless, so then he starts to move faster.

Who do the villagers believe the headless horseman is? How did he lose his head?

He is the Hessian trooper whose head got shot off by a cannon. He haunts near Sleepy Hollow, and other nearby areas. He is known as the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow.

What do the villagers think he is doing out at night? Why is he said to be in such a hurry?

He is trying to find his head. He is in such a hurry to get back to the church, where his grave is, before the sun comes up. He can not be out past the time the sun comes up.

Where does Ichabod Crane live? Why does he need to be able to have all of his belongings in a small bundle?

He lives with his students' families. He travels a lot, so he has to be able to move easily. He moves by the week from one house to the other.

What subject does Ichabod like to read about? What has increased his interest in this subject?

He reads Cotton Mather's history of New England Witchcraft. His interest in these subjects had been increased by his residence in the spellbound region (Sleepy Hollow), where supernatural things happen; he believed that it was true.

When Ichabod sees something huge and black by the brook, why doesn't he turn and run away? What two things does he do instead?

He said that it was too late to turn around. Instead, he asked who was there and kicked his horse and made him run.

What logical explanation is there for three of the things Ichabod sees or hears when he is near the old, large tree?

He saw something white in the trees, but it was just where lightning had struck the branches. He thought he heard a groan, but it was just the moving in the branches of the trees. He thought he heard someone whistle back at him, but it was just the wind. He is hallucinating.

Ichabod takes great care in his appearance as he gets ready for the party at Baltus Van Tassel's. What is funny about the horse he is riding as he starts off like a "knight in quest of adventures"?

He spends an extra half hour on the toilet getting all fixed up to see Katrina. The horse he borrowed was old and small. The horse does not fit the ideal of a knight's horse. Ichabod looks like a grasshopper up on his horse.

Instead of following the road to Sleepy Hollow, where does Gunpowder go? What makes it even harder for Ichabod to hold onto his run-away horse?

He takes a turn left down to another hill to the church. His saddle fell off, so it was really hard for Ichabod to ride the horse.

What are two things that Ichabod would do to make himself useful to the farmers? How does he help the wives?

He takes care of the horses and helps in the fields/drives the cattle to the pasture. He also helps watch the kids.

Why do the women in the countryside think he is an important person? How do the mothers treat him as a result? How do the younger girls respond to him?

He teaches their children, and this was in the 1800s, so not many children were educated. They think he is very smart (besides the mayor, he is probably the smartest and most educated person in the town). The wives cooked him really good food, they ate on fancy dishes, and even used the silver teapot when he was around. They find him attractive because he is educated, and especially during this time, an educated person was not as common as now.

What are two things Brom Bones does to get back at Ichabod for trying to steal Katrina?

He trashes the school house and trains his (Brom's) dog to bark at Ichabod and to bark when his name is mentioned. He makes things bad for Ichabod.

What approach does Brom Bones (Brom Van Brunt) want to take when he discovers Ichabod is interested in Katrina? Why can't he do that?

He wants to fight him, but Ichabod is not going to fight him. Brom wants to beat him up, because they are both after Katrina.

What is Ichabod Crane's job? What other job did he do to earn a little more money?

He was a school teacher, and his other job where he made more money was teaching music lessons and singing.

Why would it have been crazy for Ichabod to be open about his feelings for Katrina? What gives Ichabod an excuse to visit Katrina at her house?

He was scared of the other guys, they would come after him if he went for Katrina. He gave her music/singing lessons.

When news of Ichabod is reported years later, what do we learn about why he left?

He went to New York, as far as is known, and became a judge. He left due to embarrassment from Katrina, he got beat up by a ghost/horseman, and he borrowed the horse and saddle from Hans' family, which got all torn up and he ruined it.

What would happen to Ichabod when he would walk home at night after spending the afternoon reading? How would he handle that?

He would start to see things and scare himself, but there was nothing there. He started to sing.

What happens when Ichabod tries to get across the bridge?

His horse wouldn't do it, he turned the other way and goes down a hill that leads to the church.

How did Tarrytown get its name?

It was the housewives that gave the town the name because their husbands would go to the tavern on market days, and just tarried about.

What are the two main things that Katrina Van Tassel is known for? What different things does she wear that demonstrate each of these?

She is known for her wealth, she wore pure gold jewelry and this showed her wealth. She was a coquette, she wore short skirts for that time, and all of the men in the land thought she had beautiful ankles.

What two things make it difficult for Ichabod to fulfill his goal of marrying Katrina?

She was a coquette; she was flirting with every other man. All of the other men/suitors that are after her would all join in to scare off the other new man in the land.

How did Sleepy Hollow get its name?

Sleepy Hollow had a drowsy and dreamy atmosphere.

What mood does the setting of this story create?

The atmosphere of the story was drowsy and dreamy, with lots of supernatural events happening. This creates a dreamy, eerie and mysterious atmosphere.

The author, Washington Irving says, "When he entered the house, the conquest of his heart was complete." What does the rest of that paragraph tell us about why Ichabod liked Katrina?

The rest of the paragraph describes her house; she had lots of extravagant and expensive things in her house. For example, she had an ostrich egg. He likes her for her money.

What explanation is given for why there are more ghost stories in a long-settled village?

The village has been around longer and has more history. People have lived and died there.

What four traces of the chase do the searchers find the next day?

They find hoofprints, a hat, pumpkin, and a saddle.

What did the people of the town believe about what happened that night?

They thought he was spirited away. They hear song tunes coming from the old school house, which is suspicious.

How is Brom Bones' horse, Daredevil, similar to him in its appearance and actions?

They were both odd, they both were rough. The horse had knots in his hair, and was not the best looking, neither was Ichabod. They are both full of mischief and mettle.

What story does Brom Bones tell about his encounter with the headless horseman?

They were racing, and the headless horseman vanished into a flash of fire. The prize for the race was a bowl of punch.

Apparition

a ghost or ghostlike image of a person

Piazza

a public square or marketplace, especially in an Italian town

Maxim

a short, pithy statement expressing general truth or rule of conduct

Coquette

a woman who flirts

Pensive

engaged in, involving, or reflecting deep or serious thought

Wary

feeling or showing caution about possible dangers or problems

Enraptured

give intense pleasure or joy to

Mortification

great embarrassment and shame

Insinuating

hinting at something bad in an indirect and unpleasant way

Formidable

inspiring fear or respect through being impressively large, powerful, intense, or capable

Gaunt

lean and haggard, especially of suffering, hunger, or age

Dominant

most important, powerful, or influential

Adjacent

next to or adjoining something else

Aloof

not friendly or forthcoming, cool and distant

Sumptuous

splendid and expensive looking

Renown

the condition of being known or talked about by many people; fame

Chivalry

the medieval knight system with its religious, moral, and social code

Pliability

the quality of being easily bent, flexible

Compound Sentence

two independent clauses

Peerless

unequaled; unrivaled

Conscientious

wishing to do what is right, especially to do one's work or duty well and thoroughly