Sleepy Hollow Quiz

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

A farmer runs into Ichabod in New York. He has become a Justice of the Court after years of studying law, serving as a politician, and writing for a newspaper (all occupations which the residents of Sleepy Hollow would probably have been as 39 suspicious of as they were of being a schoolmaster). He had left because of his fear of the goblin but also his fear of Van Ripper, and the "humiliation at having been suddenly dismissed by Katrina"(p.42) apparently was a factor as well.

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"?

Although he spends half an hour trying to make himself look good, putting on his best suit and combing his hair, Ichabod is forced to borrow a horse on which to ride to the party. Although Gunpowder may once have had a "spark" in him which gave him his name, he is now a "broken-down plow horse" (p.24). With his skinny body, tangled mane, and one eye, this horse is not at all like the steed of a hero in a romantic story. Irving may have intended comparisons with Don Quixote and his horse Rocinante. Certainly this amusing description of Ichabod (with his "knees nearly up to the pommel of the saddle, and his sharp elbows stuck out like grasshoppers'... and as his horse jogged on, his arms flapped like a pair of wings"(p24)) is one of the more memorable passages in the story.

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

Because he would read until dusk, he would have to walk in the dark toward the house in which he was currently staying (and since that house changed frequently, the paths were always unfamiliar to him because they were always different) 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 he imagined himself surrounded by unknown dangers. To stop thinking these wild thoughts and to drive away whatever evil spirits were about, he would sing psalms (p.11 and p.13).

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

Because many settlements at the time were filled with people who would quickly move on when an opportunity to make their fortune elsewhere presented itself, ghosts would not have had anyone whom they knew when they were alive to visit. In a long-settled community, however, ghosts would have many friends and family still living in the area upon whom they could go calling (p.29).

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

Because the local people thought of education as a luxury, they tended to resent the imposition of having to provide room and board in addition to a salary for the schoolmaster. Schoolmasters had the reputation for being lazy since the farmers thought the work of teaching school was quite easy in comparison to the physical labor they had to perform. Thus, Ichabod did whatever he could to keep on the good side of the families with whom he stayed. To win the favor of farmers who thought of him as a burden, Ichabod would do any of the light work around the farm such as caring for livestock or other chores. He also helped the wives with childcare (p.7).

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?

Brom is willing to do battle for his ladylove and let the better man (in physical terms) win. He has even been heard to utter threats about what he would do to the schoolmaster in a physical competition. Ichabod, however, realizing he has no chance in this sort of "open warfare," does not give Brom any opportunity to get into a fight with him (p.22).

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

Brom resorts to playing practical jokes on Ichabod in an attempt to humiliate him. He messes up the schoolhouse and stops up the chimney while Ichabod is teaching singing. But the worst thing he does is to make fun of Ichabod in front of Katrina (p.22-23).

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

Brom tops this story with one in which he seems to have gotten the better of the ghost. Rather than being intimidated when he encounters the "midnight trooper" (p.31), he brazenly challenges the specter to a race. He even claims that he and Daredevil would have beaten the headless horseman whose "rushing speed" had earlier been described as a "midnight blast" (p.3) if the Hessian had not vanished as they approached the end of the race.

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

Brom's horse is described as "a creature, like himself, full of mischief, which no one else could manage" (p.26). The horse is clearly large and powerful and wild. Like Brom, it seems to be an impressive physical specimen, full of high spirits and difficult for an ordinary person to control. The contrast between Brom's steed and Ichabod's is another way of portraying the differences between the two men.

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

Brouwer was the rare exception in this community—a person who did not believe in ghosts. He, however, was apparently convinced of the reality of the headless horseman at least as a result of his own experience. He was supposedly forced to ride behind the horseman who suddenly turned into a skeleton, which threw him into the brook and then disappeared in a clap of thunder.

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?

Clearly the time spent telling ghost tales, which "sank deep in the mind of Ichabod" have had their usual effect of heightening his imagination. Although he had happily spent most of the evening with the group of folks listening to and telling tales (which he found attractive enough to have left Katrina after only one dance), he had stayed after the party, confident that he would have a romantic "tête-à-tête" with Katrina. 37 Irving then succinctly tells us "Something, however, must have gone wrong, for he soon came out, quite desolate"(p.31). Irving goes on to ask, "Was the girl's encouragement of him a mere sham to win her conquest of his rival?"(p.32). Although Irving answers his own question, "Heaven only knows!"(p.32), our assumption is that it is a rhetorical question and that Ichabod has indeed been disappointed in his attempt to win Katrina for she had never seriously been interested in him. The evidence of the frustration of his hopes comes from the fact that he takes no notice of the "scene of rural wealth on which he had so often gloated"(p.32).

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?

Gunpowder takes an opposite turn and heads down the road, which eventually comes to the famous bridge leading to the church. This is the church, which "seems to have been a favorite haunt of troubled spirits" (p.30) and had been the locus of many of the ghost stories told in the region. That reputation, along with the fact that the area was "thickly shaded by overhanging trees, which cast a gloom even in daytime and caused a fearful darkness at night" (p.30), made it a terrifying place. To heighten Ichabod's troubles, the girth of the saddle breaks and the saddle falls off; thus, Ichabod is forced to hold on by clinging to the panicked horse's neck. Amusingly enough, even in the midst of this frenzied flight from a phantom, "the terror of Hans Van Riper's anger passed across his mind, for it was his Sunday saddle"(p.38), suggesting the petty thoughts that hold sway over Ichabod's consciousness. However, Ichabod banishes these thoughts and tries to hold on until they get to the bridge, where he hopes the horseman will disappear as he did in Brom Bones' story.

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 a battle in search of his head, but (since he is a ghost who can be free to wander only at night) he must hurry to get back to the churchyard where he is buried before daybreak (p.4).

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

He is supposed to be the ghost of a Hessian soldier who had his head blown off by a cannonball in the Revolutionary War (p.3-4).

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

He likes to read about ghosts and spirits. He considered himself a great authority on Cotton Mather's History of New England Witchcraft (one of the few books he had read all the way through), and believed firmly (as Mather did) that witches indeed did exist. Living in this "spellbound region" had only enhanced his interest in "dreadful tales" (p.11). Irving clearly identifies Ichabod as a Yankee by making him a devotee of this famous Puritan minister.

What happens when Ichabod tries to get across the bridge?

Ichabod is clearly terrified since the bridge which leads into the swamp is encompassed by the "cavernous gloom" of large trees "matted thick with wild grape vines"(p.35). As a result, "his heart began to thump"(p.35) and he expresses his anxiety by kicking his horse repeatedly. Instead of dashing quickly across the bridge as he had hoped, the horse freaks and "ran broadside against the fence"(p.35). Jerking the reins, kicking with his other foot, and using his whip only cause the poor horse first to plunge into a "thicket of brambles and bushes" on the opposite side of the road and then come to a dead stop by the bridge "with a suddenness that nearly sent his rider sprawling over his head"(p.35).

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?

Ichabod is so terrified by this "misshapen," "towering" figure that looks like "some gigantic monster ready to spring upon the traveller" that his "hair rose upon his head with terror"(p.35). However, realizing that it was too late to try to escape (especially a ghost "which could ride upon the wings of the wind"(p.35)), he gathers up the courage 38 to twice ask, "Who are you?"(p.36). When he receives no reply, he "beat the sides of Gunpowder, and shutting his eyes, began singing a psalm with fervor"(p.36).

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

Ichabod is the schoolmaster who instructs the children in the area in the basic skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic. He also teaches singing lessons (mostly the singing of church hymns apparently) to individuals for a separate fee (p.4 and p.7).

The author, Washington Irving says, "When he entered the house, the conquest of his heart was complete." What does the rest of that paragraph on page 18 tell us about why Ichabod liked Katrina?

It is clearly Katrina's wealth that most entices Ichabod. It is suggested that he only becomes interested in her "after he had visited her in her father's mansion" (p.15) because it is there that he sees evidence of just how prosperous her father is. It is not her personal charms that have won him over; instead, "his heart yearned after the damsel who was to inherit these fields" (p.17). The paragraph referred to in the question describes the various furnishings of the house, which would all have been considered quite luxurious for the time. The next paragraph restates this theme again by beginning, "From the moment Ichabod laid eyes upon these things his peace of mind was at an end" (p.19). His desire to gain her affections arises mostly from the fact that she is the daughter of Van Tassel and will thus inherit this remarkably abundant lifestyle.

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

It was customary for the local schoolmaster to live in the houses of the farmers whose children attended the school. By providing room and board, the members of the community did not have to pay as much money in salary to itinerant schoolteachers. It was also thought to make the schoolmaster more a part of the community. Since he would live only a week at a time at each place (to lessen the burden on the family), he could only have a few possessions so that he could easily carry them with him as he moved from place to place.

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

Katrina is described as a "coquette" who is a "maze of whims" (p.19), so it is difficult to win a commitment from her to give her heart to any one man. She also has a "host of rustic admirers" (p.19) who will join together to defeat any competitor who seems to be gaining an advantage on the others in the contest to win her. Thus, Ichabod is said (rather ironically, to be sure) to have more difficulties to face than a "knight of 35 old, who seldom had anything but giants, sorcerers, fiery dragons, and other easily conquered adversaries to contend with" (p.19).

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

Local superstitions abound about this tree where Major Andre was taken captive (see note on p.29), so when Ichabod approaches it his imagination goes wild. Yet each thing he hears or sees, he himself realizes is nothing supernatural. The whistle he thinks he hears answered is just a blast of wind in the branches. The white he sees hanging in the tree (which presumably calls to mind the stories he heard that evening of a woman in white who haunted the region) turns out to be a place where the tree has been stripped of its bark by lightning. When he hears a groan he becomes very frightened, but then he decides it was just caused by branches rubbing against each other in the breeze. In this passage Irving seems to be continuing the theme of Ichabod's overactive imagination and how it creates perils for him that do not actually exist.

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?

One of Katrina's admirers is Brom Van Brunt, who is powerfully built, handsome, and full of high spirits. Most of the other young men did not even think about going up against such a strong, confident competitor. They did not dare "cross a lion in his affections" and would not even try to approach Katrina when Brom was around. Ichabod, however, is able to make frequent visits to her house without openly courting her because he has been hired to teach her to sing (p.21).

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

Rather than coming to the logical conclusion that we as modern readers do that this was all just Brom's joke played on his disdained rival, the "old country wives" clearly prefer to believe that supernatural forces were at work. Irving playfully asserts that they are "the best judges of these matters"(p.43), but clearly it is more their desire for an entertaining story than their rational judgment that keeps the story a favorite.

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?

Schoolmasters were generally more educated than anyone else other than the parson in a rural area like this. Therefore, they were thought to be superior in their tastes and habits and it was considered a privilege to associate with such a learned person. The mothers, therefore, treated him to their finest food and nicest china in an attempt to show him their own refinement. Ichabod spent a great deal of time with the girls, impressing them (and making the boys jealous) with his "superior elegance and way of talking" (p.11).

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 beauty and the fortune she will inherit from her prosperous father. Her clothes show that she is a flirt who is proud of her appearance; her short petticoat which displayed "the prettiest foot and ankle"(p.15) 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 (p.14-15).

What mood does the setting of this 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. 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 (p.2-4).

How did Tarry Town get its name? How did Sleepy Hollow get its name?

The housewives whose husbands tended to linger about the village tavern gave Tarry Town its name. Sleepy Hollow was called that because it was so quiet and tranquil that it lulled people to sleep (p.1-2).

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

The next morning, Gunpowder turns up at his master's gate, calming eating grass and apparently no worse for the wear. When the schoolmaster does not show up for school, Hans Van Ripper goes in search (although apparently more out of concern for his lost saddle than the lost schoolmaster). They find the saddle, "trampled in the dirt," and tracks of horses which "deeply dented the road, evidently at furious speed"(p.41). On the bank of the brook over which the bridge crosses, the hat of Ichabod is found near a shattered pumpkin. The body of Ichabod is not discovered.

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?

Whenever Ichabod either slows down or speeds up, the phantom keeps pace. This silence of the strange figure in the dark is most ominous; when Ichabod finally catches a full view of the horseman silhouetted against the sky and realizes that he is headless, "his terror rose to desperation"(p.37).

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

Whenever the story of Ichabod's adventure with the headless horseman is told, Brom would "burst into a hearty laugh at the mention of the pumpkin"(p.42). This line is clearly a key twist to the story, since it leads to the logical conclusion that the "phantom" was actually Brom with his cloak pulled up over his head. The "head" which he throws at Ichabod turns out to be merely a pumpkin, but it does the trick of scaring off his rival so that he can marry Katrina (which he does shortly after Ichabod disappears). That Brom is planning this trick is suggested by the fact that he is quick to chime in with his story of his encounter with the fearful horseman at the Van Tassel party. Although this elaborate ruse may not have been necessary (given Katrina's dismissal of Ichabod), it is certainly in keeping with the other practical jokes that Brom had played on his rival.