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Transcript

The people of Sleepy Hollow are very much in tune with nature. They see it as beautiful and something to be cherished. They celebrate their land and the bountiful harvest it gives them.

In contrast, Ichabod Crane has no concern with nature, seeing it only as resource for profit.

Irving places a large focus on the natural setting of the story; a quiet little town nestled in a little valley near the Hudson river surrounded by lush, green woods.

The natural setting is important as a backdrop to all the ghost stories the townsfolk love to tell. The natural elements in the story serve as a physical setting

Katrina Van Tassel is frequently described as "fresh," and "blooming."These comparisons to nature make Katrina a symbol for the natural elements in the story. Furthermore, she lives on a bountiful farm in a secluded little town, enhancing her connection to nature

Romantic authors were inspired by nature and frequently incorporated its mystical influence in their work. "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is no exception.

Author Washington Irving retains the Puritan idea of the wilderness as a place of darkness and uses it as a setting for the ghost story of the headless horseman.

Brom "Bones" Van Brunt serves to represent the supernatural elements in the story. He is a connoisseur of ghost stories and general mischief. He may even be the Headless Horseman himself. Brom eventually wins over Katrina much like the natural and supernatural coinciding.

The supernatural elements in the story provide a more cerebral setting. Ichabod allows the stories he tells and hears to get inside his head and scare him. All the townsfolk seem to do is tell ghost stories which must be having some effect on their psyches. The ghost stories add a layer of mystery to Sleepy Hollow, harkening back to old Puritan ideas.

Though the residents of Sleepy Hollow live in a secluded oasis, they hardly ever discuss it. Instead, they prefer to swap ghost stories. Washington Irving is trying to convey that Americans no longer appreciate the beauty that is all around them, focusing instead on products of the mind, the artificial.

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THE END