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Irving describes his main character as an amiable fool. As stated in the text Van Winkle is “...one of those happy mortals, of foolish, well-oiled dispositions, who take the world easy, eat white bread or brown, which ever can be got with least thought or trouble, and would rather starve on a penny than work for a pound.” He is also said to be a man who, “If left to himself would whistle is life away...” Clearly Van Winkle has concern for the matters of getting ahead. Yet one has to look at how he fits into his rustic community to get a clearer impression of him. Although much satire is made of Van Winkle being a “henpecked husba