Paraphrased from "a summary of Rip Van Winkle"

In Washington Erving's great short story, "one of his major points is "the tumultuous changes occurring over 20 years (while Rip is asleep) that the story encompasses.

"On his return, everything has drastically changed. Gone are the Phlegmatic burghers (living the art of doing nothing), replaced by active, concerned citizens. Rip returns as an alien to a place that once considered him important; he discovers that life has passed on without his presence."

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