Module 2: Section A
Sleepy Hollow, Part 2
After reading an excerpt of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," answer the following questions in order to learn more about early American fiction and its rhetorical devices.
The main idea is the final moments of Ichabod Crane at the hands of the Headless Horseman. It is implied.
Third person.
The silver star in the brook, the horse thundering over the bridge, the goblin rising in the stirrups, the crash of Ichabod being hit in the head.
he words are the most important. They set the scene with strong description.
To Entertain. The passage is meant to thrill or frighten the reader, so it is creating an emotional response.
The Entertainment Purpose in rhetoric can be identified by the following characteristics:
- Point of view: First or third person
- Focus on the WORDS through elaborate use of language (adjectives, adverbs, description)
- A story or narrative is present
- Emotions are evoked (humor, fear, sympathy, happiness)
Click on the examples below to see types of rhetoric that ENTERTAIN.
| Examples from the story | Types of rhetoric that ENTERTAIN |
| "the horrible missile" | |
| "I am safe." | |
| "hurling his head at him" |
