50 points i need someone to peer review and edit this ! washington irving incorporates many characteristics of american mythology is his short story “rip van winkle,” such as mysterious events. the myth that irving portrays is one of the many examples of a mythology characteristic that is shown throughout the duration of the telling. a significant example of this would be rip van winkle’s twenty year sleep. “one taste provoked another; and he reiterates his visits to the flagon so often then that at length his senses were overpowered, his eyes swam in his head, his head gradually declined, and he fell in to a deep sleep.” then when he awakes the story resumes, “rip van winkle was his name, but it’s twenty years since he went away from home with his gun, and never had been heard of since-his dog came home without him; but whether he shot himself, or was carried away by the indians, nobody can tell.” this quote is significant in the story because it shows how “magical” the events are. it is inhumanly possible to fall asleep for twenty years, hence showing that the only way for rip van winkle to rest that long period of time would be by magic. although irving incorporates many characteristics of mythology in this story about rip van winkle, the most significant would be the magical characteristic because only magic would allow him to fall asleep for twenty years.