Question

Describe Ichabod's horse. What might the horse symbolize? a) Ichabod's horse is sleek and powerful, symbolizing his confidence. b) Ichabod's horse is old and feeble, symbolizing his vulnerability. c) Ichabod's horse is mysterious and wild, symbolizing the unknown. d) Ichabod's horse is a symbol of his social status and wealth.

Answer 1

Ichabod's horse, Gunpowder, is old and shaggy, representing Ichabod Crane's vulnerability and socio-economic immobility. This discrepancy underscores the distance between his ambitions and his reality.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Washington Irving's 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow', Ichabod's horse, Gunpowder, is described as old, slow, and shaggy. The horse is hardly glamorous, but rather it is presented as being quite the opposite. Looking at the symbolic level, Gunpowder can represent Ichabod Crane's vulnerability. He desires things which are out of his reach and his reality does not match his ambition, just like his horse does not match the glamorous image a man of his desired worth should possess. Gunpowder's stiffness and slowness mirrors Ichabod's social and economic immobility. Thus, Ichabod's horse could be best described by option b) - Ichabod's horse is old and feeble, symbolizing his vulnerability.

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