"His (Knickerbocker) historical researches... rich in that legendary lore, so invaluable to true history..." is an example of Crayon's ability to make a seemingly persuasive statement validating the story's historical truth while using words that belay a sense of utter falseness. From there he goes on to say, "There have been various opinions as to the literary character of his work, and, to tell the truth, it is not a whit better than it should be." This statement is an early indication that histocrical accuracy is not the transcendant truth the author is striving for.
Irving's sociopolitical opinions do not become readily
apparent until Rip wakes up from his sleep. Rip is confused and asks questions
seeking his identity in the same way that,the young country was seeking it's
identity. Rip seeks the truth much as the new country was. Several allegories
are presented. For example, the primary symbol is the sign 
on the tavern. While
the exterior paint and personage had changed, the substance was unaltered; the
sceptor had become a sword and the crown a cocked hat. "[For] Rip... the changes
and empires made but little impression on him; but there was one species of
government under which he had long groaned... petticoat government." Irvingês
use of Dame van Winkle of a symbol representing mother England and her subsequent
death after the revolution, asks the question, "Has anything really changed?"
Irving does not explicitly answer this question. However, the fact that the inherent characteristics of the of the town--the hotel, the gossip group, the sign and Rip junior-- have not changed answers it for him.
