Read this first excerpt from "Rip Van Winkle" by Washington Irving:

Morning, noon, and night, her tongue was incessantly going, and everything he [Rip] said or did was sure to produce a torrent of household eloquence. Rip had but one way of replying to all lectures of the kind, and that, by frequent use, had grown into a habit. He shrugged his shoulders, shook his head, cast up his eyes, but said nothing. This, however, always provoked a fresh volley from his wife, so that he was fain to draw off his forces, and take to the outside of the house—the only side which, in truth, belongs to a henpecked husband.

Which statement describes a theme developed in the passage from "Rip Van Winkle"?

For some, it is easier to avoid conflict than to resist it.
Time apart can break family bonds.
The passage of time does not diminish the value of past accomplishments.
Nature offers a temporary escape from the stresses in life.

2
Read this excerpt from "Rip Van Winkle," and look at how Irving depicts Dame Van Winkle. In this excerpt, her character's behavior is exaggerated in order to establish the story's:
setting
humor
historical relevance
themes