Encountering one that snarls at him in an 1819 work, this title character exclaims, “my very dog…has forgotten me!”
The Final Jeopardy clue for Tuesday, February 24, 2026, came from the category Short Stories and challenged contestants with a literary moment of recognition and heartbreak. The clue read: “Encountering one that snarls at him in an 1819 work, this title character exclaims, ‘my very dog…has forgotten me!’” The reference pointed to a famous scene of return and identity, testing players’ knowledge of classic literature and its origins.
Who is “Rip Van Winkle”?
Washington Irving’s Rip Van Winkle, first published in 1819 as part of The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., tells the story of a kind but idle man who falls asleep in the Catskill Mountains and awakens twenty years later. When Rip returns to his village, he finds that everything has changed, including the political landscape following the American Revolution. The moment referenced in the clue occurs as Rip struggles to understand his unfamiliar surroundings and the loss of his former life.
In one of the story’s most memorable passages, Rip encounters a dog he believes to be his own. Instead of greeting him warmly, the animal snarls and backs away. Rip’s emotional reaction, lamenting that “my very dog…has forgotten me,” captures the depth of his disorientation and the painful realization that time has erased his place in the world he once knew.
The Scene’s Meaning Within the Story
This encounter is more than a simple detail. It symbolizes the complete break between Rip’s past and present. Throughout the story, Irving uses small but powerful moments like this to show how deeply the passage of time has altered Rip’s identity and social standing.
The dog’s reaction reinforces the theme of alienation. Friends are gone, family members have aged or died, and even the familiar rhythms of the village have changed. The once-loyal companion’s hostility becomes a stark reminder that Rip is now a stranger in his own home, emphasizing the emotional cost of his long absence.
Washington Irving’s Enduring Classic
Rip Van Winkle remains one of the most recognizable works in early American literature. Irving blended elements of folklore with distinctly American settings and historical change, helping establish a national literary voice during the early 19th century.
The story’s themes of transformation, memory, and the passage of time continue to resonate with readers today. Its vivid characters and iconic scenes, including Rip’s long sleep and his bewildered return, have secured its place as a staple of classrooms and popular culture.
Why This Was a Strong Final Jeopardy Clue
The clue worked effectively because it relied on a specific quotation tied to a defining emotional moment rather than the more commonly referenced plot summary. Contestants needed both familiarity with classic literature and the ability to connect the emotional tone of the quote to the broader narrative.
By focusing on a single, revealing line, the clue rewarded deeper literary knowledge while remaining accessible to those familiar with major works of American short fiction. It served as a reminder of how enduring stories like Rip Van Winkle continue to appear in cultural and educational contexts more than two centuries after their publication.