Irving Protagonist is the collective name for two characters created by American author Washington Irving. The first is GARP, the protagonist of Irving's 1819 novel 'The History of New York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty'. GARP is a Dutchman who is the main character in the story and is known for his wit and intelligence. The second is Ichabod Crane, the protagonist of Irving's 1820 short story 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow'. Ichabod is a schoolteacher who is sent to the small town of Sleepy Hollow and is known for his superstitious nature and his rivalry with the town's local hero, Brom Bones.