The primary theme of the story is rivalry and enmity between Ichabod Crane and Abraham “Brom Bones” Van Brunt. Both characters wished to marry Katrina in order to become wealthy and take a chunk of inheritance. However, this competition for the hand of Katrina put a great strain between Crane and Brom, which was observed throughout the story. The story itself gives hints that it was Brom who was disguised as a headless spirit, who killed or drove away Crane from the town. The setup of the main climatic event was a culmination of the rivalry between the given characters because it showed that one was eager to commit a major crime through deception and scare tactics. Irving utilizes a gradual increase of intensity throughout the story in order to show how this enmity can go. The author does not give the direct reveal that Brom was the rider and ghost, but he cleverly indicates that he can be a potential suspect.
In addition, Irving does not clearly state what happened to Crane and present the point of view of old Dutch wives, who propagate the supernatural version of the story. Social communication is the basis of any interaction, during which not only the mutual exchange of information between its subjects but also determines the position of each of them in relation to each other. It should also be borne in mind that in a conflict, there are options where one of the parties may perceive the other as an opponent, while the other will identify the opposing side as an enemy or enemy. The author demonstrates a highly sophisticated form of rivalry between individuals, where one is willing to plan and physically harm another without leaving traces. In addition, either by lack of by proper planning, Brom was able to get away with possible murder through formed legends.