Washington Irving wrote “The Devil and Tom Walker” around the 1700’s in England. This writing is an example of a satire, a writing that is used to criticize individuals, ideas or intuitions. “The Devil and Tom Walker” ridicules religion, white establishment, and marriage.
One thing that Washington Irving criticizes is religion and the Puritan society by making fun of the Salem witch trials, and of witchcraft. Irving is mocking the Quakers and Anabaptists by comparing them to the Salem witches. For example, the Quakers and the Anabaptists were two religious groups that were criticized for their religious beliefs, and Irving makes fun of this by comparing it to the Puritan society, because in the witch trials, you would be hanged for practicing such religion. “I amuse myself by presiding at the persecutions of Quakers and Anabaptists: I am the great patron and prompter of the slave dealers, and the grandmaster of the Salem witches” (Washington Irving 22). “As I flatter myself he will be, if he does not look…show more content… Washington Irving creates humor by mocking Tom’s dysfunctional marriage. Irving exaggerates Tom’s marriage by showing how abusive she is to Tom. “Tom’s wife was a tall termagant, fierce of temper, loud of tongue, and strong of arm. Her voice was often heard in wordy warfare with her husband; and his face sometimes showed signs that their conflicts were not confined to words.’’ (Irving 19). In this quote, Irving is sure to exaggerate their marriage and how they hit each other. Irving shows the way that Tom never agrees with his wife when he explains to his wife about the man’s offer, and he refuses to accept it. “…she urged her husband to comply with the black man’s terms, and secure what would make them wealthy for life. However Tom might have felt disposed to sell himself to the devil, he was determined not to do so to oblige his wife; so he flatly refused, out of the mere spirit of contradiction” (Irving
