The Devil And Tom Walker Essay

Submitted By elisaaadoee

Words: 487

Pages: 2

Open Document

Elisa Macias
Period 2

The Devil And Tom Walker In the short story "The Devil and Tom Walker", Washington Irving retells the classic tale of a man named Tom Walker who sells his soul to the Devil for money. Irving emphasizes towards his audience that greed has consquences. There were many examples of Tom Walker's greed causing him many problems throughout the story. The author illlustrates this trheme through symbols, irony, and motifs. The author uses symbols to show the audience that wealth is nothing to be greedy about. the Devil was a strong symbol throughout the whole story. He represented the temptation that was within Tom Walker. The narrator says "Tom had a lurking dread that the devil, after all, would have his due"(250). this quote demonstrates how Tom thought he could out-smart the Devil, thinking he can do what he wanted to do without any consquences. He also felt guilty for all the things he was doing, as well, because of the temptation the Devil had brought upon him. He knew there was no getting out of selling his soul, theres no going back, and this can refer to the old saying " the love of money is the root to all evil". Irony was also used to illustrated the theme. The Narrator said "...he made money hand over hand, became a richy and mighty man, and exalted his cocked hat upon 'change'. He built himself, a vast house, out of ostentatious, but left the greater part of it unfinished and unfurnished"(250). This is ironic because even thiugh he had a lot of money, he did not complete his house. He was that greedy, he did not even give money to thosr who would finish his house even if he has the money to do so. This develpoes the theme greatly. The quote shows the

The Devil And Tom Walker

In Washington Irving’s short story, “The Devil and Tom Walker,” Tom Walker, a greedy and poor old man, one day finds himself in a deal with the Devil where he soon becomes a usurer, which he later begins to regret. Tom soon became a devoted Christian in a desperate attempt to keep the Devil away. One day Tom Walker was talking to one of the clients he had cheated on and made a comment that caused the Devil to take him away. Romantic characteristics are displayed throughout the story. The romantic…

Words 327 - Pages 2

The Devil And Tom Walker Summary

In the story “The Devil and Tom Walker” by Washington Irving, it starts off with an old local legend about treasure buried by a pirate Captain Kidd in a swamp. Near this swamp lives a man named Tom Walker and his wife. These two were so greedy and that they even try to cheat each other and are constantly fighting. One day, going through the swamp, Tom comes across the remains of an old Indian place and discovers a skull and a tomahawk beside it. Tom kicks the skull, then hears a voice and looks…

Words 540 - Pages 3

Tom Walker And The Devil Essay

The Devil and Tom Walker To sign your soul to the devil takes an extremely greedy and desperate person but even that person will begin to wonder how he or she will be received in the afterlife. Trying to right your wrongs by doing good deeds and other things is practically meaningless if it doesn't reflect a clean and pure heart. In the short story “ The Devil and Tom Walker “ tom tries to make up for his sins in 3 different ways throughout the story. The first thing he started doing was attending church on a…

Words 560 - Pages 3

The Devil And Tom Walker Satire

“The Devil and Tom Walker” Essay In “The Devil and Tom Walker”, Washington Irving uses humor as a weapon to criticize elements of society. The different aspects of society that are being criticized in this story includes; organized religion and religious types, the “white establishment” or those in charge and respected and lastly, the institution of marriage. Irving used satire to contempt this European tale in the mid 1800’s. One aspect of society that Irving criticizes is organized religion and…

Words 584 - Pages 3

Satire In 'The Devil And Tom Walker'

“The Devil and Tom Walker” “The Devil and Tom Walker” was written in the 1720’s based in the general area of New England. Satire is used a great number of times in “The Devil and Tom Walker.” Irving uses satire to criticize or ridicule individuals in the story. He shows this one way by criticizing Quakers and Anabaptists. Irving uses humor as a weapon to criticize elements of society. The three main social criticisms he uses are religion, statements on marriage, and the white establishment or…

Words 330 - Pages 2

Devil And Tom Walker Abuse

In Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Black Cat” and Washington Irving’s “The Devil and Tom Walker”, the women’s spouses treat them like property, thus symbolizing their husbands’ weakness in a male-dominated society. The narrator in “The Black Cat” is an accurate portrayal of alcohol abuse and the violent effects it has on the abuser and their family. In fact, the narrator refers to his wife as “the most usual and most patient of [his] sufferers” (Poe 11). To begin the story, the narrator describes…

Words 446 - Pages 2

Comparing The Devil And Tom Walker

The unique similarities between these two short stories “The Phoenix” by Sylvia Townsend Warner and “The Devil and Tom Walker” by Washington Irving are by having greed in the situation. Greed is something when an individual is yearning for a desire for something which they don’t possibly need, for an example money which implies in these two fascinating and with a great message stories. Author Sylvia Townsend Warner conveys the phrase greed in her story by describing a man named Mr. Poldero who was…

Words 266 - Pages 2

The Devil And Tom Walker Chapter Summary

to you. In, The Devil and Tom Walker, there is a man name Tom Walker who is really poor and lives in Boston, one day while he was walking through a swamp he saw a black figure which was a devil, name Old Scratch, Old Scratch offered Tom a deal which was a buried treasure that he can have, but must give his soul to him. Tom declines the deal because he wanted to hurt his wife feeling since they fight so much. Later the wife goes through the swamp, with Tom valuables, to find the devil and offer her…

Words 525 - Pages 3

Similarities Between The Devil And Tom Walker

the devil? The two authors of “The Devil and Tom Walker” and “The Devil and Daniel Webster” are Washington Irving and Stephen Vincent Benet. The authors of the two short stories are artists when it comes to shaping each element and bringing the themes to life. Both stories were shaped by the work of Faust; Irving wrote his story before Benet wrote his. Both “The Devil and Tom Walker” and “The Devil and Daniel Webster” have similar elements that help convey the theme. “The Devil and Tom Walker” and…

Words 473 - Pages 2

The Devil And Tom Walker Greed Essay

“The Devil and Tom Walker” is a folk legend about Captain Kidd, a pirate who was supposed to have buried treasure in a swamp near Boston. In 1727, a miserable man named Tom Walker walked through the swamp where he meets an African American whom he recognizes as the devil aka Old Scratch. Washington Irvings short story "The Devil and Tom Walker" serves as a warning sign to readers against the evil of greed and corrupt people. As in stories that involves the devil and earthly riches he never bargains…

Words 507 - Pages 3