Greed In Washington Irving's The Devil And Tom Walker

For a story by an author to be signified as a classic literature piece, it requires a timeless feature which the main passage can echo throughout the ages. Particularly, a relation to society's behavior and values. The characters, created by Washington Irving, most especially Tom Walker, gives us an insight on how his life centered predominantly on wealth up to the point where he is consumed by temptation. Tom Walker’s engagement in a deal with the Devil portrays how money-driven society has become more prominent through the times of the 1700s and today's world.

Irving theme in this short story is that all action have consequences. In the story Tom tries to trick the Devil by becoming more pious that others who have religious their entire lives. However, it does not work, because one day the Devil comes back for Tom “holding a black horse, which neighed and stamped with impatience” (Irving 359). This small segment of imagery supports the theme, because the horse is anxious and impatient as if it has waited a long time to be here and take Tom away to what he deserves. The reader can imagine a horse that is rearing and ready to go. It demonstrates that even if Tom protected himself for a little while the Devil still came back to dispense the consequences for the deal he and Tom made together. Tom worked as a usurer to gain a large fortune that he wanted, just so he could flaunt it in an ostentatious manner. However he wanted to get this money easily by bartering with the Devil to find an agreement that made him rich quickly. He did get this money but he suffered consequences because of it, and when the black horse swept him away all of his earthly treasure disappeared as well. “All his bonds and mortgages were reduced to cinders”, his chest of gold and silver was “filled with chips and shavings”, and where his two horse were “two skeletons lay in his stable” (Irving 359). He was never able to enjoy the money he made, because of the actions he took to gain it. On the other hand, Tom never did enjoy his money, because of his stingy nature. Tom wanted all the money he could get his hands on, but he never wanted to spend a dime. In addition with the added fear of the Devil coming at any time Tom was always on edge and at peace. He made a deal with the Devil and the Devil made him suffer the consequences of his actions. Old Scratch and his black horse carried him off after Tom agonized under the unknown time the Devil’s return.

A dark forest, full of supernatural events, mystical powers that one cannot even imagine! These are just a few elements in “The Devil and Tom Walker” written by Washington Irving during the Romantic Period. During this period, authors wrote stories with similar characteristics. Irving includes the characteristics of individuality, the supernatural and love of nature in his fascinating story.

In conclusion, Tom Walker is a man known as miserly, brave, parsimony. Tom Walker character describes him as a hypocrite man with a clapper clawing wife. He shows his actual personality by following the footsteps of the devil. Furthermore, Tom is a man who greed for something that is not great. ‘’ The Devil and Tom Walker’’ by Washington Irving proves what kind of unfaithful man he is from the challenges and obstacles that was face. This story mainly tells about many actions that brought forces upon

The Devil and Tom Walker is a short story written by Washington Irving. The story is about a legend of a pirates treasure hidden in a swamp and how a miserly man named Tom Walker finds it on his way home through a swamp. When Tom is in the swamp a dark tall man, Old Scratch, who Tom recognizes as the Devil, offers Tom a deal for the treasure. Tom goes home and tells his wife about the deal the Devil gave him, her greedy made her to take all their valuable possessions and go bargain with the Devil for the treasure. When she didn’t return Tom Walker decided to go look for his wife. When Tom was looking for her, he found her apron, liver, and her heart tied up to a tree. After seeing this Tom decided to make the deal with the Devil. The Devil tells Tom that he must do services to the devil for the treasure. He first tells Tom to become a slaver trader; however Tom refuses to become one. Finally the Devil tells Tom to become a corrupted money-loaner, which he agrees to, so he moves to Boston and becomes a moneylender. While at Boston Tom regrets doing the deal with the Devil and tries going to zealous church in a hope to redeem his soul for what has he done; however it was too late for Tom Walker. One afternoon while Tom’s victims were begging him for a delay, Tom lost his patience and his pity and yelled “The Devil take me… if I have made a farthing!" (Irving, The Devil and Tom Walker). Immediately after this statement Tom hears three knocks on his door and the Devil comes for Tom and rides away with him on his horse. The next day Tom’s house and all his belongings are burnt down, and Tom is never seen ever again.

In the story, “The Devil and Tom Walker,” there is a humorous way of looking at serious topics. Washington Irving shows his thoughts on these topics through the characters in this story. He attacks ways of living and social ideas that he thinks people should live without. In this story, Irving criticizes violence, greed, and false piety.

The characterization and setting in “The Devil and Tom Walker” reveals how the characters really are. To begin with, Tom and the devil made a deal, but Tom didn’t want to keep it. The devil trusted Tom with this deal but, after a while into this thing he had going Tom didn’t want to keep it. This reveals how everyone can’t be trusted and how once you get into things its hard to get out of sometimes.

In all the books ever read, there is always one character who has made an important, life-changing choice. In The Devil and Tom Walker, by Washington Irving, Tom Walker was that character. He was a sad man, he was always miserable in his marriage and with his wealth, especially. While walking through the woods one day, Tom encountered the devil and they struck up conversation. The devil proposed to him a deal, Tom may have the treasure buried at an old Indian fort, which will bring him all the money he desired, for only his soul and must become a usurer for the devil. At first, Tom did not take the deal. Howver, when he got home that day he spoke to his wife about the encounter and she insisted he make the deal. His wife went looking for the devil that night to reconcile the deal, but the devil killed her before she got the chance. After

When someone “makes a deal with the devil”, it always leads to the corruption of the dealer and their fate of inevitable damnation. The story takes place during in the early 1800s, and Tom Walker agrees to a bargain with the Devil who he encounters while walking through a swamp on his way home. The deal directs him to Boston where he becomes a cheaty usurer and gets very wealthy. Overpowered by greed, Tom even attempts to cheat the Devil, and in doing, so he eventually pays the price. In the short story, “The Devil and Tom Walker”, author Washington Irving uses the symbolism of the swamp, silverware, starved horses, empty mansion, hypocrisy of religion, and covered Bibles to show how greed and selfishness corrupts Tom Walker.

The author of “The Devil and Tom Walker”, Washington Irving, became a famed author of 19th century America. He was born in New York and became one of the first America fiction authors to gain international reputation. Irving began his career writing satire essays, and he is specifically known for his works, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle”. In his work “The Devil and Tom Walker”, he tells the story of a man and woman that lust for greed, to such an extent that they both want and make deals with the devil. The couple will soon find that their selfness and greed will lead them nowhere, but in to the devil’s house. Irving expresses the greed of Tom Walker and his wife throughout the story in the setting, the

I chose “The Devil and Tom Walker” for my fictional story. (The plot is below.) The story begins by showing you the background of the story, and describing how miserly Mr. and Mrs. Walker are. Then it shows Tom talking to “Old Scratch” (The Devil), who then offers Tom all the treasure of Capt. Kidd, for a few conditions. Tom goes home to think about the offer, where his wife tells him to take the offer. After many fights on the subject she goes to make the bargain herself, the devil tells her to return the next night. She goes but doesn’t come back, a day after she goes missing, Tom goes looking for her where he finds her apron with a heart and liver in it. Tom makes the deal with devil next time the meet, conditions and all, one of the conditions is, he has to use the money to start a brokers shop. Years go by, Tom fearing the bargain he made with the devil will catch up with him, tries to be a Christian, he carries a Bible everywhere he goes. However, while arguing with one of his client’s, Tom says in his wrath: “Devil take me if I have made a Farthing.” Next comes three loud knocks on the door where Tom sees the devil again and is taken away by the devil. Lastly, all of Tom’s wealth and assets disappear forever. Such is the plot for “The Devil and Tom Walker.”

In the story The Devil and Tom Walker by Washington Irving, hidden evils and greed are exceptionally important themes. Tom Walker loves the money but he starts to feel guilty and wants to change, but he won’t change.”Your are the usurer for my money. In this way he made hand over hand, and became a rich and mighty man.” This quote displays that he made money, but throughout the story Tom’s greed didn’t change. His greediness became

As the ladies examine the house, while the men are other places, picking clothes and an apron up for Mrs. Wright, Mrs. Hale gains sympathy for her until finally she starts to take action. When they find the block of quilting that has stitching askew, she starts to fix it, perhaps to cover for Mrs. Wright?s distraught state of mind. While Mrs. Hale is finding sympathy for Mrs. Wright, Mrs. Peters offers a counterpoint that tries to justifies the men?s viewpoints and actions. Her comments to Mrs. Hale?s resentful musings on Mrs. Wright?s unhappy life and on the actions of men in regards to women in general all seem to be rote answers programmed into her by society and a desire not to cause any trouble. This all changes as soon as Mrs. Peters finds the bird.

In “Trifles”, a division between the two sexes is quickly established as the men enter the house and huddle by the stove while the women remain still by the door. As the men start their detective work the women wander around the house to gather some of Mrs. Wright’s belongings. While searching for her belongings, the women discover an empty birdcage and find a dead bird in a “pretty box” (Glaspell, 956) inside of Mrs. Wright's sewing basket. Mrs. Hale jumps at the sight of the bird’s neck and Mrs. Peters points out how “somebody-wrung-its-neck” (Glaspell, 957) similar to the way Mr. Wright was found earlier. Mrs. Wright's murder of her husband can be seen as an act of feminine revolt against the male-dominated society. Another example of women defying against patriarchy is of Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters hiding the evidence that can prove Mrs. Wright to be guilty of her husband’s murder. Before their departure from the Wright’s house, as the men are returning, the sheriff suggests that the county attorney take a look through the items Mrs. Peters had collected for Mrs. Wright. However, he decides that anything collected by the women cannot have much significance and overlooks it. His assumption that the women would have came forward if they saw any possible evidence costs him. The sheriff’s belief is that women derive their identity solely from their relationships with men; the dominant gender.

The Devil and Tom Walker was my favorite story to read because it was very interesting and had some good lessons. Tom made a deal with the devil for all the money in the world and sold his soul to the devil without knowing. Tom becomes rich and successful but soon regrets his bargain because he is very alone and unhappy. This was a pleasant read for me just because of the message portrayed and the way the author made it interesting. The author attempted to convince us that you can have all the money in the world and still be unhappy and have no one there for you. I think the message of the story was successful and it really showed me how money can be the root of all evil. The story showed how many people are in this world. They are so focused