The Devil of Tom Walker and Th

“Worldly wealth is the devil's bait; and those whose minds feed upon riches recede, in general, from real happiness, in proportion as their stores increase, as the moon, when she is fullest, is farthest from the sun.” This quote, written Robert Burton, relates to the folktale that Washington Irving wrote. Irving’s story, “The Devil and Tom Walker”, is about a poor man who sold his soul to the devil to gain wealth over night. Thus, the story “The Devil and Tom Walker” illustrates a folktale with the inclusion of the folktale characteristics stereotypes, unlikely events, and lessons to be learned.

In “The Devil and Tom Walker” they use literary archetypes that represents universal patterns of human behavior or commonly-held beliefs. This story takes place in 1727 in Boston Massachusetts. There are three main characters who are very similar but a little different. Tom Walker is small, greedy, overly confident, and miserly. Tom Walker’s wife Mrs. Walker is selfish, verbally abusive towards Tom, and she is known as a termagant because she nags and complains all of the time. Last but not least old scratch has many other names that have been given to him by his personality, but he is the devil.

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.

Washington Irving is known as being one of the most famous American authors in history. He has created fresh and exciting stories such as “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” “The Devil and Tom Walker,” and “Rip Van Winkle” that continue to captivate those who read them even today. In these three stories, Irving takes a stance on what the early Americas were like as he creates settings full of both mystery and wonder. His settings are symbols of both America’s mystery and potential, and he uses personification and motifs to convey this message.

A main theme in the short story is greed and its consequences. Tom, a miserable man, is approached by the Devil, also called “Old Scratch”, and he is offered wealth and riches beyond his wildest dreams. In return for this he sells his soul to the Devil. All characters in the story have flaws and none of them are necessarily “good” as each of them are greedy and will go to great lengths to benefit themselves. Tom's desire for wealth is his ultimate catalyst throughout the story and it is what eventually draws the Devil to him. The Devil called to Tom promising “great sums of money buried by Kidd the pirate... All these were under his command, and protected by his power."(pg 9) knowing this would interest him. Through this you can see the Devil tempting Tom with the wealth he craves so much. His own greed being his damnation when he tells a customer "The devil take me...if i have made a farthing!"(p22). Because as soon as he says this the devil comes to collect his dues.Tom's desire for wealth led to the murder of his wife, the selling of his soul, and ultimately his own death. The Devil and Tom Walker is a textbook example of why the temptation of greed should be avoided. Showing how though it may benefit you in the present eventually its consequences will catch up to

The short story I have chosen to read by Washington Irving is 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.'; This story takes place in a little village on the Hudson River which by some is called Greensburgh, but which is more generally known as Tarry Town. The main character in the story, Ichabod Crane, who 'tarried'; in Sleepy Hollow came about for the purpose of instructing the children of the vicinity. The main point of the story began with the arrival of a Negro with an invitation to Ichabod to attend a party at the Van Tassel's mansion. After receiving the good news, Ichabod fixed up his best and only suit and borrowed a horse from Hans Van Ripper, in order to impress Mynheer Van Tassel's daughter, Katrina. He did so

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.

Tom Walker is satrical on the grounds that Washington Irving is ridiculing Tom and his wide to be so avaricious for

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.

Throughout “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne and “The Devil and Tom Walker” by Washington Irving, the topics of sin and religion are addressed. Both stories share the similar idea of how sin and religion are present in their Puritan societies. Throughout The Scarlet Letter we interpret the ideas of sin and how it relates to to the concept of religion surrounding the community. In The Devil and Tom Walker we are left to analyze the actions and beliefs of a complex character, and how it relates to sin and religion. Overall, both stories are comprable because of their topics of sin and religion and how they relate to specific characters beliefs, actions, and behavior.

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.

During Washington Irving’s short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, the main focus tends to be on Brom Van Brunt and Ichabod Crane. Yet it can be alluded that one never thought to question their love interest’s, Katrina Van Tassel and her purpose for existing in the story. Katrina Van Tassel shows signs of being a convoluted and colluded industrialist; from using men, to using her wealth and beauty, and even down to her personality, Katrina proves to be the ultimate tease.

Irving, a Romantic author, wrote many stories besides “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” These tales include “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Devil and Tom Walker.” Like these stories, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” takes place in early post-colonial America. This aspect greatly influences the historical and cultural backgrounds for the story. The historical backgrounds of this tale comes from post-Revolutionary war America. Because of this, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” reflects this new American society described in the physical setting of the story. The cultural background of the story is explained through the background actions of the characters. For example, Ichabod Crane stays with the parents of his students, and Ichabod Crane and Brom Bones fight for the hand of Katrina Van Tassel. These are just two examples of American culture shown in the story.