Preview

Similarities Between Devil And Tom Walker

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
230 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Similarities Between Devil And Tom Walker
I think among the three Dark Romantic stories we read, “Devil And Tom Walker” written by Washington Irving provides the most powerful moral lesson. In “Devil And Tom Walker”, the author tells a story about the deal Tom made with the Devil and the results of Tom and his wife to illustrate that gaining ill-gotten wealth would always pay with retribution. For example: “Tom seized the check apron, but, woful sight! found nothing but a heart and liver tied up in it” (Irving 328). When Tom’s wife heard that the Devil gave Tom a chance to become wealthy, she pushed Tom to make the deal. Aftering her request being refused by Tom, she went to find the Devil herself, and never came back. This is the retribution for his wife’s greed. Take Tom’s end as
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Comparing Washington Irving's The Devil And Tom Walker
    • 413 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Comparing Washington Irving's The Devil And Tom Walker

    The Devil and Tom Walker written by Washington Irving describes an old story of a married couple. As described, Tom and his wife argue constantly. One day, Tom finds remains from an old Indian fortification. After kicking a skull, he encounters the “devil” , who offers him buried treasure in exchange for his soul. Tom refused his offer in spite of his wife. Unfortunately , Toms wife goes behind his back and accepts the devils offer, but dies in the process. With nothing to lose, Tom now accepts the offer and becomes a moneylender. Later, Tom regrets everything and repents , and the devil took him back on a black horse and never to be seen again.…

    • 413 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Similarities Between Tom And Boo Radley
    • 284 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Similarities Between Tom And Boo Radley

    The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee includes the contradictory characters Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. These characters have identifiable similarities and differences.…

    • 284 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Devil And Tom Walker Research Paper
    • 432 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Devil And Tom Walker Research Paper

    It was a sunny day in Piedmont Park of Atlanta, GA where a miserly man named Jake Smith could be found arguing with his girlfriend Jodi Lee about rent for their apartment. He and his girlfriend were notorious for fighting each other amongst others and bringing their problems to the public. Everyone in the city knew the secrets they kept from one another as well as the abuse their dog had taken from their anger. After the altercation the two parted ways and Jake Smith got in his Camry and began down the crowded street.…

    • 432 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Devil And Tom Walker: Discussion Questions
    • 795 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Devil And Tom Walker: Discussion Questions

    5. Which of the following phrases from “The Devil and Tom Walker” is an example of Irving’s use of humor?…

    • 795 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Examples Of Greed In The Devil And Tom Walker
    • 384 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Examples Of Greed In The Devil And Tom Walker

    When a character sells their soul to Satan in a narrative, it is often for receiving something that is usually unachievable, for example, riches, reviving of loved ones, or some other objective of value. But in the end, the soul is usually sent to eternal torment, leaving a lot of troubled people in the wake of destruction behind the damned soul. In Washington Irving’s “The Devil and Tom Walker”, Tom Walker sells his soul to “Old Scratch” (the Devil) as a means of receiving Pirate Kidd’s lost treasure that will fulfill his greedy lust of money. He is so consumed with greed that not only does he refuse to share basic sustenance with his wife earlier in the story, and he also volunteers to more than the devil asks of him.…

    • 384 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Devil And Tom Walker Constructed Re
    • 1795 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Devil And Tom Walker Constructed Re

    details about the couple’s house to justify the despicable reputation that Tom Walker and his…

    • 1795 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Similarities Between The Devil And Tom Walker
    • 155 Words
    • 1 Page

    Similarities Between The Devil And Tom Walker

    "Devil and Daniel Webster," by Stephen Vincent Benet written many years after "The Devil and Tom Walker" by Washington Irving both very alike in many ways, as they both tell a tale implementing social values and human choices. In both tales i believe you can find differences as well fue to culture during their time periods. Benet established his prespective on social, moral, and cultural values differently from Irvings, he used a whole new mindset. Benet's tale used a more efficient way during his period of time he included perspectives of the past and he added a modern hint to the work. See Benet clarifies the moral value through the need to be able for a mans crops to prosper saying that it was absolutely okay to be inadequate if it was…

    • 155 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Devil and Tom Walker" by Washington Irving, and "The Man in the Black Suit" by Stephen King Comparison
    • 723 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Devil and Tom Walker" by Washington Irving, and "The Man in the Black Suit" by Stephen King Comparison

    In "The Devil and Tom Walker," Tom Walker is a corrupted and greedy man, but, he is just a poor farmer who could only desire for that power and money. However, one day, the Devil appeared in front of him, willing to give him all that he desires in exchange for his soul. Tom with his already tainted soul, agreed, and lives a well lived life, having everything he ever wanted through the most desecrate way possible. "Tom was the universal friend of the needy, and he acted like a 'friend in need'...(however,) He accumulated bonds and mortgages; gradually squeezed his costumers closer and closer; and sent them at length, dry as a sponge from his door." He made money by deception, cheating people of lands, destroying homes, and taking over other's hard earned land. Yet towards the end of his life he still wishes to cleanse his sins by going to church, admitting god and praying, however this is once again due to his own selfishness. "Having secured the good things of this world, he began to feel anxious about those of the next. He thought with regret on the bargain he had made with his black friend, and set his wits to work to cheat him out of the conditions." After, all that Tom has did, he himself knew what would become of him and so out of his own selfishness, he tries to break the deal he made with the devil. Trying desperately to escape his fate, Tom continues to go to church and pray, even…

    • 723 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Individuality In Washington Irving's The Devil And Tom Walker
    • 445 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Individuality In Washington Irving's The Devil And Tom Walker

    Tom Walker is a very typical one-dimensional character. He is purely evil with not a bit of goodness. From the very beginning of the story, the reader is shown that he is a lying, cheating, conniving miser who cares for no one (not even his own wife) but himself. He does his best to cheat his wife out of money and things that should be common property in a marriage. When his wife disappears (presumably she has been killed by the Devil), he is not concerned in the least for her well-being. Instead he joyfully snatches her apron down from a tree, supposing it to contain the household valuables. When Tom opens the apron and finds a heart and liver, he is not horrified as most people would be if they discovered that their spouse had been slain; rather, he is saddened that his property is lost and overjoyed that the Devil has done him the favor of getting rid of his wife. Only the most purely evil person would feel this way.…

    • 445 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Greed And Hypocrisy In The Devil And Tom Walker
    • 599 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Greed And Hypocrisy In The Devil And Tom Walker

    His wife then yells at him for not taking the devil up on the opportunity to sell his soul for wealth, and she storms out of the house to search for the devil to make a deal with him. She then gathers a few possessions that had monetary value and brought them to the woods in her apron. She was never seen again. Tom now wants to strike a deal with the devil. Tom declined the offer to become a slave trader so he became a usurer. He made quite a fortune by ripping people off. Tom then buys an extravagant house and a carriage but cannot maintain either of the…

    • 599 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Devil And Tom Walker Analysis
    • 462 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Devil And Tom Walker Analysis

    Analysis: Tom Walker’s death is a consequence of his selfishness and sole focus on wealth. By binding his life to the works of the devil, he gave up the value and longevity of his life in order to gain more wealth.…

    • 462 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Great Gatsby Tom Buchanan Analysis
    • 816 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Great Gatsby Tom Buchanan Analysis

    Tom is very narrow-minded, and believes he is much superior to everyone, and therefore,should have everything. This is clearly seen when he brings up his opinion over a book he claims he has been reading, as he says, “this fellow has worked out the whole thing. It’s up to us, who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control of things”(Pg.16). Tying in with the fact that Tom believes he deserves everything, it becomes clear he also loves to have total control over everything, even people. Thus, ultimately treating people like his property, and manipulating them along the way. This is seen by the fact that Daisy stays by Tom’s side, even though she and everybody clearly know about his mistress. He is able to not only have his wife, but his mistress on the side, who he parades around publicly, to his wife’s humiliation,” I was confused and a little disgusted as I drove away. It seemed to me that the thing for Daisy to do was to rush out of the house, child in arms — but apparently there were no such intentions in her head. As for Tom, the fact that he ‘had some woman in New York.’ was really less surprising than that he had been depressed by a book”(Pg.23). When a situation does not seem to go his way, Tom reacts aggressively, and violently, in an effort to manipulate the situation to benefit him. During one encounter with his mistress, Myrtle, she blatantly causes a scene and rebels against him, “some time toward midnight Tom Buchanan and Mrs. Wilson stood face to face, discussing in impassioned voices whether Mrs. Wilson had any right to mention Daisy's name. Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand”(Pg.41). He is definitely not the type of person to allow people to disobey him or humiliate him, or to even feel like control is slipping away from his…

    • 816 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Devil And Tom Walker Greed Essay
    • 479 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Devil And Tom Walker Greed Essay

    As we go through history, one of the most current issues in people life is property and the obtaining of money. A clear example is the story of “The Devil and Tom Walker” based on the concept of greed and how it lead us directly to the sin. At the beginning of the story Tom and his wife are described as a miserly people, living a miserly and unhappy life, always trying to cheat each other. Actually, it is said ‘whatever the woman could lay hands on, she hid away….Her husband was continually prying about to detect her secret hoard’ (lines 20-24). This is a clear evidence that they don’t care about each other and how the greed is present in their daily life. The author builds Tom's identity based on the concept of greed and agony. This is reflected in his actions, and considering that he has nothing to lose, he is…

    • 479 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Examples Of Happiness In The Great Gatsby
    • 593 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Examples Of Happiness In The Great Gatsby

    When looking on the surface of Tom's life it is seen that he is a typical successful young man with high goals that have all been handed to him. His vision of success is blurred as all he has earned is fake and was just handed to him. He has yet to experience true happiness as he is with a beautiful woman and still goes around having affairs. He has achieved what people believe to be the perfect life and American Dream however the deeper we dig into his life it is evident that he will never feel true happiness unless he is able to see past all the superficiality of his wealth.…

    • 593 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Karma In The Masque Of The Red Death
    • 2133 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Karma In The Masque Of The Red Death

    Tom Walker makes a deal with the devil, turning him from rags to riches. He quickly becomes rich after opening a bank with the fortune he gathered from the devil. Tom buys everything he wants and before long “began to feel anxious about those of the next. He thought with regret on the bargain he had made with his black friend, and set his wits to work to cheat him out of the conditions. He became, therefore, all of the sudden, a violent churchgoer”(Irving 13). Tom no longer was content with his deal of selling his soul to the devil. He began to see that his freedom and his life was more important than his big house and money. The fact that Irving included this shows how his quality of life really did not improve as he was trying to. The romantic value of freedom over goods shines through with Tom’s realization that he wanted his life back. This trend of regret continues after Stephen Benet’s Jabez Stone gets fed up with all of the things that happen to him. He feels he is the most unlucky person in the world and makes a deal with the devil so that he can have good luck for (ultimately) ten years before the devil takes him. The deal makes Jabez have good crop turnout, strong horses, and good luck, but also extreme apprehensiveness “For every day, when he gets up, he thinks, ‘There’s one more night gone,’ and every night he lies down he thinks of the black pocketbook and the soul of Miser Stevens, and it makes him sick at heart”(Benet 310). Stone cannot bear the fact the he can count down the days until his death. The benefits of the deal with the devil no longer help Jabez and he realizes that his freedom is more important than having nice. He cannot enjoy his life no matter what while he knows his fate, showing romanticism’s emphasis on freedom for self realization. Jabez’s good luck is quickly overshadowed when he realizes he doesn’t have his life anymore,…

    • 2133 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More

Related Topics