What does Tom symbolize in The Devil and Tom Walker?

What does Tom symbolize in The Devil and Tom Walker?

When the devil arrives to take Tom away, Irving writes “He had left his little Bible at the bottom of his coat-pocket and his big Bible on the desk buried under the mortgage he was about to foreclose:” This symbolically represents the extent of Tom’s greed and moral decay.

What is the message of The Devil and Tom Walker?

“The Devil and Tom Walker” contains a moral allegory that offers a warning against greed and the pursuit of earthly gain. In this story, sinful behavior is met with punishment, and the devil controls the souls of those driven by wealth.

Why was Tom happy to see the apron?

Bargain with the devil herself- brought her apron full of silver teapots and spoons and other items of value. why was Tom happy to see the apron? so he would get his household valuables back. what did the devil try to deal with Tom after his wife died?

Why are Tom and his wife so unhappy?

Why are Tom and his wife unhappy? They fight about money. Irving implements satire when he describes Tom in the following passage. “Tom was a hard-minded fellow, not easily daunted, and he had lived so long with a termagant wife that he did not even fear the devil.”

What does Tom’s wife want him to do?

Tom’s wife decides to go the Indian fort to try to strike her own deal. She disappears. The most likely story is that she fought with the Devil and he killed her. All that was found of her was he heart and liver tied up in her apron.

What does Tom symbolize?

Tom is a character with few redeeming qualities. He represents the worst aspects of the super-rich in American society whose money insulates them from the normal constraints of law or morality.

What moral does Tom Walker’s fate suggest?

If the devil is as much a part of our world in reality as he is in Tom’s, the ethical stakes of living by the story’s moral of resisting greed and leading an honest, God-fearing life, become all the higher.

What character traits do Tom Walker and his wife share?

What character traits do Tom Walker and his wife share? Tom and his wife are both miserly, grasping, mean-spirited, and without conscience.

What kind of relationship did Tom Walker have with his wife?

The relationship between Tom Walker and his wife is that they are very greedy. They are married but they don’t share anything and they try and steal each others stuff. She even scratches him when they fight and she is the opposite of the women back then.

Where does Tom first meet the Devil?

Where does the walker meet the devil? At a swamp near a destroyed indian fort.

What type of character is Tom’s wife?

Tom Walker’s Wife Tom’s Walker’s wife is an example of a person whose greed and apathy are rewarded with the punishment of death. Her cruel and meager nature lead to her punishment, just as Tom’s actions eventually do. She is described as a termagant, or an overbearing abrasive person.

What does Tom’s Behaviour reveal about his character?

7) What does Tom’s behavior reveal about his character? Tom’s behavior reveals that he is a racist, abusive, and arrogant person; he thinks that he can take advantage of and bully others because of his wealth and intimidating size. well, it’s a fine book, and everybody ought to read it.

How is satire used in the Devil and Tom Walker?

Satire in The Devil and Tom Walker. Irving uses satire to not only show that characters are morally backwards but also to add humor to the story. For example, Tom’s loveless, hostile marriage to his wife both satirizes the institution of marriage and provides humor in the despicable nature of both characters.

What is the story of the Devil and Tom Walker?

“The Devil and Tom Walker,” a short story by Washington Irving , tells of a man who sells his soul to the devil, known as Old Scratch, in exchange for great wealth.

What does the Devil and Tom Walker symbolize?

One symbol found in The Devil and Tom Walker is the Old Scratch(The Devil) symbolizes temptation in this book. When Tom Walker decides to take that shortcut through the swamp he meets a black man. This black man goes by the name of Old scratch, Tom Walker decided to listen to this man.

What is the summary of “the Devil and Tom Walker?

The Devil and Tom Walker Summary Tom Walker meets the devil, who offers him a bargain: he’ll give Tom a buried treasure on one condition-presumably, that Tom give the devil his soul. Tom encounters the devil again after his wife’s disappearance. This time, he agrees to the bargain. Tom comes to fear damnation.