Tom's wife is a greedy woman who … Irving here is allegorizing the corrupt nature of American society, in which the rich and powerful are those who have sinned the most. The fact that only the rich and powerful are being cut down and burned by the devil shows that the wealthiest are the ones who are most corrupted. However, the devil refuses to appear again until Tom is desperate for money and finally makes an official pact. In the end, when Tom has become a successful usurer and has lived to an old age, Tom accidentally invites the devil to take him. He is also a brave man, unafraid to enter into places haunted by supernatural tales and to deal directly with the devil when he meets him. In Washington Irving's short story "The Devil and Tom Walker," the protagonist, Tom Walker, is described as a "meagre, miserly" fellow who conspires to cheat his wife—who is equally as meagre and miserly as he is! This can be considered a “mark of the devil,” which shows Tom’s allegiance to the devil over God. While walking through the swamp, Walker comes upon the devil, a great "black" man carrying an ax, whom Irving calls Old Scratch. This stronghold has infiltrated the lore of Tom Walker's society, which claims that the land represents war and violence and that Native Americans made sacrifices to an “Evil Spirit” there. Log in here. Tom sees this as a favor that the devil has done for him. When Tom asks for proof of the devil’s truth about the Kidd the Pirate’s treasure, the devil places his thumb on Tom’s forehead and burns a mark. In the biblical Book of Genesis, Cain was punished with a mark for having killed his brother. Set in New England in the 1700s, Walker selling his soul to the devil for treasure is one horrific component to this story that may seem everything but romantic. The devil’s choices for Tom’s career show that both slave trading and usury are considered evil and are supported by the devil. ... Old Scratch's face is covered. An established time of the story ... Reform his own character. The devil is described as a “great black man,” because his face is covered in soot and dirt. ... define dramatic irony and given an example from the Devil and Tom Walker. Tom's wife. He was hired to watch over Kidd's treasure, but he sneakily offers it up to Tom -- for a price. malicious, greedy character who makes a deal with the Devil in order to increase his own wealth Old Scratch the Devil who tempts Tom Walker, he is a dark-skinned man with red eyes, a … The setting of the story B. What character traits do Tom Walker and his wife share? Tom is skeptical and demands some kind of proof or promise that the offer is valid; in answer, Old Scratch presses his finger into Tom's forehead and disappears, leaving a burned black mark where it was. meets Tom in the woods and tries to make a deal with him, meets Tom's wife and kills her leaving her liver and heart tied up in her apron in a tree, eventually makes an agreement with Tom, which later leads to him coming to claim Tom's soul In Washington Irving's short story "The Devil and Tom Walker," Tom Walker is a meager, hard-minded, and miserly man. All his assets become worthless—his coach horses become skeletons, the gold and silver Tom hoarded turns into wood chips and shavings, his mortgages and deeds become cinders, and his great house burns to the ground. What are the 5 essential plot elements to "The Devil and Tom Walker"? Obviously, students' comprehension of the story will be more in-depth gaining some background information on the underlying archetype in this work. He comes to Tom Walker’s door and claims him, riding away on a black horse whose hooves spark fire against the ground. Old Scratch. In this respect, he uses Tom Walker's ambition for his own purposes. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. Tom goes home to discuss the offer … Old Scratch - aka the devil, the black woodsman, etc. This quote not only characterizes the setting around Tom Walker and his wife's house; it also characterizes Tom Walker … During his first meeting with Tom, the devil relishes in his own accomplishments in New England, such as "presiding at the persecutions of Quakers and Anabaptists," patronizing slave dealers, and masterminding the Salem Witch trials. Walker agrees readily, without really considering what he is expected to pay in return—his soul. In Washington Irving's short story "The Devil and Tom Walker," Tom Walker is a meager, hard-minded, and miserly man. The narrator implies that Tom sells his soul to the devil for success and wealth as a usurer. He despises his miserly, abusive wife and has nothing to live for but the satisfaction of … Tom is hesitant to sell his soul at first and They are spiritually and morally blind to the consequences of dealing with the devil because they are so focused on … He and Tom come to an agreement of sorts in their initial meeting, although the details are not made specific. Washington Irving wrote The Devil and Tom Walker as part of a short stories collection titled Tales of a Traveller in 1824. Source(s) The Devil and Tom Walker The Devil ( Old Scratch): temptation. Tom Walker’s Wife. The devil incarnate, manifested in the form of a tall black man who guards the old Indian fort. In Washington Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker," the titular devil fuels Tom Walker's greed and serves as the catalyst for the story's events. Tom Walker. dramatic irony: when a character says something and does not understand the consequence " If i have gotten one penny of this the Devil can come get me" (the devil gets him ) Copyright © 1999 - 2021 GradeSaver LLC. In “Tom Walker,” Old Scratch personifies temptation, which has existed ostensibly since the Garden of Eden, providing a colorful and dramatic way to present a character’s conflict between choosing good and evil. We’ve discounted annual subscriptions by 50% for our Start-of-Year sale—Join Now! Last Updated on December 18, 2018, by eNotes Editorial. In "The Devil and Tom Walker", why does Tom turn down Old Scratch's first offer? Yet this mark does not cause Tom to be shunned from society. The devil claims patronage of all corrupt and morally reprehensible enterprises, such as slave trading and religious persecution. Tom is never seen again. Tom Walker: greed and hypocrisy. Character who is not developed as an individual but instead represents a collection of traits and mannerisms supposed shared by a group. The devil, for example, keeps track of trees in the swamp which are named after the powerful and rich. "The Devil and Tom Walker" is a quintessential early American piece of literature that demonstrates good versus evil. Also called the Wild Huntsman, the Black Miner, and, in New England, the Black Woodsman, Old Scratch is the devil himself, pure black as if covered in soot and with a shock of coarse black hair. Do you think Tom could have escaped the consequences of his bargain with Old Scratch in "The Devil and Tom Walker"? Captain Kidd. Tom and his wife are both miserly, grasping, mean-spirited, and without conscience. He says that he has many names, including the black woodsman and “Old Scratch.”. The Devil and Tom Walker Information. He lives with his ... Old Scratch. Old Scratch. He cuts them down for firewood, which symbolizes the death and subsequent burning in hell of those who have sinned. Tom Walker is considered one of Washington Irving’s least likeable characters. 2. It is implied that the Devil will get his soul. Old Scratch agrees to this, and Tom sets up right away as a usurer in Boston. He also has black hair that sticks out in many directions and large red eyes. In "The Devil and Tom Walker", what does Old Scratch offer Tom Walker, and what does Old Scratch want in return? What bargain does Tom make with the stranger in the forest? “The Devil and Tom Walker” largely takes place between 1727 and the 1740s, and refers to several central historical events from slightly before and within this period: the arrest, trial, and execution of Captain William Kidd (1645-1701) in Boston and England; the American Indian Wars (approx. Also called Old Scratch and other names, he harvests the souls of sinners and tempts greedy men and women into sinful dealings. 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