The Devil And Tom Walker

Washington IrvingFiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1824

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Irving created the plot of “The Devil and Tom Walker” by combining various traditional motifs, yet he takes pains to make the story appear to be an old American legend. How does Irving do this and why? Does his choosing to remain “invisible” as the author make the story more or less effective?

Many of Irving’s folktales (e.g., “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”) center on New York state, while “The Devil and Tom Walker” is set in Puritan New England. Why did Irving choose this setting, and do you think it is necessary to the tale?

Discuss the marriage of Tom and his wife. Do they deserve each other? Of the two, is one more morally corrupt than the other?