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Characters · 5
Absalom Crowninshield
Absalom Crowninshield is a minor yet thematically significant character in Washington Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker."
character
Captain Kidd
Captain Kidd looms as a ghostly, offstage presence in Washington Irving's story, his buried treasure setting the entire plot in motion.
character
Old Scratch (The Devil)
Old Scratch is the Devil himself and the main antagonist in the story, whose deal with Tom Walker drives Washington Irving's dark moral fable.
character
Tom's Wife
Tom's wife is a minor yet crucial character in Washington Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker," mainly acting as a catalyst for the story's central deal.
character
Tom Walker
Tom Walker is the miserly, morally corrupt protagonist of Washington Irving's allegorical tale.
character
Key quotes · 9
“The devil take me if I have made a farthing!”
This exclamation is made by Tom Walker, the miserly main character in Washington Irving's gothic story The Devil and Tom Walker (1824).
Tom Walker
“Let the money be dug up and I will give it to you.”
This line is delivered by the Devil (Old Scratch) to Tom Walker during one of their critical encounters in Washington Irving's short story "The Devil and Tom Walker" (1824), which is included in Tales of a Traveller.
The Devil (Old Scratch)
“A man is known by the company he keeps.”
This well-known line comes from Washington Irving's short story "The Devil and Tom Walker" (1824), which is part of his collection Tales of a Traveller.
Narrator / Proverbial · The Devil and Tom Walker (single-story, no chapter divisions)
“The devil take me if I have made a farthing!”
This exclamation comes from Tom Walker, the miserly main character in Washington Irving's short story "The Devil and Tom Walker" (1824).
Tom Walker
“Such was the end of Tom Walker and his ill-gotten wealth.”
This closing line is spoken by the third-person narrator in Washington Irving's short story "The Devil and Tom Walker" (1824), which is part of Tales of a Traveller.
Narrator (Washington Irving) · The Devil and Tom Walker (closing passage)
“Tom consoled himself for the loss of his property with the loss of his wife.”
This darkly comic line comes from the third-person narrator in Washington Irving's short story "The Devil and Tom Walker" (1824), which is part of his collection Tales of a Traveller.
Third-person narrator · The Devil and Tom Walker (single-story; early section)
“He had a great folio Bible on the desk before him, and was not reading it, but had his hand on it.”
This line comes near the climax of Washington Irving's short story "The Devil and Tom Walker" (1824), part of Tales of a Traveller.
Narrator (Washington Irving) · The Devil and Tom Walker (single-story, no chapter divisions)
“Since the red men have been exterminated by you white savages, I amuse myself by presiding at the persecutions of Quakers and Anabaptists.”
This chilling line comes from the Devil (Old Scratch) during his first meeting with Tom Walker in a swamp near Boston.
The Devil (Old Scratch)
“He built a large and ostentatious chapel, and was one of the loudest in the congregation.”
This line is delivered by the all-knowing narrator in Washington Irving's short story "The Devil and Tom Walker" (1824).
Third-person omniscient narrator
Symbols · 5
Buried Treasure
In Washington Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker," the buried treasure represents the dangerous temptation of wealth and the moral decay that comes with greed.
The Bible
In Washington Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker," the Bible highlights the emptiness of hypocritical religiosity and the ineffectiveness of trying to repent at the last moment.
The Black Trees
In Washington Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker," the black trees of the swamp forest stand for moral corruption, hidden sin, and the spiritual decay of those who have made or are tempted to make a deal with the Devil.
The Swamp
In Washington Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker," the swamp symbolizes moral decay and the dangerous journey toward damnation.
Tom's Horse
In Washington Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker," Tom's horse symbolizes the corrupt deal he makes with the Devil and the deceptive nature of ill-gotten wealth.
Literary devices · 8
Foreshadowing
In Washington Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker," foreshadowing builds a creeping sense of dread, making Tom's damnation feel unavoidable well before it actually happens.
Satire
In Washington Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker," satire drives the story by mocking the greed, hypocrisy, and moral decay of early American society.
Tone
Washington Irving maintains a darkly comic and sardonic tone throughout "The Devil and Tom Walker," turning what might have been a simple moral tale into a sharp social satire.
Symbolism
In Washington Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker," symbolism serves as the core moral framework of the story.
Irony
In Washington Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker," irony serves as the story's main moral force, highlighting the contrast between Tom's self-righteousness and his corruption.
Hyperbole
In Washington Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker," hyperbole serves as a key driver of satirical comedy, amplifying the flaws of New England society until they appear absurd.
Allegory
In Washington Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker," allegory serves as the story's foundation, embedding a moral critique of American greed within a folk tale.
Personification
In Washington Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker," personification gives a sinister life to the natural world, transforming the landscape into a moral player.
Vocabulary · 19
niggardly
Extremely stingy and unwilling to spend money; miserly to an excessive degree, hoarding wealth rather than using or sharing it.
adjective · Chapter 1
usurer
A moneylender who charges extremely high or illegal rates of interest, preying on people desperate for loans.
noun · Chapter 1
fen
A low, marshy stretch of ground that is waterlogged and boggy, often overgrown with reeds and difficult to cross.
noun · Chapter 1
morass
A stretch of swampy, treacherous ground that is soft and wet underfoot, making passage dangerous or impossible.
noun · Chapter 1
caitiff
An archaic term for a despicable, cowardly, or wretched person; someone regarded as base and contemptible in character.
noun · Chapter 1
spectre
A ghost or frightening apparition, especially one that haunts a particular place and fills those who see it with dread.
noun · Chapter 1
extortioner
A person who obtains money or advantage from others by threats, force, or abusive use of power or authority.
noun · Chapter 1
psalm
A sacred song or hymn, especially one from the biblical Book of Psalms, used here as a show of religious piety.
noun · Chapter 1
catechism
A summary of Christian religious doctrine in question-and-answer form, used for instruction; here carried ostentatiously as a sign of false piety.
noun · Chapter 1
bullion
Gold or silver in the form of bars or ingots, not yet minted into coins; raw precious metal stored as wealth.
noun · Chapter 1
prodigal
Recklessly wasteful with money or resources, spending extravagantly without thought for the future.
adjective · Chapter 1
penuriousness
The quality of being extremely mean and reluctant to spend money; an almost pathological tightfistedness.
noun · Chapter 1
ague
A fever accompanied by fits of shivering and sweating, often associated with malaria; used here to suggest a terrifying physical shock.
noun · Chapter 1
dint
In the phrase 'by dint of,' meaning by means of or through the force of a particular effort or quality.
noun · Chapter 1
apparition
A ghostly or supernatural figure that appears suddenly and unexpectedly, causing fear in the person who witnesses it.
noun · Chapter 1
wampum
Beads made from shells, used by Native Americans as currency or for ceremonial purposes; here referencing buried Indigenous treasure.
noun · Chapter 1
deacon
A lay officer or minor clergyman in a Christian church; here used ironically, as the title is held by a corrupt and dishonest man.
noun · Chapter 1
mortgage
To pledge property as security for a loan, risking losing it if the debt is not repaid; here used to show Tom's ruthless financial dealings.
verb · Chapter 1
zealot
A person who is fanatically devoted to a religion or cause, often to an extreme and intolerant degree; here applied to Tom's sudden, showy religious fervor.
noun · Chapter 1