Immediately he accepts the offer and says he will do what ever it takes to get the riches, basically selling his soul to the devil. Throughout the story, Walker’s estranged and miserly relationship with his wife, his self-beneficial life choices that harm others, and his unfortunate and pitiful death, demonstrate horrible occurrences in a greed-filled lifestyle. One story containing the theme of entrapment is “The Devil and Tom Walker” by Washington Irving. Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Plot Summary of “The Devil and Tom Walker” by Washington Irving. An American literary folk tale, “The Devil and Tom Walker” condemns the greed and moral decay prevalent in colonial New England. Irving’s moral is clear:”Such was the end of Tom Walker and his ill-gotten wealth. Even Tom, a character driven by greed and self interest, will not engage in the slave trade. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Let all griping money-brokers lay this story to heart.” Hypocrisy . My favorite story to read was, "The Devil and Tom Walker." Romanticism within literature stretched the inner feelings of characters and challenged them to change their pasts. The Devil and Tom Walker Theme: "The Devil and Tom Walker" is a short story by Washington Irving, first published in a collection called Tales of a Traveler in 1824. Irving incorporates entrapment when he explains Tom Walker's house and how “The house and its inmates had altogether a bad name” (Irving 322). Irving’s tale makes strong social commentary against the slave trade and religious persecution. In this article of Literary criticism for The Devil and Tom Walker by Joyce Moss and George Wilson, Moss and Wilson point out some key themes and ideas behind the short story, including greed and selfishness, and also focuses on the events that influenced Irving's story. "The Devil and Tom Walker" is an example of romanticism in American literature. The Devil ( Old Scratch): temptation. Mrs. Walker is a person who just wants all the treasure for herself and is a very greedy. One theme found in The Devil and Tom Walker is greed has consequences. The rotted trees in the forest: the moral decay of society. Social Commentary. Theme Of Greed In The Devil And Tom Walker 960 Words | 4 Pages. In the story “ The Devil and Tom Walker” by Washington Irving, the theme of greed is exaggerated through Tom Walker’s life story. Tom Walker: greed and hypocrisy. Romanticism was an artistic movement in the 19th century that promoted individuality, emotion, love and nature. The shortcut through the swamp: “shortcuts” to wealth. The theme of the story is how greed will make people do whatever it takes to get what they want and for Tom Walker, it is talking and making a deal with the evil, mischievous devil. The Bible buried under mortgage papers: greed and moral decay. Hypocrisy is evident throughout “The Devil and Tom Walker.” When agreeing to the terms of the deal, Tom refuses to become a slave-trade because he claims to have a conscience. Tom walker and his wife had a very unstable relationship. This is a strong condemnation of … THEMES IN THE DEVIL AND TOM WALKER. When approached by the Devil, also know as "Old Scratch, Tom is offered great wealth and riches beyond his imagination. The Devil and Tom Walker Summary. This story is about a man named Tom Walker who took a shortcut home one day and ended up at an abandoned Indian fort, or at least he thought it was abandoned. What does the narrator reveal about Mrs. Walker's thoughts and feelings? 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