Comparing Endings And Resolutions In Washington Irving's The Devil And Daniel Webster

Earlier when he got the idea his "smile stretched like a weary snake waking up by a fire. " The snake simile suggests the devil and evil acts, as opposed to his chance at salvation. He will choose to listen to this devil as he abandons Lucynell, an angel of Gawd, at The Hot Spot. Throughout the story Tom had showed some good in him but ultimately he was evil. He was only looking to his own advantage and did whatever he felt the need to to get there.

He had to learn how to play the devil and become smarter than him. The devil took many things away from Tom, but he didn’t let that stop him. This story gave a great lesson, and really brings out the greatness in Irving’s writing. The way Irving writes really portrays the characters with much description really brings them to life.

In return, the wife decides to make the same deal, but dies in the proces. After a few days go by, he has to go find his wife because she hasn't returned. He then encounters the Devil again and agrees to the deal. Tom is now rich, and no longer has his sole. Tom regrets his decision and repents for his sin.

Once Roy leaves, the sky turns dark and Tom gets scared. He goes to lock the doors in his office because he knows what is about to happen. Tom’s end of the deal was to sell insurance at ridiculous prices and every customer must buy the insurance. With Roy leaving without purchasing the insurance, Tom had failed. Now the devil has come to take Tom’s soul.

(pg 272) Overall, The Story of Tom Brennan is a novel about pain and suffering and virtually every main character in it feels some degree of it. Some feel it more than others. Tom suffered tremendously and more than anyone else even when compared to Fin or Daniel, even though Fin was irreversibly harmed physically and Daniel had to life with the debt he felt he owed to everyone. Tom’s life, or what was left of it, was never going back to normal and it was because of

At first glance, one may think the resolutions of the stories would be exactly the same, but they actually are not. In “The Devil and Tom Walker”, the main character, Tom Walker, makes a deal with the devil in order to become wealthy. The devil comes to Tom Walker when their deal comes to a close, and Tom runs away from all of his wealthy gains and problems, losing everything. In “The Devil and Daniel Webster”, the main character, Jabez Stone, also makes a deal with the devil in order to become prosperous and lucky, but his luck eventually runs out and the devil comes for him. Jabez Stone, however, does not get taken by the devil and is saved by his neighbor, Daniel Webster, who makes sure the devil

Tom thinks about how if he dies, the only thing in his pocket will be a sheet of paper with calculations and observations about a grocery story. He thinks about how to the people that find him, it will mean nothing. He thinks to himself, “Contents of the dead man’s pockets, he thought with a sudden fierce anger, a wasted life.” (p 123) He realizes that he has wasted his life focusing on things that are not important.

Compare and Contrast In the stories “The Devil and Tom Walker” by Washington Irving and “The Devil and Daniel Webster” by Stephen Vincent Benét there are many similarities as well as differences. Both stories are centered around a devil, in both stories the main character sells his soul, both settings were in North East. Some differences that will be pointed out are the differences in the devil's appearance, the length of the deals, the families, and the outcome of the two stories. Tom Walker and Jabez Stone were two very completely different men with the same problem, and a completely different outcome.

After Tom agreed to think of the offer the Devil made him, the Devil then leaves his

in the beginning of the story is probably frustration and exited. Because Tom got refused to come with his father. During the middle of the

Then he realizes that he was not going to stay with his money when he die. At the end, he helped his employee with a monetary situation. Further, he went to his nephew’s Christmas dinner. Significantly, this novel helps people retrain the meaning of being humble and kind with others. Something that is very important about this novel is that it teaches a lesson of helping others, because you are not going to stay with your money when you die.

He was tormented by society because of his actions from his past, towards a child. This, as well as the death of his friend, made Tom suffer severely. Tom, had lots of faith in God, which he though should have helped save his friend. Once Tom lost faith, he agonised and was doubtful of almost everything. This torment can be seen through the simile, “Tom is like the dark interior of a house”, as Tom is looked upon by society as bad and as a madman, going crazy from his past.

Tom not only stays with his mother and sister well into adulthood but he also does not pursue a wife, a well paying job or a family of his own. Instead Tom dreams of a life that is more: a life filled with exploration, like the ones in the movies he adores. Throughout the play, Tom argues with his mother, drinks heavily and goes to the movies to forget about his problems. In this melancholy life filled with dissatisfaction he finds comfort in his sister who is shy, sweet and undeserving of the harshness life has thrown as her.

Both of these stories use the theme of isolation, madness, symbolism and have an ironic ending.

His account recalls the dangers of British society shown through his encounters with the Wapping dame who cheats him out of his money. The difference of Tom’s account is that only has one profession, that of a sailor, throughout his life. His travels are not the focus of the account more of a side effect of his profession. Additionally Tom’s station alters only when he has the funds to provide a better quality of life, which he quickly loses to excessive charity. The account demonstrates the difficulties of the lower classes while also demonstrating that they receive some benefit from the