The Devil And Tom Walker

While both of the short stories “The Devil and Tom Walker” and “The Devil and Daniel Webster” are both used to show the downfall of wealth, the two stories vary in many different ways. Both short stories have detailed descriptions of the devil, both had some ‘religion’ involved, and both had conclusions which were for the most part resolved.

The short stories both indicate to the reader how the devil is portrayed. “The Devil and Tom Walker” depicts the devil as a black man dressed in some form of Indian garments and he looked like he worked with fire. In detail, the man is described as this: “The stranger was neither negro nor Indian. It is true, he was dressed in a rude, half Indian garb, and had a red belt or sash swathed around his body,

“The Devil and Tom Walker” shows religion in the way that reflects hypocrisy. Tom Walker was a religious more or less and he had sold his soul to the devil. When he had sold his soul to the devil, he was plentiful and became rich, but as time began to creep on Tom began to wonder what would become of him after he died. Tom became a notorious churchgoer, brought his Bible wherever he went and did whatever he could to try and change his fate. “He had left his little Bible at the bottom of his coat pocket, and his big Bible on the desk buried under the mortgage he was about to foreclose: never was a sinner taken more unawares” (Irving, 1824, p. 9). There was no use; he was unable to change what would become of him, he and all of his fortune were obliterated and never seen again. “The Devil and Daniel Webster” shows more of a saving grace than complete religion."The defense rests," said Dan 'l Webster, and stood there like a mountain” (Benet, 1936, p. 20) "The jury has considered its verdict," he said and looked the stranger full in the eye. "We find for the defendant, Jabez Stone."(Benet, 1936, p. 20). When Jabez Stone sold his soul to the devil, he was prosperous and had better motives than Tom. Jabez wanted to assist his family and become unlucky, so in resolving this, he sold his soul to the devil. When the time had come for the devil to take Jabez Stone, he went and got help from Daniel Webster. Daniel