The Devil And Daniel Webster Analysis

“The Devil and Tom Walker” and “The Devil and Daniel Webster”-- these Faust legends tell stories of ordinary men with thirsts for wealth and luck only in exchange for their very souls. Both were written in different time periods, where certain events and happenings influenced each of the stories and their conflicts. Washington Irving wrote “The Devil and Tom Walker” during a time of economic boom (1824). Stephen Vincent Benet wrote “The Devil and Daniel Webster” during a time of economic depression (1937). Despite the stories’ titles, both have different resolutions, depictions of the devil, and saving graces in the end. 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

Each story is unique with their own resolutions and the different portrayal of the devil depictions. The religious influences as well as the “opening of eyes or saving graces” were equally influential to the plot lines. Both pieces of literature describe the struggles of the human need for wealth and what one will do to get it. Although both stories were written in complete different centuries and economic times, both lead to the problems of what the desire for greed and wealth can