SATIRE in “The Devil and Tom Walker”

By Washington Irving

A Definition

• SATIRE – Literature that exposes in order to ridicule the vices or follies of people or societies.

Satire in the Tall Tale

• Irving satirizes greedy people, especially those whose wealth is ill-gotten or gained through the bad luck of others.

Satire

• Irving pokes fun at this type of person through his exaggerated characterization of Tom and his wife.

 Greed

  Tom was so greedy. He justcouldn’t see straight.

Examples of Exaggeration

• Neither Tom’s nor his wife’s character is believable. Why?

• The wife is so greedy that she hides eggs from her husband.

• Tom is not only eager to trade his soul for wealth, but his greed is greater than even the devil’s.

Greed

  Tom was so greedy. He couldn’t see straight.

Other Examples of Tom’s Character That Add a Comic Effect

• Greed – charges more interest than even the devil suggests

• Hypocrisy – has sold soul to the devil but criticizes others for being sinful

• Miserliness – won’t even spend money to feed horses or grease his wagon wheels

Other Examples of Tom’s Character That Add a Comic Effect (cont.)

• Foolishness – trades peace of mind (and eternity) for wealth

• Stubbornness – wants to make a deal with the devil but doesn’t because his wife wants him to

Examples

• Topic 1: Women

Quote: “The lonely wayfarer shrunk within himself at the horrid clamor and clapper-clawing; eyed the den of discord askance; and hurried on his way, rejoicing, if a bachelor, in his celibacy.”(lines 35-37)

Message: It is better not to marry than to marry a woman who argues and fights.

• Quote: "She had probably attempted to deal with the deal with the black man as she had been accustomed to deal with her husband; but though a female scold is generally considered a match for the devil, yet in this instance she appears to have had the worst of it." (lines 199-202)

Message: A woman’s anger is bad, but the devil is worse.

•

Quote: "He insisted that the money befound through his means should be employed in his services." (lines 223-224)

Message: Moneylenders always want the money to be spent to benefit them.

• Quote: "I am the great patron and prompter of slave dealers, and the grand master of the Salem witches." (Lines 117-118)

Message: The slave trade is an act of the devil. 

• Topic 2: Women

Quote: "All her avarice was awakened at the mention of hidden gold, and she urged her husband to comply with the black man's terms, and secure what would make them wealthy for life." (Lines 151-153)

Message: Women are greedy and will do anything to get money and be wealthy.

• Topic 1: Selfishness

Quote: "I must take care of myself in these hard times." (lines 311-312)

Message: When hard times present themselves, people will worry about themselves.

• topic 1: Confidence

Quote: "Tom Walker, however, was not a man to be troubled with any fears of the kind" (line 68)

Message: A man will never let his fear be shown even it the most intense moments.

• Topic 2: money

Quote: "you are the usurer for my money!" said blacklegs with delight. "When will you want the rhino?""This very night"

Message: People would do anything for money

• Topic 1: Greed"all of her avarice was awakened at the mention of hidden gold, and she urged her husband to comply with the black man's rules. (lines 151-153)Tom's wife was always greedy, asproved by the situation with the eggs, but this just enforced it more. In other words this newly found fame was right up her ally. 

• Topic 1: greedQuote: "you are the usurer for my money!" Message: money is the center of all evil

• Topic 1: Brutalality"Tom's wife was a tall termagant, fierce of temper, loud of tongue, and strong of arm. Her voice was often heard in wordy warfare with her husband; and his face sometimes showed signs that their conflicts were not confined to words."

• topic: greedquote: "all these were under his command, and protected by his power, so that none could find them but such as propitiated his favor.“

•message: people will make a deal with the devil for money

• topic: selfishquote: "she determined to drive the bargain on her own account, and if she succeeded, to keep all the gain herself."message: his wife would keep and what she gain for herself.

Themes

• The preceding quotes show the major themes of the story.

• Providing textual evidence is a skill that delineates a good reader.