Devil And Tom Walker Abuse

Words: 446
Pages: 2
Open Document
In Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Black Cat” and Washington Irving’s “The Devil and Tom Walker”, the women’s spouses treat them like property, thus symbolizing their husbands’ weakness in a male-dominated society. The narrator in “The Black Cat” is an accurate portrayal of alcohol abuse and the violent effects it has on the abuser and their family. In fact, the narrator refers to his wife as “the most usual and most patient of [his] sufferers” (Poe 11). To begin the story, the narrator describes his crimes while in his prison cell, the day before his hanging. He is an average townsmen who dominates his wife and the many animals she provides him with. As time goes on, due to his misuse of alcohol, he begins to beat and torture her and their …show more content…
The short story provides information about the protagonist’s encounter with Satan and leads up to Tom exclaiming to his wife about his experience as he comes home. When his spouse attempts to persuade him to sell his soul in order to gain wealth, Tom does not want to satisfy her. With “the same fearless temper as her husband”, she sets out to find the Devil to execute the deal herself (Irving 159). When she fails to return home, Tom sets off for the forest and spots her apron, leaping “with joy” because of the supposed “household values” it carries (Irving 192). This moment elucidates Tom Walker’s weakness by exposing his undying greed. Before all else, Tom Walker is a man full of avarice and Irving represents this through the apron. When Mr. Walker stumbles upon his wife’s garment, the idea of riches entices him more than the well being of his significant other. His desire for wealth replaces the love he should have for his wife, thus symbolizing his weakness. Therefore, in “The Black Cat” and “The Devil and Tom Walker”, Poe and Irving utilize the role of women to highlight the poor qualities hidden in the main male characters, and show the moral issues that eventually leads to their
Show More

Related Documents: Devil And Tom Walker Abuse

Satire In 'The Devil And Tom Walker'

“The Devil and Tom Walker” “The Devil and Tom Walker” was written in the 1720’s based in the general area of New England. Satire is used a great number of times in “The Devil and Tom Walker.” Irving uses satire to criticize or ridicule individuals in the story. He shows this one way by criticizing Quakers and Anabaptists. Irving uses humor as a weapon to criticize elements of society. The three main social criticisms he uses are religion, statements on marriage, and the white establishment or…

Words 330 - Pages 2

The Devil And Tom Walker Satire Essay

In “The Devil and Tom Walker”, Washington Irving uses satire effectively to reveal the wrong ideas about religion, greed, and unhealthy marriage. Satire is the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices. Particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. Irving uses satire to show the readers how not to practice your religion. Tom expresses greed throughout this novel. He makes a deal with the devil, which was he…

Words 694 - Pages 3

Examples Of Satire In The Devil And Tom Walker

The Devil and Tom Walker Essay Satire is when someone makes fun of or criticizes a particular social group. Irving, the author of “The Devil and Tom Walker uses satire in his story when he criticizes religion, slave trade, and marriage. This story takes place in Boston around the 1700’s. Irving criticizes the elements of society today. He makes fun of religion, organized religions/religion types, and slave trade. In the story he says that the character Old Scratch “Amuses himself by presiding…

Words 478 - Pages 2

Comparing Evil In John Irving's The Devil And Tom Walker

happens. Someone is either getting robbed, killed, shot, or all of the above. In this story The Devil and Tom Walker, it shows how evil people can be and the crooked things they can do. Irving uses Tom, the Devil, and Tom’s wife to express how disgruntled the characters are. Tom’s wife exemplifies how demanding, violent, and greedy she is. He tries to get Tom to steal treasure after she screams and abuses him. Irving says “Tom's wife was a tall termagant, fierce of temper, loud of tongue, and strong…

Words 511 - Pages 3