Human Intent and the Aftermath of It Washington Irving, in writing 'The Devil and Tom Walker', and
Stephen Vincent Benet, in writing 'The Devil and Daniel Webster' illustrate to the reader the conse
quences of man's desire for material wealth and how a person's motivation for a relationship with th
e devil affects the outcome of the 'deal'. In these two different, yet surprisingly similar narrati
ves, the authors present their beliefs about human intent and motive. In 'The Devil and Tom Walker',
the story is seen of a stingy man and his nagging wife who '...were so miserly that they even consp
ired to cheat each other' (128). In the story, one sees a man make a deal with the devil, who in the
story is known as 'Old Scratch', for the sole purpose of personal gain. Tom Walker, seeing only th
e possible wealth that he could achieve, bargains with the devil and finally reaches an agreement wh
ich he sees to be fair. Tom does not see the danger present in bargaining with such a powerful forc
e for so little gain. There is a note of humor present in the narrative, which adds to the sense of
danger that is present making deals that one does not intend to keep. Commenting on the story, Lar
ry L. Stevens notes that 'This tale,..., comically presents the results of valuing the dollar abov
e all else.' This story does a very good job of conveying a message to the reader about human value
s. In the story Tom is seen as a very self-centered man who cares only for himself and his own well
being. He is not even phased when he discovers the remains of his wife hanging in a apron in a tree
; 'Tom consoled himself for the loss of his property with the loss of his wife' (132). Tom is por
trayed in the story as being typical of many of the citizens who lived in the town, many of who's na
mes Old Scratch had carved into the bark of a tree near the Indian Fort. When the devil shows Tom a
tree for a greedy townsperson, he fails to see that he is very much like that tree when he 'looked
in the direction that the stranger pointed and beheld one of the great trees, fair and flourishing w
ithout, but rotten at the core' (130). As time passes after Tom has made his deal with the devil, an
d he is working as a usurer in Boston, squeezing every last cent out of the unlucky speculators that
walked through his door, Tom begins to wonder whether he made the right choice when he dealt with O
ld Scratch: 'He thought with regret on the bargain he had made with his black friend, and set his w
its to work to cheat him out of the conditions' (134). Tom's decision to attempt to cheat the devil
becomes his downfall. Tom now begins a routine of attending a Church service and praying loudly fo
r everyone to hear, and he outfits himself with two Bibles which he thinks will protect him to the e
nd. In a great irony Irving tells of how Tom will put down his Bible for a few minutes while he for
ecloses a mortgage of some poor borrower, and the resumes his reading when he is finished. Stevens r
ecognized this irony and noted that 'Irving has a keen eye for the ironies and contradictions of hum
an behavior.' Irving presents the reader with the difficulty that can arise when intentions are bas
ed solely on personal gain. In the story, one sees how Tom Walker's actions contradict each other i
n their meaning and purpose. It is seen in the story how Tom walker would show his devotion to the
Church and to God, when he was truly only trying to protect himself from when the devil came to coll
ect what was due. Stevens summarized Tom's actions by noting that '...the tale clearly satirizes th
ose who make a public show of devotion while retaining meanness of spirit'. Irving does a very good
job of demonstrating the ill consequences that can and most likely will be a result of man's lack of
caring, and possibly ignorance. Had Tom Walker thought upon the deal more thoroughly, instead of j
umping right into it, he most likely would not have suffered the terrible outcome of the deal. If h
e had realized that the wealth that he would achieve would be useless to him in the end, he would pr
obably be living in his old house, unhappy and without a wife, but at least he would have had his di
gnity, for he could know that he did not sink to such lows as to give up his soul for a few years of
unhappy wealth. The humor present in the tale does help to add a bit of liveliness to the narrativ
e, keeping it from being completely dreary and having a melancholy-like mood. 'While the selling of
one's soul and the inhumane consequences of greed are significant, they become subjects for laughte
r through Irving's character portrayals and his use of ironic understatement', insightfully noted St
evens of this, one of Irving's finest works. In 'The Devil and Daniel Webster', the reader learns th
e story of an extremely unlucky New England farmer named Jabez Stone, who like Tom Walker, makes a d
eal with the devil for personal gain. In the narrative, Jabez is frustrated with the illness of hi
s wife, the condition of his animals, and his unproductive crops. Jabez inadvertently summons the d
evil and makes a deal with him, stipulating that Jabez would have great success in all his undertaki
ngs, and that in seven years time, he would relinquish his soul to the devil, known in this story as
'Scratch' or 'Mr. Scratch'. However when the time comes for Jabez to give the devil what is legal
ly his, he manages to bargain for a three year extension. When that time is almost over, Jabez emp
loys the services of the notes speaker Daniel Webster, who, in the end, wins for Jabez stone his fre
edom and makes the devil put in writing that no New Hampshireman will be bothered by him again until
'doomsday'. There is one striking difference present between the two stories, and it is a very sign
ificant factor when analyzing the outcome of each character's separate bargains. That is the intenti
ons that each one had when they made their deals. In 'The Devil and Tom Walker', Tom Walker bargain
s with the devil strictly for personal gain, without considering the needs of others. He does not s
ee how his miserly ways are ruining him and he suffers severe consequences because of it. In 'The D
evil and Daniel Webster', Jabez Stone signs a contract with the devil to save his family from starva
tion. He was thinking of others when he signed the contract, and not himself. That is what leads t
o Webster's strong point for his defense of Jabez Stone, 'Then he turned to Jabez Stone...an ordinar
y man who'd had hard luck and wanted to change it. And, because he'd wanted to change it, now he wa
s going to be punished for all eternity' (641). The story is truly a credit to the true Daniel Webst
er, as David Peck eloquently noted: 'The story tapped America's love for folklore and legend,..., it
re-created the story of a genuine American hero.' A 'genuine American hero' is what Webster is tru
ly portrayed as in this narrative. Peck also noted that 'The story is praise not only for Daniel We
bster, however, but also for his country, for the two are inextricably intertwined.' This story als
o hints to the fact even though people may seem to be cruel and hard on the outside, they can be tru
ly caring and compassionate. The political and spiritual lessons to be learned from 'The Devil and
Daniel Webster' are those which are very important to the existence and survival of every human bein
g alive today. Both 'The Devil and Tom Walker' and 'The Devil and Daniel Webster' both are beautiful
ly written masterpieces of American literature that will undoubtedly be cherished for generations of
readers to come. This beauty comes from each authors uniquely different American heritage which ad
ds a certain flavor to each of the works. This is all summed up by Edward Wagenknecht in his 'Washin
gton Irving: Moderation Displayed', in reference to the book in which 'The Devil and Tom Walker' wa
s published: ''The Devil and Tom Walker' is,..., the finest narrative in this part of the book'.
Works Cited Adventures in American Literature. Ed. Fannie Safier et al. Athena Edition.
Austin: Holt, 1996. Benet, Stephen Vincent. 'The Devil and Daniel Webster'. in Adventures in Ame
rican Literature. Ed. Fannie Safier et al. Athena Edition. Austin: Holt, 1996. 635-643. Disco
vering Authors. Macintosh. CD-ROM. Detroit: Gale Research, 1993. Irving, Washington. 'The Devi
l and Tom Walker'. in Adventures in American Literature. Ed. Fannie Safier et al. Athena Edition
. Austin: Holt, 1996. 128-135. Masterplots II: Short Story Series. Ed. Frank N. Magill. Vol
. 2. Pasadena: Salem Press, 1989. Peck, David. Masterplots II: Short Story Series. Ed. Frank
N. Magill. Vol. 2. Pasadena: Salem Press, 1989. 575-578. Stewart, Larry L. Masterplots II:
Short Story Series. Ed. Frank N. Magill. Vol. 2. Pasadena: Salem Press, 1989. 579-581. Wagenk
necht, Edward. 'Washington Irving: Moderation Displayed'. Oxford UP. 1962. 233. in Discovering
Authors. Macintosh. CD-ROM. Detroit: Gale Research, 1993. 3.human intent aftermath washington
irving writing devil walker stephen vincent benet writing devil daniel webster illustrate reader con
sequences desire material wealth person motivation relationship with devil affects outcome deal thes
e different surprisingly similar narratives authors present their beliefs about human intent motive
walker story seen stingy nagging wife were miserly that they even conspired cheat each other story s
ees make deal with story known scratch sole purpose personal gain walker seeing only possible wealth
that could achieve bargains with finally reaches agreement which sees fair does danger present barg
aining such powerful force little gain there note humor present narrative which adds sense danger th
at making deals does intend keep commenting larry stevens notes this tale comically presents results
valuing dollar above else this does very good conveying message reader about human values seen very
self centered cares only himself well being even phased when discovers remains wife hanging apron t
ree consoled himself loss property loss wife portrayed being typical many citizens lived town many n
ames scratch carved into bark tree near indian fort when shows tree greedy townsperson fails very mu
ch like when looked direction stranger pointed beheld great trees fair flourishing without rotten co
re time passes after made deal working usurer boston squeezing every last cent unlucky speculators w
alked through door begins wonder whether made right choice dealt scratch thought regret bargain made
black friend wits work cheat conditions decision attempt cheat becomes downfall begins routine atte
nding church service praying loudly everyone hear outfits himself bibles which thinks will protect g
reat irony irving tells will down bible minutes while forecloses mortgage some poor borrower resumes
reading finished stevens recognized this irony noted irving keen ironies contradictions behavior pr
esents reader difficulty arise intentions based solely personal gain sees actions contradict each ot
her their meaning purpose seen would show devotion church truly only trying protect from came collec
t what stevens summarized actions noting tale clearly satirizes those make public show devotion whil
e retaining meanness spirit good demonstrating consequences most likely will result lack caring poss
ibly ignorance thought upon more thoroughly instead jumping right into most likely would have suffer
ed terrible outcome realized wealth would achieve useless probably living house unhappy without leas
t have dignity could know sink such lows give soul years unhappy humor tale help liveliness narrativ
e keeping from being completely dreary having melancholy like mood while selling soul inhumane conse
quences greed significant they become subjects laughter through character portrayals ironic understa
tement insightfully noted finest works daniel webster learns extremely unlucky england farmer named
jabez stone like makes personal narrative jabez frustrated illness condition animals unproductive cr
ops jabez inadvertently summons makes stipulating have great success undertakings seven years time r
elinquish soul known however time comes give what legally manages bargain three year extension almos
t over employs services notes speaker daniel webster wins stone freedom makes writing hampshireman b
othered again until doomsday there striking difference between stories significant factor analyzing
outcome each character separate bargains intentions they their deals bargains strictly without consi
dering needs others miserly ways ruining suffers severe because stone signs contract save family fro
m starvation thinking others signed contract what leads strong point defense then turned ordinary ha
rd luck wanted change because wanted change going punished eternity truly credit true david peck elo
quently noted tapped america love folklore legend created genuine american hero genuine american her
o truly portrayed peck also praise however also country inextricably intertwined also hints fact eve
n though people seem cruel hard outside caring compassionate political spiritual lessons learned tho
se important existence survival every alive today both both beautifully written masterpieces america
n literature undoubtedly cherished generations readers come beauty comes authors uniquely different
heritage adds certain flavor works summed edward wagenknecht washington moderation displayed referen
ce book published finest part book works cited adventures literature fannie safier athena edition au
stin holt benet stephen vincent adventures literature fannie safier athena edition austin holt disco
vering authors macintosh detroit gale research washington adventures fannie safier athena edition au
stin holt masterplots short series frank magill pasadena salem press peck david masterplots short se
ries frank magill pasadena salem press stewart larry masterplots short series frank magill pasadena
salem press wagenknecht edward moderation displayed oxford discovering macintosh detroit gale resear
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