Name: ________________________________________
THE DEVIL AND TOM WALKER
ENGLISH III
PRINCIOTTA
Text Analysis: Satire
Satire is a literary technique that ridicules people, customs, or institutions with the
purpose of improving society. Satire is often subtle. Indicators of satire include humor,
Exaggeration, absurd situations, and irony.
Directions: In the chart, write a satiric statement from the story about each topic.
Then explain what message Washington Irving is trying to communicate.
Topic
Statement
Message
Women
The Puritan attitude
The slave trade
Moneylenders
Reading Check
Directions: answer the questions in complete sentences.
1.Give Two Character traits That Tom and his wife share.
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2.Where does Tom Walker meet the devil?
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3.Describe the arrangement that the devil offers to Tom. What Job does the Devil Want Tom to do
That Tom refuses to do?
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4.What kind of business does Tom agree to do for the Devil?
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5.How does Tom behave when he is older and nearing death?
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6.What happens to Tom and his wealth at the end of the tale?
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Analysis
Directions: Answer the questions in Complete sentences.
1. Compare Character Traits: As Tom gets older, he begins to worry about his actions and becomes a
“violent churchgoer.” Does Tom really change when he starts going to church? Explain.
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2. Draw Conclusions: Is there any way Tom could have escaped the consequences of his deal with
the devil? Explain why or why not citing specific examples from the story.
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3. Analyze Imagery: The author says that Tom built a “vast house, out of ostentation; but left the
greater part of it unfinished and unfurnished, out of parsimony” (lines 270–272). What do these lines
say about Tom’s character?
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Paying the price
Tom Walker goes to extreme lengths to acquire wealth. Are there things in life that are worth
paying any price for? If so, what are they, and What are the consequences of seeking them?
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