“the devil and tom walker” do now what skill or item do you desire so badly that you would sell...

““The Devil and Tom The Devil and Tom Walker”Walker”

Do NowDo NowWhat skill or item What skill or item do you desire so do you desire so badly that you badly that you would sell your would sell your soul to the devil?soul to the devil?

““Devil and Tom Walker”Devil and Tom Walker”

One of the themes in One of the themes in “The Devil and Tom “The Devil and Tom Walker” is greedWalker” is greed

You have just proven You have just proven that this theme is still that this theme is still relevant todayrelevant today

D & TW Quiz answersD & TW Quiz answers What is the setting of the story? (time, What is the setting of the story? (time,

place, what is going on in society that may place, what is going on in society that may influence the story?)influence the story?)

Describe the character whom Tom Describe the character whom Tom encounters.encounters.

Where is Tom when he encounters the Where is Tom when he encounters the character?character?

What has Tom done differently this day that What has Tom done differently this day that may have caused this meeting?may have caused this meeting?

What time of day is it?What time of day is it? Based on what you know about the beliefs Based on what you know about the beliefs

of the Puritans, who or what is the of the Puritans, who or what is the character?character?

Do NowDo Now

In what way might a In what way might a banker today respond banker today respond to Irving’s suggestion to Irving’s suggestion that moneylenders that moneylenders are greedy? are greedy?

Discussion questionsDiscussion questions1. In what way does the 1. In what way does the

omniscient third-person narrator omniscient third-person narrator add to your understanding of the add to your understanding of the story?story?

Discussion questionsDiscussion questions2. What 3 things do we learn from 2. What 3 things do we learn from

Tom through direct Tom through direct characterization?characterization?

Discussion questionsDiscussion questions3. What do you learn about the 3. What do you learn about the

relationship between Tom and his relationship between Tom and his wife through indirect wife through indirect characterization? characterization?

Discussion questionsDiscussion questions

4. What inferences can you draw 4. What inferences can you draw about the cultural attitudes of about the cultural attitudes of New Englanders during the New Englanders during the 1720’s, especially in the area of 1720’s, especially in the area of religion? religion?


5. What does the Devil offer 5. What does the Devil offer Tom Walker?Tom Walker?


6. What factors contribute to 6. What factors contribute to Tom’s initial refusal of the Tom’s initial refusal of the Devil’s offer?Devil’s offer?


7. What agreement does Tom 7. What agreement does Tom ultimately make with the ultimately make with the Devil?Devil?


8. As the story progresses, why 8. As the story progresses, why do you think Tom begins to go to do you think Tom begins to go to church and carry a Bible around church and carry a Bible around with him at all times?with him at all times?


9. What does Tom do to cause 9. What does Tom do to cause the narrator to call him a the narrator to call him a “violent churchgoer”?“violent churchgoer”?


10. In what ways is Tom’s approach 10. In what ways is Tom’s approach to religion similar to his approach to to religion similar to his approach to financial dealings?financial dealings?


11. What kind of people do you think 11. What kind of people do you think Tom and his wife are?Tom and his wife are?


12. How do you feel about Tom’s 12. How do you feel about Tom’s fate at the end of the story? Would fate at the end of the story? Would you have felt more sympathy for you have felt more sympathy for Tom if he had sold his soul for Tom if he had sold his soul for something other than money?something other than money?

Modern RetellingModern Retelling

Outline plot of original storyOutline plot of original story Draft or write the parts of the story from Draft or write the parts of the story from

your outline.your outline. Finish writing your portion at homeFinish writing your portion at home Make sure you have all parts of the plot Make sure you have all parts of the plot

modernized:modernized: Conflict:Conflict: a struggle between protagonist a struggle between protagonist

and another person, force, etc. and another person, force, etc. Ex: Tom is presented an offer and Ex: Tom is presented an offer and

contemplates whether or not to acceptcontemplates whether or not to accept

Modern RetellingModern Retelling

Rising ActionRising Action: events that make : events that make conflict more interesting and conflict more interesting and suspensefulsuspenseful

Climax:Climax: conflict is resolved because conflict is resolved because protagonist takes action to end the protagonist takes action to end the conflict.conflict.

Falling Action:Falling Action: events that occur after events that occur after the conflict has endedthe conflict has ended

Resolution:Resolution: end of the story end of the story

Discussion questionsDiscussion questions1. In what way does the omniscient 1. In what way does the omniscient

third-person narrator add to your third-person narrator add to your understanding of the story?understanding of the story?

We learn thoughts about the We learn thoughts about the characters that we wouldn’t know characters that we wouldn’t know otherwise such as: otherwise such as:

Tom: hates his wifeTom: hates his wifeWife: loves moneyWife: loves moneyDevil: lies and manipulates peopleDevil: lies and manipulates people

Discussion questionsDiscussion questions2. What 3 things do we learn from 2. What 3 things do we learn from

Tom through direct characterization?Tom through direct characterization?Tom is greedy, selfish, craftyTom is greedy, selfish, crafty

3. What do you learn about the 3. What do you learn about the relationship between Tom and his relationship between Tom and his wife through indirect wife through indirect characterization? characterization?

They are not happy. They fight They are not happy. They fight frequently. frequently.


4. What inferences can you draw 4. What inferences can you draw about the cultural attitudes of New about the cultural attitudes of New Englanders during the 1720’s, Englanders during the 1720’s, especially in the area of religion? especially in the area of religion?

They are proud of their faith They are proud of their faith and religious beliefs. They saw and religious beliefs. They saw wealth as a connection to the wealth as a connection to the Devil. Devil.


5. What does the Devil offer 5. What does the Devil offer Tom Walker?Tom Walker?

He offers Tom the pirate’s He offers Tom the pirate’s treasure. treasure.


6. What factors contribute to 6. What factors contribute to Tom’s initial refusal of the Devil’s Tom’s initial refusal of the Devil’s offer?offer?

The conditions are hard (doesn’t The conditions are hard (doesn’t want to sell his soul), and Tom want to sell his soul), and Tom wants time to consider them, wants time to consider them, and he doesn’t want to make his and he doesn’t want to make his wife happy. wife happy.


7. What agreement does Tom 7. What agreement does Tom ultimately make with the Devil?ultimately make with the Devil?

Tom agrees to sell his soul in Tom agrees to sell his soul in exchange for the pirate’s exchange for the pirate’s treasure to use it as a treasure to use it as a moneylender or usurer. moneylender or usurer.


8. As the story progresses, why 8. As the story progresses, why do you think Tom begins to go to do you think Tom begins to go to church and carry a Bible around church and carry a Bible around with him at all times?with him at all times?

He regrets his decision and He regrets his decision and hopes his religious zeal will hopes his religious zeal will keep the Devil away. keep the Devil away.


9. What does Tom do to cause 9. What does Tom do to cause the narrator to call him a “violent the narrator to call him a “violent churchgoer”?churchgoer”?

He prays loudly, goes to He prays loudly, goes to church often, and is physical church often, and is physical during the sermons.during the sermons.


10. In what ways is Tom’s approach 10. In what ways is Tom’s approach to religion similar to his approach to to religion similar to his approach to financial dealings?financial dealings?

He is stern supervisor of the He is stern supervisor of the religious activity of his neighbors religious activity of his neighbors in the same way he harasses his in the same way he harasses his debtors. debtors.


11. What kind of people do you think 11. What kind of people do you think Tom and his wife are?Tom and his wife are?

They were selfish, mean, greedy, They were selfish, mean, greedy, self- serving and callous. self- serving and callous.


12. How do you feel about Tom’s fate 12. How do you feel about Tom’s fate at the end of the story? Would you at the end of the story? Would you have felt more sympathy for Tom if have felt more sympathy for Tom if he had sold his soul for something he had sold his soul for something other than money?other than money?

Opinions will vary, but most students Opinions will vary, but most students agree that they would feel more agree that they would feel more sorry for Tom if he sold his soul for sorry for Tom if he sold his soul for something worthwhile. something worthwhile.

“the devil and tom walker” do now what skill or item do you desire so badly that you would sell...

Documents

tom walker slide

tom encounters

discussion questions

story progresses

time of day

indirect characterization

person narrator

irvings suggestion