Would you give yourself up to the devil to achieve wealth, fame, and power? In "The Devil and Tom Walker" a short story by Washington Irving, first published in 1824. The story tells of a man named Tom Walker. One day, Tom meets the devil, who appears to him in the form of an old dark man and offers him great wealth in exchange for his soul. Tom initially resists the devil's offer, but eventually agrees, and becomes a wealthy and powerful man. Eventually, the devil comes to collect Tom's soul, and Tom is never seen again along with all of his possessions. The story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of greed and the consequences of making deals with the devil. Irving adapts omens and grotesqueness; two gothic elements into this short story. …show more content…
No other person but Tom would have wanted, “to linger in this lonely, melancholy place, for the common people had a bad opinion of it” (Irving 58-59). Also, Tom “waited and waited for her, but in vain: midnight came, but she did not make her appearance: morning, noon, night returned, but still she did not come” (Irving 157-159). The swampy forest in “Devil and Tom Walker” is described to be a lonely and depressing place. As others avoid this place Tom willingly stays in the swampy forest showing he would do what others would not do. While Tom is in the swampy forest he declines the devil's offer. When he reaches his house and later tells his wife about it she personally goes to the same place to strike an offer with the devil herself. Only to not come back because she is never heard from again. Irving used an omen to create suspicion about what could have happened to Tom’s