Differences And Similarities Between The Devil And Tom Walker

Two stories written years apart both focused on the same concept but went different directions. Both stories had had a different portrayal of the Devil, function of faith, and ending. The Faust Legend, which has been used in many stories, played a big role in “The Devil and Daniel Webster” and “The Devil and Tom Walker.” A large portion of the similarities between the two stories stem from their roots in the Faust legend. The Faust Legend is basically the prospect of someone selling their soul to the Devil. “The Devil and Tom Walker” showed a dirty, uncouth Devil. This Devil was ruthless and underhanded. He was called Scratch, and he was not afraid to get his hands dirty. He was covered in soot and killed Mrs. Walker and put her heart and liver in the apron where she had put her valuables. Scratch was not a fool despite what appearances may have suggested. He bought Tom Walker’s soul and put him to work in the meantime though it took him a while to pendown the right work for him to do. In “The Devil and Daniel Webster,” the Devil was also underhanded, but he was clean and clever where Scratch was uncouth. This Devil struck fast, but he was in it for the long haul; he even gave Mr. Stone an extension. …show more content…
Tom Walker was not much of a man of faith until he thought it could save the soul he traded away (but I would say Mr. Walker did not have real faith even then) whereas Mr. Stone was a religious man from the beginning. Tom Walker was a greedy man and even the the safety of his soul was not worth more to him than profit. It is an interesting contrast to Mr. Stone whose pride was what kept him from keeping his soul safe. He was a religious man but he would not take back his word and his word said he would trade his soul to the Devil for next to nothing because of his bad