Tom Walker addresses a typical setting and theme of American Romanticism. As the young nation matured, the woods became symbolic of individualism, passionate self-discovery that moved past the book learning of now crowded cities. The woods changed from a threatening place of danger to life, limb and soul (just ask the folks in Salem). Man was left in the woods surrounded by nature to investigate his own being and moral makeup. Here Tom Walker faces his insatiable greed and does not learn his lesson.
A typical theme of American Romanticism would involve man’s weakness for easy wealth and cruelty to others. Slavery, spousal disharmony, greed and sloth are portrayed in this cautionary tale. Romanticism moved us into a new mode of thought, but obviously the traditional American work ethic was to be preserved.
In "The Devil and Tom Walker" there are several events which qualify as unexplainable beyond a shadow of a doubt or strange and eerie. One of these is the legend of the hidden pirate treasure and the other is the old Indian fort nearby where Tom and his wife live. Both of these factors hold the people's interest and intrigue their imaginations based on the lure of treasure and the strange and unfamiliar Indian ceremonies and burial grounds. …show more content…
Along with this belief in heavenly hosts came a belief in Satan (the devil), who is referred to in this work as "the dark woodman" or "Old Scratch." It was not uncommon for people of this era to believe that one could strike deals with the devil in a Faustian fashion, but the other portion of that belief always stated that the price paid by those who did such dealings was entirely too great -- meaning one had to sacrifice one's soul in order to receive the promised benefits from Satan
A typical theme of American Romanticism would involve man’s weakness for easy wealth and cruelty to others. Slavery, spousal disharmony, greed and sloth are portrayed in this cautionary tale. Romanticism moved us into a new mode of thought, but obviously the traditional American work ethic was to be preserved.
In "The Devil and Tom Walker" there are several events which qualify as unexplainable beyond a shadow of a doubt or strange and eerie. One of these is the legend of the hidden pirate treasure and the other is the old Indian fort nearby where Tom and his wife live. Both of these factors hold the people's interest and intrigue their imaginations based on the lure of treasure and the strange and unfamiliar Indian ceremonies and burial grounds. …show more content…
Along with this belief in heavenly hosts came a belief in Satan (the devil), who is referred to in this work as "the dark woodman" or "Old Scratch." It was not uncommon for people of this era to believe that one could strike deals with the devil in a Faustian fashion, but the other portion of that belief always stated that the price paid by those who did such dealings was entirely too great -- meaning one had to sacrifice one's soul in order to receive the promised benefits from Satan