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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the reason the narrator gives for Tom not fearing the devil?

2. What mark does the devil leave on Tom?

3. What does the narrator say his third attempt to evade the devil shows about Tom?

4. Whose clothing does the devil's clothing resemble?

5. Why does Tom tell his wife about his meeting with the devil?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is the guardian of William Kidd's treasure, and why?

2. What does Tom believe happened to his wife, and why, and how does he feel about it?

3. Describe the appearance of the devil in this story.

4. Before Tom and the devil part, how does the devil seal his side of the bargain and what does this allude to?

5. Explain how Tom develops into a religious hypocrite.

6. What is similar about Tom's fancy house and his religious behavior?

7. What two reasons does the narrator give for Tom's fearlessness in the swamp and upon meeting the devil?

8. What natural event happens in the area in 1727, and what is its thematic significance?

9. What do Tom and the devil negotiate about before striking a bargain, and what is the bargain they strike?

10. What does Tom's wife do as a result of his refusal to make a deal with the devil, and what is the outcome?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay in which you explore the casual racism of Irving's short story "The Devil and Daniel Walker." Describe the elements of the story that are racist and explain the irony in this racism, given the stand that Irving takes against the slave trade. Be sure to use quoted textual support for your claims.

Essay Topic 2

Investigate the multiple traditional uses of savin trees as a literary symbol. Write an essay in which you explain which uses Irving probably had in mind and which uses are unlikely to be intended as a part of "The Devil and Tom Walker." Be sure to offer textual support for your claims.

Essay Topic 3

In their time, Washington Irving stories like "The Devil and Tom Walker" were considered to be a kind of horror story. Write an essay in which you identify the elements of horror in this story and discuss how they do or do not succeed in creating a feeling of dread in a modern audience. Be sure to offer textual support for your claims.

(see the answer keys)

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