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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. How does the devil say the Natives sacrificed a white man to him?
2. Where is the pirate treasure buried?
3. Why does Tom decide that he will not agree to the devil's bargain?
4. Why does the narrator say that Tom starts criticizing his neighbors?
5. The swamp is full of quagmires. What does this mean it is full of?
Short Essay Questions
1. What does Tom believe happened to his wife, and why, and how does he feel about it?
2. Explain how Tom develops into a religious hypocrite.
3. What becomes of Tom Walker and all of his wealth?
4. What is the implication of the conversation between the devil and Tom about the ownership of the swamp land?
5. How does the narrator add to the credibility of the story by mentioning the various possible fates of Tom's wife?
6. What implicit racism is there in the description of the fort that once stood in the swamp?
7. What does Tom's wife do as a result of his refusal to make a deal with the devil, and what is the outcome?
8. What do Tom and the devil negotiate about before striking a bargain, and what is the bargain they strike?
9. The devil lists several of his own nicknames for Tom; what pattern can be seen in these names, and what is its significance?
10. What is similar about Tom's fancy house and his religious behavior?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
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 2
How does the story's allusion to the legend of El Dorodo support the overall meaning of the story? Explain the allusion, offer an interpretation, and then explain how it supports the story's theme. Be sure to offer textual support for your claims.
Essay Topic 3
What does this short story seem to suggest about the religious atmosphere of Puritan New England? Write an essay with a thesis that takes into the consideration both positive and negative aspects of the religious life of the story's characters. Be sure to offer textual support for your claims.
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This section contains 1,092 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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