The location of the story is New England, an area with a history of tales of witches and evil spirits. The location where Tom Walker meets the devil is particularly grim, dark, dank and overgrown. It also has large trees, and those trees are supposedly landmarks used by Captain Kidd, a pirate who hid treasure there. Captain Kidd, another nasty person, is also associated with this ugly and uninviting location. The narrator explains that stolen money is hidden in this location, and such locations are known to be presided over by the devil himself. Indians are rumored to have lived there and murdered white settlers. Again, the location is painted as ugly, treacherous and even evil.

Tom Walker, a greedy and miserly person, is the main character in the story. Tom is offered riches by the devil, but at first he balks and says he...