Similarities Between The Devil And Tom Walker

Washington Irving once said, "The sorrow for the dead is the only sorrow from which we refuse to be divorced. Every other wound we seek to heal- every other affliction to forget: but this wound we consider it a duty to keep open- this affliction we cherish and brood over in solitude."(brainyquotes.com). In the book's The Devil and Tom Walker and Rip Van Winkle, there are multiple similarities between the two stories. In the book's The Devil and Tom Walker and Rip Van Winkle, Washington Irving makes many comparisons through the setting, male protagonist, female antagonist, and mystical characters to show they are alike.

We see definite similarities in the setting of both of these stories. Bodies of water play an important role in the setting

In the two stories, the male protagonists show many similarities. In The Devil and Tom Walker, Tom is described as being very lazy. "They lived in a forlorn-looking house that stood alone and had an air of starvation." In this part of the story, Tom's house is an example of how lazy he is. He does not take care of his house or his land. Similarly in Rip Van Winkle, Rip is also described as being lazy, and incapable of taking care of his house. "His fences were continually falling to pieces; his cow would either go astray or get among the cabbages; weeds were sure to grow quicker in his fields." Here Rip is also being a lazy man when it comes to working. Also, both of these characters are very submissive. In The Devil and Tom Walker, Tom is submissive in this part "no smoke ever curled from the chimney." This means he never took the time to make sure there was a fire in the chimney. In Rip Van Winkle, Rip's submissive attitude is shown many times throughout the story. "He declared it was of no use to work on his farm; it was the most pestilent little piece of ground in the whole country." Here Rip is being submissive about cleaning up his families property. The characteristics of the male protagonist is another way these stories are similar, but so is the female

We see in The Devil and Tom Walker that the female antagonist is Tom's nagging wife. "Tom's wife was a tall termagant fierce of temper, loud of tongue, and strong of arms woman." In this part of the story, Irving is describing how Tom's wife is one not to mess with and does not let him forget it! In Rip Van Winkle, Rip's wife is also described as a nagging wife! "His wife kept continually dinning in his ears about his idleness." Rip's wife was constantly nagging at him about everything she could. The next similarity I have in the female antagonist is very abusive. In The Devil and Tom Walker, it states "His face sometimes showed signs that their conflicts were not confined to words." This is basically saying that Tom's wife sometimes beats him up. In Rip Van Winkle it says "Their tempers, doubtless, are rendered pliant, malleable in the fiery furnace of domestic tribulation, and a curtain lecture is worth all the sermons in the world for teaching the virtues of patience and long-suffering." Here Irving is saying that Rip's wife is also abusive to him when she does not get her way. The characteristics of the female antagonist is another similarity, but so is the mystical