All Society in One Man: Character Analysis of Washington Irving’s Tom Walker Character

Washington Irving has been considered to be the foremost American author of the early romantic era. As such, the majority of his works contain elements consistent with Romantic ideals, including his short story The Devil and Tom Walker. Through literary elements such as diction, imagery, tone, syntax, and figurative language, Irving portrays Tom Walker in a negative light. In a larger sense however, Irving’s use of these literary elements goes beyond merely characterizing Tom Walker, as the entire story can be seen as an allegory critiquing society during the Industrial Revolution.
Irving’s utilizes diction masterfully in order to portray Walker’s greediness. In order to accomplish this, Irving uses vivid, specific descriptors. This is a pinnacle of Romantic-era writing. For example, the author does not merely describe Walker as a bad man, but uses words that evoke the most negative possible emotions in a reader. This can be evidenced towards the end of the work where Irving states: “He built himself, as usual, a vast house, out of ostentation, but left the greater part of it unfinished and unfurnished, out of parsimony” (Irving 266). Ostentation refers to an excessive, lavish, and even vulgar display of one’s wealth or success. Rather than being merely arrogant or haughty, this word describes an action that is nearly malicious. Likewise, parsimony refers to a most extreme form of stinginess, beyond frugality or thriftiness. As such, Irving describes Walker as possessing concurrently a willingness to both flaunt his wealth and protect it at the same time. While Tom’s greediness is easily seen through this diction, the reader can also deduce that Irving is making a critique of the industrialists of the time—always eager to flaunt ...

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...f Washington Irving’s implementation of literary elements in his short story The Devil and Tom Walker, it becomes clear that the characterization of his protagonist is certainly a negative one. Irving associates Walker with corruption, avarice, and evil. However, this characterization of Tom Walker goes beyond merely providing an entertaining narrative for Irving’s readers. The Devil and Tom Walker being an allegory for the society of Irving’s time, the reader can view Tom Walker’s characterization as a sharp criticism of the banking and industrial system of the time. Likewise, it appears as if Irving is warning of the impending doom such society could lead to, a belief commonly held by Romantics such as himself.

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Works Cited

Irving, Washington. "The Devil and Tom Walker." 1824. The American Experience. Boston: Pearson
Prentice Hall, 2007. 258-68. Print