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

of both of these stories. We see in The Devil and Tom Walker that the Hudson River is a large part of the story. "He saw at a distance the lordly Hudson." Similarly, in Rip Van Winkle the Hudson River is also mentioned in the story. "Whoever has made a voyage up the Hudson must remember the Kaatskill Mountains" In both of the stories Irving puts the setting around bodies of water and Forrest areas. So, the next similarity in the two stories is Forrest area's. In The Devil and Tom Walker, it states "beautiful dark grove". In this part, it is describing the nature around Tom as he walks. Similarly, in Rip Van Winkle a Forrest area is also mentioned, "Light smoke curling up from the village whose single roofs gleam among the trees." Here Irving is describing the look of the trees by the Kaatskill Mountains. The setting is one way these books are similar, but so is the male protagonist.
The setting of both stories showed a lot of similarities in the book's, but the male protagonist's also shown many similarities.

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

antagonists.
The characteristics of the male protagonists are one way these stories are similar, but so is the characteristics of the female antagonists.

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

characters.
The characteristics of the female antagonists are yet another similarity in these stories, but there is one more. Finally, last but not least, mystical characters! We see in The Devil and Tom Walker that clothing is a huge part in describing the mystical character. "He was dressed in a rude half-Indian guard, and had a red sash swatted round his body." Similarly, in Rip Van Winkle the clothing is also mentioned. "Cloth jerkin strapped around his waist." Another characteristic is the hairiness of the mystical men. In The Devil and Tom Walker, the man's hairiness is mentioned right away, "Shock of coarse black hair." It is also mentioned in Rip Van Winkle when the man first appears. "Thick bushy hair, and a grizzly beard." That was the last similarity that Irving made between these two stories.
In both the stories The Devil and Tom Walker and Rip Van Winkle, Irving made many of similarities. He tends to keep all his books centered around his personal experiences, and around the same setting. In both of these books, he used references to bodies of water and Forrest areas for the setting. Then, with the female antagonist and male protagonist he kept the pattern going. Finally, with the mystical characters he made them almost the same person!