Washington Irvings The Devil and Tom Walker - Essay Example

21 July Washington Irving’s “The Devil and Tom Walker” Outline I. Introduction A. Life is as short as the money people spend. B. Washington Irving’s “The Devil and Tom Walker” describes the life of Tom Walker, a life who is possessed by the devil, even before he met it. C. The story demonstrates that money is not the root of all evil because people are free to make the right choices in life. D. It shows the conflict between money and humanity because money consumes humanity through plunging them into self-centredness, but this conflict can be resolved through having an inward life. II. Money is in conflict with humanity because it consumes the latter’s humanness through reinforcing self-centredness. A. When all people think about is money, they only think about their happiness, even at the expense of the happiness of others. 1. Tom is not happy in sharing anything with his wife because that would be a collective kind of happiness. 2. Tom is such a miser that he would spend his life looking for more money, even when it does not make him truly happy. B. Money removes people’s ability to empathize with others. 1. Tom lends money, not because he wants to help people, but because he wants to make large sums of money out of them. 2. Tom forgets that he has made so much money out of his livelihood that he curses a man asking for an extension to pay his loan. III. Only an inward life can resolve the conflict between greed for money and humanity because it goes beyond religious and non-religious practices and goes inside the human capacity for compassion and grace. A. An inward life is not about outward religious and non-religious practices. 1. To have a rich inner life, it does not depend on the Bibles that people have or the number of prayers offered to God. 2. Superstitions do not make an inward life. B. An inward life brings out people’s ability to show compassion and grace. 1. Tom should have shown compassion through extending the loan’s deadline. 2. Tom should have given grace through saving his wife, instead of allowing her to go for the treasure for herself. IV. Conclusion A. Money is the root of all evil, only if people allow it to lead them to evil. B. The devil will not conquer so many souls, if people do not make it too easy for him. C. An inward life is the best weapon against the devil because it is a conscious choice against the corruption of the human soul. Money and The Real Evil in Washington Irving’s “The Devil and Tom Walker” Life is as short as the money people spend. Washington Irving’s “The Devil and Tom Walker” describes the life of Tom Walker, a life who is possessed by the devil, even before he met it. The story demonstrates that money is not the root of all evil because people are free to make the right choices in life. It shows the conflict between money and humanity because money consumes humanity through plunging people into self-centredness, but this conflict can be resolved through having an inward life. Money is in conflict with humanity because it consumes the latter’s humanness through reinforcing self-centredness. When all people think about is money, they only think about their happiness, even at the expense of the happiness of others. Irving writes about the constant battle between Tom and his wife: “They squabbled over the spending of a penny and each grudged food to the other.” Tom is not happy in sharing anything with his wife because that would be a collective kind of happiness, and he would not want that. Furthermore, Tom is such a miser that he would spend his life looking for more money, even when it does not make him truly happy. Irving describes Tom’s everyday practices: “One day as Tom walked through the pine wood near his place, by habit watching the ground—for even there a farthing might be discovered...” Instead of spending time with his wife or doing what is good and will make him inwardly happy, he wastes time on collecting wealth. Money is not the root of all evil because people have free will to use it for good or bad. Money removes people’s ability to empathize with others. Tom lends money, not because he wants to help people, but because he wants to make large sums of money out of them. Irving reveals Tom’s intentions: “Tom, who promised to screw four per cent a month out of the unfortunates who might ask his aid...” It is a large interest rate that would surely turn people bankrupt. In addition, Tom forgets that he has made so much money out of his livelihood that he curses a man asking for an extension to pay his loan. He tells the man: “Now, the devil take me if I have made a farthing!” (Irving). This lie brings him to his rightful grave. Because of his love for money, Tom does not know how to feel for another human being. Only an inward life can resolve the conflict between greed for money and humanity because it goes beyond religious and non-religious practices and goes inside the human capacity for compassion and grace. An inward life is not about outward religious and non-religious practices. To have a rich inner life, it does not depend on the Bibles that people have or the number of prayers offered to God. Tom wants to save his soul: “He kept a Bible in his pocket and another on his desk, resolved to be prepared if a certain gentleman should call” (Irving). He also prays frequently in Church. When the Devil comes for him, these Bibles and prayers do him no good because he does not have real faith in his heart. In addition, superstitions do not result to an inward life. Irving narrates the superstitions of Tom: “He buried his old horse feet uppermost, for he was taught that on resurrection day the world would be turned upside down, and he was resolved, if his enemy appeared, to give him a run for it” (Irving). Despite doing this, the devil takes Tom easily. An inward life brings out people’s ability to show compassion and grace. Tom should have shown compassion through extending the loan’s deadline. Instead, he declares that he has not made enough money yet. Moreover, Tom should have given grace through saving his wife, instead of allowing her to go for the treasure for herself. Indeed, he does not care for her or anyone else. All Tom takes care of his himself, especially his wealth, and so he has lost his humanness because of his lost connection to his soul and other human beings. Money is the root of all evil, only if people allow it to lead them to evil. The devil will not conquer so many souls, if people do not make it too easy for him. Tom is an easy person to deceive because the devil is in him, not outside him. By focusing on outward possessions, he became enslaved to devil. The story reminds people of what truly matters in life- an inward life that has meaning and purpose. An inward life is the best weapon against the devil because it is a conscious choice against the corruption of the human soul. Nature’s Version of Crane’s “An Episode of War” I am the sun, and in daylight, I see everything. Stephen Crane’s “An Episode of War” is a scene in the American civil war, where a lieutenant gets his arm wounded by a stray bullet. The scene happens slowly before me, though I can see that the lieutenant’s arm is badly wounded and he needs immediate medical attention. His wound is lasting, and his war never ends, but nature, it goes on, watching destruction around it and on it, waiting for change, or the lack of it. They are having coffee, these intruders of the land. It is not enough that they cut so many trees and changed the face of the earth they walk on that they have to bomb and shoot it down. Even at rest, they are restless. Their coffee is ruined with the stray shot on the lieutenant’s arm. It must hurt. I suddenly felt the need to help him, to show him the way to the hospital. I hate them still though- these human beings who corrupt everything they see. But sometimes, I feel the need to nurture them. He goes around the place like a lost cub. I can see he is lost, more lost when he feels pride for his fighting troops. What is there to fight for when everything is destroyed? Their shells have excavated the woods; their horses and equipment, the grass, flowers, shrubs, and creatures of my world. These humans are such destructive beings. The black smoke of their war and the noises they make are unbearable. This poor soul, watching everything like it does not hurt him. Well, now it does. My pain is his pain too. I must help him somewhat, show him the way to his carers. Someone tries to help him, but I can see it is no good. Beyond him, the hospital is brimming with the wounded and the dead. Is this lieutenant still alive inside though? I wonder how they can bring themselves to kill one another. Is this human survival? I guess as animals, their war fits the struggles of survival in the forest. Are humans not supposed to be smarter and more compassionate than aggressive animals though? What is the use of that “superior” intellect and “higher” human soul if they cannot fix their problems amongst themselves? At least someone helped him. But the doctor is another story. How viciously rude! That is another animal right there! Not the killing type, but the unfeeling one kind! He kills with his lack of empathy, his lack of compassion. He must be too busy to feel for another person. I cannot imagine how it is, people not feeling for others. Maybe animals feel more love for their kind than humans do. And the doctor lies to him. I am sure he will cut that damaged arm. Like a piece of dead branch, it is dead. It must go. I follow the poor soldier to his family. These women wail like he is dead. Is a man measured by the existence of his arm? Then again, a limping goat is dead meat. He is dead meat in the context of human wars too. This is life, yes. They have a war and it has its consequences. He has his arm gone for good. An arm for a piece of war? Does he feel that it is worth it? To lose a part of himself physically and emotionally? He tries to be strong for his women. These women are wise. They know that what is gone affects him. The absence of an arm is the never-ending presence of war. Violence is around them and it stamps itself too clearly on the lieutenant. The episode of war endures in his lifetime. It is his everyday episode. I endure so much too, but at least, nature goes on and survives, unless people stay there and ruin everything with their wars and abuses. Nature thinks human beings are intruders who want to control everything, and in the end, they destroy too much because of their aggression and lack of compassion. The story suggests that one episode of war changes people forever. War directly damages nature physically too. But it is worse for the people. The effects of war on them last their whole lives. Nature pities them, these lost souls. If only they are more in touch of their inner selves, they would be more peaceful and act more peacefully toward one another and their environment. Until then, nature has to watch- as people destroy each other, while they bring nature to their hell. Works Cited Irving, Washington. “The Devil and Tom Walker.” Web. 17 July 2013. Crane, Stephen. “An Episode of War.” Web. 17 July 2013. Read More