Symbolism In The Devil And Tom Walker

's home:
Tom's home is described as "forlorn looking." It is isolated
and not inviting. Irving describes the "air of starvation" that surrounds the home.
The cold appearance and miserable exterior symbolizes the unhealthy relationship
between Tom and his wife. Similar to their home, Tom and his wife have a
terrible, unhappy relationship. Their home symbolically represents their toxic
relationship.

The swamp:
This area is isolated, damp, and spooky. It is considered 's territory and Tom chooses to enter
the swamp because it is a shortcut home. The swamp is muddy and full of pits and
quagmires. The swamp symbolizes the mess that you will get into when you decide to
take shortcuts in life. Tom's shortcut leads him to a dingy place where he runs
into the devil. Tom also decides to take a shortcut to becoming wealthy by selling his soul to
the devil.

Darkness:
Throughout the story, Irving uses darkto set the mood. The devil is associated with
darkness which creates an ominousto the story. From the dark swamp to the devil's
"black" appearance, Irving uses dark imagery to symbolize evil.
Traditionally, good is associated with the color white, while evil is associated with the color
black. The darkness also provides a feeling of impending evil and doom.

Bible buried under the mortgage: When
the devil arrives to take Tom away, Irving writes that Tom's Bible was buried underneath the
mortgage that he was about to foreclose. This symbolically represents the extent
of Tom's greed and moral decay. The position of the mortgage illustrates that Tom
values money over his faith.