How does “The Devil and Tom Walker” demonstrate the theme that social institutions often encourage uncontrolled greed?
scarletpimpernel Teacher High School – 12th Grade eNotes Editor Irving’s satirical view of early American life through “The Devil and Tom Walker” uses the Walkers and townspeople to discuss greed’s all-encompassing effects. If you consider marriage a social institution, then you could certainly argue that Tom and his termagant wife’s marriage portrays greed. Each “partner” is more concerned about getting what he/she deserves; there is no willingness on either one’s part to work together within their marriage to make it what it should be. The premise of your question is that the social institution itself encourages this type of behavior between Tom and his wife. While I don’t agree with that–I think that Mr. and Mrs. Walker were most likely greedy individuals before they entered into marriage–you can certainly prove through the story that marriage caused them to strive even more for individual possessions rather than shared ones. Tom’s wife wants him to sell his soul to the devil so t
