In “ The Devil and Tom Walker” by Washington Irving, Tom’s exaggeration for discovering his wife’s apron and the irony of taking pleasure in others’ sins displays a lack of concern in both his marriage and religion. Irving’s satirical view of marriage can be demonstrated through Walker’s excitement over finding his wife’s apron but showing no concern for his wife herself. Irving writes:
At length, it is said, just in the brown hour of twilight, when the owls began to hoot, and the bags to flit about their attention was attracted by the clamor of carrion crows hovering about a cypress tree. He looked up, and beheld a bundle tied in a check apron, and hanging in the branches of the trees, with a great vulture perched hard by, as if keeping watch …show more content…
Most husbands would be worried and scared if they just find the apron, however Tom is quite happy that he found the apron with the valuables inside. The satire is effective because it shows that Tom only cares about the valuables. This shows a greedy and selfish side to Tom’s personality. Irving proves this by stating, “he leaped joy for he recognized his wife’s apron”. This supports his sarcastic view of marriage by demonstrating a greedy side instead if his loving side. Along with Irving’s sarcastic view of marriage, his religious dedication can also be questioned through his reaction to others need for help.Irving’s satirical view of religion can be manifested through the protagonist’s satisfaction of others mistakes.Irving writes, “Tom was as rigid in religious as in money matters; he was a stern supervisor and censurer of his neighbors, and seemed to think every sin entered up to their account became a credit on his own side of the page” (330).Irving uses irony to show how he relies on others’ sins to make him look better; where most men would feel sorry for the others misfortune. The satire is effective because it shows that Tom is still as greedy and heartless as ever. Tom displays this by, “every sin entered up to their account became a credit on his side”. This explains that Tom is thankful for them having debting sins because it makes him look better than everyone else. For someone that