Intention and motive in The Devil and Tom Walker and The Devil and Daniel WebsterWashington Irving, writing "The Devil and Tom Walker", and Stephen Vincent Benet , writing "The Devil and Daniel Webster" illustrate to the reader the consequences of man's desire for material wealth and how a person's motivation for a relationship with the devil affects the outcome of the "bargain". In these two different, but strikingly similar, stories, the authors present their beliefs about human intention and motivation. In "The Devil and Tom Walker" the story is told of a miserly man and his nagging wife who "...were so miserly." that they even conspired to deceive each other" (128). In the story, we see a man making a deal with the devil, known in the story as "Old Scratch", for the sole purpose of personally win. Tom Walker, seeing only the possible wealth he could achieve, negotiates with the devil and finally reaches a deal that he considers fair. Tom does not see the danger of negotiating with such a powerful force for so little. of gain There is a note of humor present in the story, which adds to the sense of danger present in making agreements one does not intend to keep, Larry L. Stevens. notes that “This story,..., comically presents the results of valuing the dollar above all else” This story very well conveys to the reader a message about human values ​​In the story, Tom is seen as. a very self-centered man who only cares about himself and his own well-being. He's not even phased when he discovers his wife's remains hanging in an apron in a tree; “Tom consoled himself for the loss of his possessions with the loss of his wife” (132). Tom is depicted in ...... middle of paper ...... Daniel Webster". in Adventures in American Literature. Ed. Fannie Safier et al. Athena Edition. Austin: Holt, 1996. 635-643. Discovery Authors. Detroit: Gale Research, 1993. Irving, Washington. "The Devil and Tom Walker". 578.Stewart, Larry L. Masterplots II: Ed Frank N. Magill Short Story Series Vol. Washington Irving: Moderation Displayed". Oxford UP. 1962. 233. in Discovering Authors. Macintosh. CD-ROM. Detroit: Gale Research, 1993. 3.