1. The Devil and Tom Walker

2. Symbolism and Satire
Satire: the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. (dictionary.com)
Symbolism: the practice or art of using an object or a word to represent an abstract idea
Theme can be derived from both of these.

3. Washington Irving 1783–1859
Started his career in New York, writing satirical pieces on politics, culture, and theater.
Fun fact: The New York Knicks team is named after his pseudonym and narrator Diedrich Knickerbocker.
In 1815, Irving began traveling through Europe, remaining there for 17 years.
Inspired by European legends, he transformed many into his own retellings, incorporating his own philosophies
He is known for his eerie tales and humorous satire
Received international fame for his collection of stories, including Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
The Devil and Tom Walker was so unsuccessful that he quit writing after its failing

4. The Devil and Tom Walker Background
A variation on the legend of Faust, a 16th century magician and astrologer who was said to have sold his soul to the devil for wisdom, money, and power.
Washington Irving reinvented the tale, setting it in the 1720s in an area of New England settled by Quakers and Puritans.
In Irving’s comic retelling of the legend, the writer satirizes people who present a pious public image as they “sell their soul” for money.