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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is Tom's first mistake on his last day?

2. Why does Tom Walker originally go into the swamp?

3. What can a reader infer is one of the devil's conditions in the bargain he makes with Tom?

4. What do Tom's neighbors do about the constant fighting in the Walker house?

5. The swamp is full of quagmires. What does this mean it is full of?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is the guardian of William Kidd's treasure, and why?

2. How does Tom treat his horses, and what does this illustrate about his character?

3. What does Tom's wife do as a result of his refusal to make a deal with the devil, and what is the outcome?

4. Describe the appearance of the devil in this story.

5. What things does the devil say he supervises on earth?

6. Before Tom and the devil part, how does the devil seal his side of the bargain and what does this allude to?

7. What are some of the details of the plants and animals in the swamp, and what do they signify?

8. How does Tom ultimately slip up and get captured by the devil?

9. What kind of a person is Tom Walker's wife?

10. Describe the setting where Tom meets the devil.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay in which you analyze the symbol of the Bible buried beneath the stack of mortgage papers; be sure to consider more than just this one moment in the story and think of how it speaks to something larger than just Tom's behavior. Be sure to offer textual support for your claims.

Essay Topic 2

Why is it important for Irving to describe Tom Walker's house and horses both before and after Tom makes his bargain with the devil? Write an essay in which you explain the thematic function of these images. Be sure to offer textual support for your claims.

Essay Topic 3

Is Tom Walker a static or dynamic character? Write an essay in which you make a claim about whether or not Tom changes and what relationship this has to the theme of Irving's short story. Be sure to offer textual support for your claims.

(see the answer keys)

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