Final answer:
Tom Walker's deal with the Devil brings him initial wealth and a lavish lifestyle, which quickly leads to his moral downfall and financial ruin. Despite temporary success, his greed only accelerates his decline, mirroring the theme of Faustian bargains and the criticism of materialism.
Step-by-step explanation:
After Tom Walker's deal with the Devil, his initial success is quite substantial. He accrues a significant amount of wealth and subsequently adopts a very lavish lifestyle. This newfound wealth allows him to afford luxuries such as a sedan chair and to be surrounded by various service providers eager to cater to his fashionable living needs. However, this prosperity proves to be short-lived. Soon his lavish lifestyle is interrupted when he is intercepted by bailiffs due to his debts. Despite being bailed out by Sarah Young, his mismanagement and moral decline lead him to marry a wealthy old woman for more financial gain. These successive choices suggest that the wealth he attained amplified his already corrupt nature and led to an even greater moral downfall, rather than bringing him any lasting satisfaction or happiness.
The story of Tom Walker is emblematic of the myth of Faustian bargains, where individuals make deals with the Devil in exchange for temporary worldly success. These tales, including 'A Rake's Progress' by Hogarth, reflect societal views on vanity, moral decay and the fleeting nature of ill-gotten gains. They also serve as a metaphoric criticism of capitalist values and the consequences of prioritizing wealth over morality and virtue.