Question

In which story—Faust or “The Devil and Tom Walker”—does the main character sell his soul for wisdom? A. The characters in both stories sell their souls for wisdom. B. The character in Faust sells his soul for wisdom. C. Neither character sells his soul for wisdom. D. The character in “The Devil and Tom Walker” sells his soul for wisdom.

Answer 1

B. The character in Faust sells his soul for wisdom.

Step-by-step explanation:

Seeing that Washington Irving was rumored to have adjusted Christopher Marlowe's sixteenth Century legend of Dr. Faustus, who sells his soul to the devil in return of boundless wisdom and knowledge and the material benefits that accrue from a pact with Satan, at that point it can sensibly be assumed that Irving's hero, Tom Walker, has likewise haggled away his spirit in return for riches. One condition, hence, forced by the devil, portrayed by Irving's storyteller as "“a great black man . . . neither Negro nor Indian" who slinks the forested areas anticipating exploited people, is that the fallen angel, "Old Scratch," be passed on Tom's spirit in return for the lost fortune of Captain Kidd.

Answer 2

While both tales are very similar, Tom Walker makes a deal with the devil in order to get Kidd the Pirate's riches, while Faust deals out his soul to acquire never-ending knowledge. Therefore, your best answer is option B.