Question

20. Explain the story's mood. How does Irving create humor in a story in which

there are few happy events? On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph
that explains your answer. Support your ideas with details from the
selection.

Answer 1

The mood of a story is shaped by narrative voice, word choice, and vivid imagery, which can create humor through irony, exaggeration, and satire, despite a lack of happy events.

Step-by-step explanation:

The mood of a story represents the emotional atmosphere experienced by the readers as they encounter the text. Authors like Washington Irving or Mark Twain often create humor even in the absence of happy events by playing with narrative voice, word choice, and vivid imagery. For instance, irony can be a powerful tool: a character may say one thing and mean another, or an event may turn out unexpectedly. This juxtaposition between what is said and what is meant can produce a humorous effect. Moreover, Twain's use of exaggeration and hyperbolic expressions can also enhance humor, offering readers a humorous take on an otherwise less-than-joyful scenario. An example includes the illustration of the protagonist's reaction as feeling "meaner than the meanest man in human history," an obvious exaggeration that evokes laughter.

When analyzing a specific selection such as Dickens' work, we see a different style characterized by extensive descriptions and intricate narratives, contributing to a rich and immersive atmosphere—though this might not necessarily be humorous. Imagery and word choice significantly shape the tone, with descriptions allowing readers to visualize scenes vividly, whether they are joyous or somber.

Lastly, Twain’s use of phrases like “fine trick to play on an orphan” adds a satirical angle, mocking the circumstances and engaging the reader with the narrator's somewhat sardonic perspective on his misadventures.

Answer 2

Irving creates humor in the story through irony and satire. For example, he uses the character of Tom's wife, who is even more miserly than Tom, to poke fun at greed and selfishness. He also uses the character of the devil to satirize religious beliefs and superstitions. Additionally, the description of the swamp and its inhabitants adds a comical and exaggerated tone to the story.

steps

Dark humor in storytelling.

Title: "The Devil and Tom Walker"

Summary:

Tom Walker is a greedy man who lives near a swamp.

He meets the devil, who offers him great wealth in exchange for his soul.

Tom hesitates, but eventually agrees to the deal.

He becomes wealthy, but his life is miserable and he is constantly afraid of the devil.

In the end, the devil comes to claim Tom's soul and he is taken to hell.

Mood:

The mood of the story is dark and gloomy, with a sense of foreboding and impending doom. There are few happy events in the story, and even when Tom becomes wealthy, it is at the cost of his soul and his happiness. The devil's presence and Tom's fear of him also add to the eerie mood.

Humor:

Irving creates humor in the story through irony and satire. For example, he uses the character of Tom's wife, who is even more miserly than Tom, to poke fun at greed and selfishness. He also uses the character of the devil to satirize religious beliefs and superstitions. Additionally, the description of the swamp and its inhabitants adds a comical and exaggerated tone to the story.

Paragraph:

In "The Devil and Tom Walker," Washington Irving creates a dark and eerie mood through the use of foreboding and impending doom. However, he also injects humor into the story through irony and satire. The character of Tom's wife, who is even more miserly than Tom, is used to poke fun at greed and selfishness. Similarly, the devil is used to satirize religious beliefs and superstitions. Irving also uses comical descriptions of the swamp and its inhabitants to add a humorous and exaggerated tone to the story. Despite the lack of happy events, the humor in the story provides a balance to the gloomy mood and adds to the overall impact of the narrative.

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