“There are many shortcuts to failure, but there are no shortcuts to true success,” quoted Orrin Woodward. While tempting, shortcuts in life are more destructive than relieving. Tom takes many shortcuts in the story, which reveals how much greed influenced the path he took. He took a shortcut back home, one that he believes is happiness through a deal with the devil and out of the deal with the devil. In Washington Irving's short story, “The Devil and Tom Walker” many moral messages about life are introduced. Irving's descriptive style and dark symbolism are illustrated by the lesson on the horrible outcomes of taking shortcuts. Since the beginning of time, the devil has been known to make deals with weak mortals. The devil often asks for your soul in exchange for riches or your heart's desire. Irving based his story on this archetypal plot to sell one's soul to the devil. This made it impossible for anyone to resist the offer unless they have strong core values. Tom would rather give his soul to the devil to cheat his way to riches. This indicates the greed that Tom Walker faces and how self-centered he becomes when given an opportunity for true happiness. Most of Irving's works were based on folklore. Folklore was a type of inspirational entertainment that emphasizes the importance of tradition, history, and wisdom. One of Irving's largest stores, The Sketch Book, was based on German folklore and legends. “The Devil and Tom Walker” was considered the American version of the archetypal Faust story. Faust was an ancient German legend about a 16th-century German philosopher who sells his soul to the devil for knowledge and power. Many people considered Faust to be the main inspiration for Washington Irving's story "The Devil and Tom Walker." Irving used "The Devil and Tom Walker" as a story full of symbols that shaped the opinions of many people during the...