Student Question
What are the climax and resolution in "The Devil and Tom Walker"?
Quick answer:
The climax of "The Devil and Tom Walker" occurs when the Devil arrives to claim Tom Walker's soul after Tom, in a moment of arrogance, challenges his fate. The resolution follows when Tom is taken away by the Devil, never to be seen again, leaving his wealth reduced to nothing and his house burned down. This illustrates the consequences of his greed and ultimate demise, tying up the story's loose ends.
This is a short story so you should be able to re-read it to verify this answer...
The way to identify the climax of a story is to find the point everything else in the story is leading up to. After that point the rest of the story changes.
For this story--By the middle of the plot Tom has become a loan shark and is constantly cheating people out of money. Eventually he becomes fearful for the after-life. (this is leading up to the climax--hinting at a problem to come) He then starts to become fiercely dedicated to God, always keeping a Bible at hand. One day, a person who had borrowed money from him and is asking for mercy blames Tom for taking his money. Tom says, "The Devil take me if I have made but a farthing!" (this is right before the climax)
CLIMAX POINT--At this time, there are three loud knocks at the door. Tom is drawn towards the black cloaked figure and realizes, in horror, that he has left his Bible at his desk.
RESOLUTION--Tom Walker is then taken away by the Devil on the back of a black horse and is never seen again. All his assets vanished and his house burned to the ground. The ghost of the miser - haunts the site of the old fort.
The resolution is just the end of the story where all the loose ends are tied up. Basically "what finally happened"
What is the denouement of "The Devil and Tom Walker"?
The declining action takes place after the Devil whisks Tom away. At this point, the climax has been reached (The devil taking ownership of Tom Walker's soul). Some elements of the denouement could be when the town people return back to Tom's home to find his riches reduced to virtual nothingness and his home burning to the ground. The withering and devaluing of all of his assets could be an example of how the declining action fits the climax. I think you could make a case for other moments being representative of the climax, but in terms of a strict structural element to the short story, the climax would have to be when the Devil comes to his home to claim Tom. Therefore, what follows would represent the falling action leading to story's resolution.
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