Internet Activity Due 11/11 The Devil and Tom Walker

"The Devil and Tom Walker," Washington Irving 21st Century Faust: Outline

There are many story versions of a person who sells their soul for a specific advantage in this life. Along with "The Devil and Tom Walker," the musical Damn Yankees is based on the Faustian myth. Faust sold his soul for wisdom, Tom Walker sells his soul for money, Joe (Damn Yankees) sells his soul for a chance to play on a professional baseball team and win the World Series.

Read a synopsis of both Faust and Damn Yankees as background. Then write an outline of a modern Faustian tale in which the 21st century character sells his soul.

Assignment Steps:

1)Find and read a synopsis of Faust and Damn Yankees.

2)Note the difference in the character's final decisions and the endings.

3)Decide what a modern American character might sell their soul in order to achieve. What would this particular character find most important in this life? Would the character continue the bargain or attempt to find a way out?

4)Write the outline of a story about that modern American.

5)Share your outline via edmodo or your blog page and be ready to explain your decisions regarding the story.

Key Search Words:

Faust
Musical Damn Yankees

Be careful about…
Your key word search. For example, entering just the word "Yankees" will yield over 25 million entries.

You need to think carefully about your character and what that character would most want in this life time.


Tips for an Effective Internet Search
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