Guest
asked 3 years ago
1 Answer - Sort by: Date | Rating
Daniel Webster was a real person, an American lawyer and politician who lived 1782-1852.
An American author called Stephen Vincent Benét wrote a short story (complete fiction) about the Devil and Daniel Webster, published in 1937.
The plot line is that a New Hampshire farmer, Jabez Stone has a string of very bad luck. He swears out loud that he may as well sell his soul to the Devil, so naturally the Devil turns up. Stone bargains his soul for better luck, but after ten years the Devil comes for payment. Stone hires Daniel Webster to negotiate with the Devil (otherwise called "Mr Scratch").
Webster and Scratch argue a while, finally agree that as good Americans they should settle it in court. Scratch makes sure that the jury is made up of dead American evil-doers.
Webster is provoked badly during the trial and nearly goes into a tirade about the unfairness of it all, when he realises that this is exactly the Devils' plan; Webster's soul is also at stake. So instead Webster gives a speech about all that is good about America, in spite of her many mistakes. This convinces the jury to find for Jabez Stone, after all.
Webster literally twists the Devil's arm behind his back and gets Scratch to promise never to bother Jabez Stone, again.
The story is about patriotism and American pragmatism and resourcefulness.
An American author called Stephen Vincent Benét wrote a short story (complete fiction) about the Devil and Daniel Webster, published in 1937.
The plot line is that a New Hampshire farmer, Jabez Stone has a string of very bad luck. He swears out loud that he may as well sell his soul to the Devil, so naturally the Devil turns up. Stone bargains his soul for better luck, but after ten years the Devil comes for payment. Stone hires Daniel Webster to negotiate with the Devil (otherwise called "Mr Scratch").
Webster and Scratch argue a while, finally agree that as good Americans they should settle it in court. Scratch makes sure that the jury is made up of dead American evil-doers.
Webster is provoked badly during the trial and nearly goes into a tirade about the unfairness of it all, when he realises that this is exactly the Devils' plan; Webster's soul is also at stake. So instead Webster gives a speech about all that is good about America, in spite of her many mistakes. This convinces the jury to find for Jabez Stone, after all.
Webster literally twists the Devil's arm behind his back and gets Scratch to promise never to bother Jabez Stone, again.
The story is about patriotism and American pragmatism and resourcefulness.
1
0
- What Does Mr. Sanders Mean In The Winnie The Pooh Stories?
- What Is Meaning Somali Diaspora Survey?
- Which Two Themes Are Being Highlighted In The Poem La Belle Dame Sans Merci.what Different Images Has Been Used To Present Them?
- What Is Related Literature?
- Who Wrote,invented,and Sung The Alphabet?
- What Is Another Word For Rule Follower?
- Where Didi The Phrase Tiger Line Originate From?
- How To Write A Parody?
- Why Did Mansfields Used The Technique Of Psychological Realism In Her Story The Fly?
- What Are The Moral Value Of The Open Window?
- What's The Meaning Of The Painting Open Window By Henri Matisse?
- What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Impromptu Speech?
- What Is A Parody Comedy?
- What Is The Literature Survey?
- Where Was The Lightning Thief Published?
- Before He Reveals Himself, Odysseus Gives One Suitor A Chance To Escape. Who Is That Suitor?
- List The Main Outlets To Conduct A Complete Literature Review?
- Is Even Exchange A Comedy By The Dramatist Paul S.Maccoy?
- What Does The Work Epic Mean?
- What Are Connotations?
- In The Phonetic Alphabet What Word Represents The Letter L?
- Butternuts As A Idioms What It Means?
- When Letter Writing Was Invented?
- What Does Review Of Literature Mean In Science?
- What Is Iceberg Theory In Literary Terms?
Featured Question
New Comment - Comments are editable for 5 min.