Transcript The Devil and Daniel Webster

The Devil and Daniel Webster
1. What does the character of
Mr. Scratch symbolize?
• He symbolizes enslavement; taking away
a person’s freedom because he/she made
a mistake.
2. What does the character of
Jabez Stone symbolize?
• Every person makes mistakes; but
repentance or asking for
forgiveness, especially by doing
good deeds, can gain redemption.
3. What does the character of
Mary Stone symbolize?
• Love is stronger than evil.
4. What does the character of
Daniel Webster symbolize?
• Because he was a patriotic man who
loved his country and the freedom it
stands for, he represents the fact that
every American deserves his/her
chance to be free and enjoy his/her
freedom.
5. What does Mr. Scratch mean
when he says he is a collector?
• He collects souls of people who
he has tricked into making
mistakes.
6. Fully explain what the white
moth is?
• It represents the soul of Miser
Stevens. This man apparently sold
his soul to the devil as Jabez did.
6. Continued - Why is this white
moth different from other moths?
• It has a death’s head on it. Also, it
speaks.
7. Explain what Jabez means
when he says the “words
burned in my heart.”
• The devil, or evil, prevented him for
asking God for forgiveness. Perhaps
he just did not know how.
8. What is Mr. Scratch’s song
about?
• A young man, William, who sinned
and died for it.
9. Give an example of
foreshadowing found in
the beginning of the
play.
• The fiddler could not tune his
instrument.
• A fiddle string breaks.
• People say they wonder how Jabez
got his wealth.
10. Explain what a jury of the
“quick or the dead” means.
• Quick means living.
• Dead means dead!
11. What requirement does
Webster require of the judge
and jury?
• He requires that they are all
Americans.
11 continued. Explain why he
requires this of the judge and
jury.
• All Americans enjoy some degree of
freedom in this country and, therefore,
should be sympathetic to Jabez
Stone’s predicament of having his
freedom stripped from him.
12. Explain who Blackbeard
Teach was.
• He was a blood thirsty pirate.
13. Explain who Dale was.
• He was a man who tortured people.
14. Explain who Morton was.
• He was a man who used his blade for
murder.
15. Explain who King Phillip was.
• He was an Indian who was
responsible for many deaths.
16. Explain who Justice
Hathorne was.
• He was a judge who presided over
the Salem Witch Trials and is
responsible for the death of many socalled witches. Hathorne did not
repent for sending innocent people to
the gallows.
17. Explain how Webster convinces
the jury to free Jabez Stone.
They were Americans once and enjoyed
freedom. If Scratch takes Jabez’s freedom
away because he did something in anger
and regrets it, then freedom for all
Americans is in danger. He makes it a point
to say that the descendants of the jurors are
among those who could lose freedom. In
addition, Jabez spent the last 10 years doing
good for people preserving their freedoms.