The Devil and Daniel Webster

“The Devil and Daniel Webster,” by Stephen Vincent Benet is truly an exemplary short story which instills upon the reader the very difficult struggle between good and evil, heaven and hell. The purpose for writing this piece was to convey the message that, at times, it is necessary to gamble everything one has in order to improve his or her life and that of their families. Benet manages to convey this message in the story …

…alive today “ (Parry Stroud). In conclusion, "The Devil and Daniel Webster" is a beautifully written masterpiece of American literature that will definately be cherished for generations of readers to come. It illustrates the cause and effect of desire for material wealth, which is what Jabez wanted. On the other hand, it can be argued that Jabez’s motive was not a craving for wealth, instead it was for the love and wellbeing of his family.