Purpose: Use a literary argument to explain why the Faustian Bargain has survived through the centuries and is still popular in our own contemporary culture.

Assignment: Why has the Faustian Bargain or idea of selling one's soul to the devil for different reasons with the expected consequences continued to remain popular in many cultural contexts through the centuries? Some have argued that this story has universal appeal, speaking to all people, all cultures, all ethnicities, throughout all centuries. Defend or deny this claim, explaining why you think readers are interested (or not interested) in this story and/or why readers relate (or do not relate) to the characters and events. How might this argument support Tolkien's theory of Story Soup. Use specific sources from the text/film to support your assertions.