What does the tree in The Devil and tom walker Represent?

I think the trees sybolize a persons life. When they give Old Scratch their souls, Old Scratch writes their names on a tree. He then burns and cuts down the tree. In the story Absalom Crowninshield Was found dead after Tom Walker saw his name on a tree that was burning in Old Scratchs forest. So we can see that after the people gave their souls to the devil, the trees were now symbolized as their lives or souls.