Describe the role of the serpent in the story of the Fall.

In the story of the Fall, the serpent is the creature which undermines God and goes against his wishes. The serpent persuades and tempts Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, and thus Eve goes against the one rule which God gave to Adam and Eve, and as such they are banished from the Garden of Eden for their sins. The serpent, therefore represents the Devil in this story. Adam and Eve had been told by God that they had dominion over all the animals and life in the Garden of Eden, and yet were tempted by the serpent's 'craftiness', by Satan in the form of a lower being, showing the Serpent to be cunning and conniving. The serpent manages to tempt Eve, by assuring her that nothing bad will happen by eating the fruit, as otherwise God would not have given them the choice to eat the fruit or leave it. As a result of the temptation, this concept of free will now exists in world, leaving it up to humans to make their own choices and decide between right and wrong.