Why do modern writers sometimes weave parts of old myths into new works

What effect is achieved by the use of the phrase "as the devil would have it" in the second sentence?

Read the excerpt from "how i learned english.” and that was important, as important as joe barone asking me how i was through his tears, picking me up and dusting me off with hands like swatters, what does the imagery in the excerpt best readers picture? the awful stinging sensation of being dusted off the quick slapping motion of joe’s hands how roughly the speaker is pulled off the ground how loud and hard joe is laughing

What difference do you notice between this passage and contemporary pose.