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Monkey Paw Essay

Decent Essays

In a short story the author usually introduces the characters and the setting. In the short story “Monkey Paw”, written by W. W. Jacobs, the setting is a small parlour of Laburnum villa. The main characters in this short story are Mr. White, Mrs. White, Herbert White, and Sergeant Major Morris. Mr. and Mrs. White are the mother and father of Herbert White. In this this short story the author uses conflict to make his story. According to NPS.gov, conflict is one of the main elements of literature.
As the story begins, Sergeant Major Morris enters the story by coming home from India. He has been in India for 21 years fighting for the United States. He serves in the Army. What makes him so important in the story is that he brings the monkey paw to the White’s. He told the White’s how powerful the paw is, and they did not believe him at the beginning. He told them it has three wishes on it, and the last person that had it died. He tried to warn them about six times how powerful the monkey's paw is. Sergeant Major Morris told them to pitch it on the fire and of course Mr. White did not listen. …show more content…

White is speechless that he got this paw that is so powerful. He does not even know what to wish for. All Herbert could think of is that he is going to be rich, famous, and happy. Mr. White said it seems to him, that he has everything that he wants. Most people would respond to that comment saying, why would one need something else if they are happy with what they have. Herbert told Mr. White that he needs to wish for 200 pounds, and that will be good. Father ends up wishing for 200 pounds. Later in the story, somebody came up there door and gave them 200 pounds. That wish hurt father, because herbert died. Herbert ends up getting buried at a cemetery two miles away from Mr. and Mrs. White’s

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