The Monkey's Paw Sparknotes

Mr. White is the person responsible for the unfortunate acts in “The Monkey's Paw”. Right off the bat, Mr. White insisted that he get the monkey's paw from Sergeant Morris despite Morris’ warnings. This detail confirms that if not for Mr. White the monkey’s paw never would have been in the possession of the White family in the first place. All of the events that took place after Mr. White took the monkey’s paw can be traced back to him. Additionally, Mr. White made the first wish even though he was warned many times there was a huge risk. This fact is significant because Mr. White clearly knew that there was a risk in making a wish but he chose to ignore it and hope the benefits were worth it. Sergeant Morris even said that the paw was made

The night is crisp and black as the moon lets off an eerie glow, leaves rustle and fall somewhere in the distance. A silhouette dwarfs the blackberry bush in the corner as one’s footsteps refrain, they move closer; you run. Suspense is a state of tension and anxiety which was used in the sentence above and is common in books and short stories. In the short story “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W Jacobs suspense is created in a variety of ways. Jacobs demonstrates this by using foreshadowing, conflict and surprise endings.

In “The Monkey’s Paw,” the paw symbolizes temptation and greed which is a flaw in all human beings. It has the power to fulfill 3 wishes to 3 owners, making the use of it tempting to the person who owns it. As an instance, in the beginning of the story, Mr. White is very eager to have the paw when sergeant Morris takes it out; it is in human nature to continuously desire more that the possessions that one already owns which is caused by temptation and greed (the paw). The paw is also symbolically related to the snake in Adam and Eve as it leads Adam and Eve to destruction by using temptation to make them greedy. The message that is conveyed through the paw is that temptation to change one’s fate will end badly, no matter how small the wish might be (in the end the White family loses its only son).

“The Monkey’s Paw” Is about the tale a family of 3, Mrs. White, Mr. White, and their son, Herbert White. There is Sergeant Morris, a very sensible and wise fellow, he wished upon the paw and lived to tell it. Herbert White, he is a joyful young man who cares about his family, followed by his old dad Mr. White, the more curious one in the family. He is obviously married to Mrs. White, a strong woman, who is the dominating and smart one of the family. The story starts off on a cold, wet night, the Whites are inside near a warm fire, they are expecting Sergeant Morris who had just arrived from India. He showed the Whites that he brought back a “monkey’s paw”. It is told to grant 3 wishes to the owner of it. Mr. White took the Monkey’s Paw for

The Monkey’s Paw was about a woman who returns from India with a monkey’s paw that has the ability to grant its beholder three wishes. The

W.W. Jacobs creates suspense using a mysterious monkey’s paw. Ricky Lewis Jr. attempted to create similar suspense using different techniques. As told in the story in the book,”He took the paw, and dangling it between his forefinger and thumb, suddenly threw it upon the fire. White, with a slight cry, stooped down and snatched it off. ”Better let it burn,” said the soldier solemnly. “If you don’t want it, Morris,” said the other, “give it to me.”.”I won’t said his friend doggedly.”I threw it on the fire. If you keep it, don’t blame me for what if happens. Pitch it on the fire like a sensible man.”(Jacobs,108) Therefore, W.W. Jacobs fundamentally builds suspense with the dialogue between Morris, who owned the paw initially, and Mr. White, who was interested and curious on what the paw had to offer.

In order to successfully compare and contrast the ending of the short story “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W Jacobs and the ending of Ricky Lewis Jr.’s film adaptation, one must meaningfully think about all of the differences and similarities in both version. In both medias Herbert, who is son of Mr. and Mrs. White gets sent back into his grave. In the film all the characters die, while in the story Herbert is the only character that dies.

In “Under the Lion’s Paw”, Tim Haskins is a young farmer with a family whose farm had been destroyed by grasshoppers. He comes across an older farmer named Stephen Council who decides to help him by loaning seed and helping him rent a farm from Jim Butler, the leading land owner in the area. Haskins works hard to improve the farm for his wife and kids, and plans to buy it, but is tricked by Jim Butler who wanted a higher price after seeing the improved farm. In his anger, Haskins plans to kill Butler, but stops himself after seeing his little daughter playing.

Determined, Sergeant Morris attempts to toss the monkey’s paw into the fire, but Mr. White stops him. During a conversation between Morris and Mr. White, Morris “took the paw and dangling it between his front finger and thumb, suddenly threw it upon the fire….If you keep it, don’t blame me for what happens. Pitch it in the fire like a sensible man” (Jacobs 3). This foreshadows that something dreadful will occur because of Sergeant Morris’s serious tone, facial pallor, and unwavering resolve to get rid of the monkey’s paw. One more example of foreshadowing in The Monkey’s Paw that pertains to the theme is Herbert’s response to Mr. White’s first wish. While debating on what to use the first wish on, Herbert suggests utilizing it to pay off the house mortgage. The wish foreshadows Herbert’s death after he humorously states, “Well, I don’t see the money, and I bet I never shall” (Jacobs 4). This foreshadows Herbert’s death because he says that he will not see the money, and he never does because he dies from the wish. In conclusion, Jacobs does a magnificent job at incorporating many different examples of foreshadowing through the characters personalities, actions, dialogue, and thoughts that help enhance and develop his theme of “one should be careful what one

In the chapter Year of the Monkey, Paul Lin’s father passes away during Lunar New Year festivities. In Chinese culture, there is a system of 12 different names of Chinese year named the Chinese Zodiac. And it is also called as Sheng Xiao, based on a twelve-year cycle, each year in that cycle related to a kind of animal. These animals are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. The way of its calculation is accorded to Chinese lunar calendar. The zodiac is also mentioned in the chapter Outlaws. During the funeral proceedings, Pual is so passive. It means that he is not familiar with the approach of his father’s death. As an Asian American, he doesn’t know what the proceedings mean and what the symbolic meanings are, and all these things are indicated

The author,W.W.Jacobs,in “The Monkey’s Paw” uses literary devices in the story to create suspense.Major Morris gave the paw to Mr.White reluctantly. The autor in “The Monkey’s Paw” used characterization, foreshadowing, and imagery to create suspense throughout the story.

Step on a spider, and the consequences may be the millennia of mosquitos yet to come. Wish to be the fastest runner, yet instead, everyone walks at a snail's pace. Tampering with fate will leave people panicking in the aftermath of its unforeseeable outcome. In “The Monkey’s Paw”, by William W. Jacobs, fate is stronger than human will. The people live a normal life until they obtain the Monkey’s Paw.

Why is it people find it hard to register that love is richer than anything anyone can give? In this short story, "The monkey's paw" the whites had to assimilate the hard way that lustful desires implicate unfortunate consequences, being greedy brings sorrow, and family is all one needs. Who knew what this wishing talisman could really do? If the whites only knew they would lose the love and family they always had for something that would be so temporary. Although, money can be great, it does not bring happiness.

The theme of the “Monkey’s Paw”, by W.W. Jacobs is to be careful when being curious. In other words, the sergeant is trying to stray the White family away from taking the monkey’s paw because it causes many bad things to happen to the wishmaker. The White family just gets more and more interested and basically only starts hearing things they want to hear. For example, the sergeant keeps telling the family how the user before him had wished for his own death due to the mistakes that he made in previous wishes from the paw. Another example would be when the sergeant recommends the family to burn it after he says “Better let it burn.”

The story begins on a rainy evening with Mrs. White, Mr. White, and their son Herbert gathered in the parlor. Mrs. White is sitting in her chair knitting as she looks on as her husband is losing to Herbert in a game of chess. From the inside, Mr. White can hear the footsteps of someone walking along their walkway and onto their porch. Mr. White immediately gets up to answer the door and is happy to see his longtime friend Sergeant-major Morris. Mr. White introduces Sergeant-major Morris to his wife and son and invites him into the parlor where they could have drinks. After a couple of drinks, Sergeant-major Morris begins entertaining the family about his adventures in India, when Mr. White