ipl-logo

Mistake In The Monkey's Paw, By W. Jacobs

664 Words3 Pages

Have you ever made a mistake so bad and so dire that the consequences following affected everyone around you for years to come? Hopefully, you have never made a mistake this severe, however in the short story, “The Monkey’s Paw”, by W.W. Jacobs, a man named Mr. White made a mistake just like that. In the story, a decorated Sgt. Major visits Mr. White, his wife, and son and tells them about an enchanted monkey’s paw that can grant them three different wishes. Despite the warnings of the Sgt. Major, he wishes for two hundred pounds, which was found as compensation money for his son’s death, causing the family distress and great suffering. After his son died, Mrs. White tries to use the paw to wish him back to life to no avail. Her husband …show more content…

White is at fault for the awful things that happen to his family. In the beginning of the story, the Sgt. Major describes to the three the properties of the paw and attempts to pitch it into the fireplace, however, Mr. White instantly retrieves, saying, “...give it to me.” Afterwards, the Sgt. Major warns Mr. White profusely against usage of the paw, telling him it’s cursed and wreaks havoc. Despite his numerous warnings, Mr. White still keeps the enchanted paw for himself. Since he actually took the paw even though he was advised against it shows that Mr. White was the root cause of the misfortune to befall the …show more content…

White caused his son’s death, many people who have read “The Monkey’s Paw” may believe that Sgt. Major Morris was to blame for the family’s misfortune; this however, is completely untrue. An argument to support this claim may be that since the Sgt. Major was the one to bestow the cursed paw upon the family and even instructed Mr. White on how to activate it, he was the root cause of the trouble. Quite contrary to this belief however, the Sgt. Major tried to throw the paw into the fireplace and profusely advised against using it. Despite the influences of the Sgt. Major, it is ultimately Mr. White’s fault for the disaster caused by the

Show More
Related
266 Words | 2 Pages

How can a magical paw change a family’s life? In the monkey’s paw by W.W. Jacobs, a family is torn apart when a cursed paw that is given to Mr. White. The magical paw changes everything. The Whites son Herbert is deceased. Who is responsible for Herbert’s death?

Read More
447 Words | 2 Pages

Moreover when Mr.White is told that he should put it back on the fire, he says "If you don't want it, Morris," said the other, "give it to me."(Paragraph 41) This tells us that Mr.White wants the monkey’s paw so that he could use it to wish on. This further strengthens the fact that Mr.White thinks that it could be a miracle item. Therefore after reading through and analyzing these views we see that the sergeant tries to warn Mr.White about the evil of the monkey's paw though Mr.White ignores

Read More
692 Words | 3 Pages

In the story, “The Monkey’s Paw”, the White’s acquire a monkey’s paw from an old friend. The friend reveals that the paw is considered magic and then gives it to the Whites, starting a chain of events that brings sorrow to the family. However, just who is responsible for the misfortune that came to the Whites? Sergeant-

Read More
726 Words | 3 Pages

The experience with paw adds doubt to anything else to knock at their doorstep. Point 3: But the Whites explained their displeasure for the paw after experiencing the consequences. Explain: Placing blame on this foreign object, rather than taking responsibility for the selfishness the paw granted.

Read More
456 Words | 2 Pages

The story, Monkey’s Paw, is about a family that comes in contact with a magical monkey’s paw. What the family doesn’t know is that the paw’s wishes have consequences. W.W. Jacobs, the author, uses mystery, tension, and surprise all throughout the story.     Part 1 of the story is about how the family obtained the monkey’s paw. This section mostly uses mystery and tension in the text.

Read More
316 Words | 2 Pages

Mr. White himself had said, “It seems to me I’ve got all I want.” (Page 36). This shows that there was no reason for him to use the paw. If Mr. White would have been content with the life that he had, his family wouldn’t have suffered, but he followed his son’s instructions since he loved him. When Mrs. White told him

Read More
155 Words | 1 Pages

The blame for all the events that were caused by the paw shouldn’t be put onto one person. However, Mrs.White did still preasure her husband to use the paw again even after the first wish killed her son. This detail confirms that although she was probably blinded by all her grief, she still made a rash decision to use it again. Also, she forced her husband to bring back their son.

Read More
430 Words | 2 Pages

#1 about “The Monkey's Paw” The cause is that Morris said If you keep it, don't blame me for what happens. Sargent-Major Morris was the when Mr. White the paw, that night he gave it to him because he wanted it for it's power, Morris told Mr. White that the last wish will be evil. The fear in the charters words what they say it is like they

Read More
1566 Words | 7 Pages

In W. W. Jacobs’ short story, “The Monkey’s Paw,” the White family’s innocent want for a better life is challenged when a magical talisman plagues their family through its wishes. When faced with death, humans have different ways of dealing with the rollercoaster of feelings that accompanies it. The family has to overcome grief, disappointment, and anger as they live their lives without their son. Through these emotions, the characters are being taught not to act foolishly, but they never learn. Through foreshadowing and situational irony, the story “The Monkey’s Paw” conveys the theme of how innocent intentions can have terrible repercussions.

Read More
514 Words | 3 Pages

No it is not Mr. White’s fault, but it is Mrs. White’s, In he beginning it was her curiosity that made Mr. White interested in the paw. She said on page 2 ”Monkey’s paw?” her curiosity sparked Mr white into wanting the paw. Had she not spoken it would be likely that Mr. white would have understood that bad things had happened with the paw and left it on the fire.

Read More
546 Words | 3 Pages

In The Monkeys Paw, Mrs. White used the magical object (monkey’s paw). One out of the three wishes granted using the monkeys paw was to have her son back. The outcome of this was pounding at the door, not knowing exactly who was behind the door. The Monkeys Paw is all about granting wishes and not expecting its outcome. This is comparable to The Story of an Hour because Mrs. Mallard wished to have her husband back in her life, but she didn’t expect the outcome of actually seeing her husband alive.

Read More
772 Words | 4 Pages

Mrs White says he has everything he wants and isn’t sure what to wish for, and it seems like he had everything. Herbert then says that two of the hundred pounds would enable them to pay off the money owed for the house. Afterward Mrs. White is convinced and decides to wish for two hundred pounds, but later on, this shows how the monkey's paw had affected the

Read More
582 Words | 3 Pages

The conflict in the story is not only the monkey’s paw but was somewhat Mr. White’s attitude. If he never was that greedy the story would have changed he would have agreed with Morris and burned the monkey’s paw but he didn’t want to do that creating the plot. Any change in the plot could have/ would have altered the course of the story but also altering the theme. In “The Monkey’s Paw,” the downfall of the White family is when they receive the two hundred pounds as a compensation for the son’s death which was actually caused by messing with fate.

Read More
306 Words | 2 Pages

He took the paw out of his pocket and offers it to the people. With Sergeant knowing the dangers of the paw he doesn’t try to avoid offering it instead he insists on offering the paw. Furthermore, it states in the passage, “Well, it’s just a bit of what you might call magic, perhaps,” said Major offhandly. Sergeant Major announces the paw as magic.

Read More
825 Words | 4 Pages

In the short story, The Monkey 's Paw we are first introduced to the White, the Mrs.White, Mr.White, and their son, Herbert White. Later in the story, we are introduced to Sergeant Major Morris who brought the mummy-like monkey’s paw to the Whites house. The theme of the Monkey 's paw is to never interfere with fate. The theme is shown through many forms in the short story. The forms are the events, the foreshadowing, and the actions.

Read More

More about Mistake In The Monkey's Paw, By W. Jacobs

Related Topics

Open Document