Monkey's Paw Adaptation

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The Monkey’s Paw film adaptation differs from the original story The Monkey’s Paw is an eerie tale about how we shouldn’t meddle with fate. W.W. Jacobs wrote the short story in 1902, in England. Since then, there have been many adaptations, though they have been adjusted from the original story. Ricky Lewis, Jr.’s short film strays from W.W. Jacobs more than a few times. Opening the short film is an introduction to India, where we meet Sgt. Major Morris. Later, after the £200 was wished for, we see the father, Mr White, feeling unnerved saying ‘I never should have been tempted by that paw’ which doesn’t happen in the original. Thirdly, after Mr White wishes the third time, we see the grave of Herbert and Mrs White, with Mr White laying in the snow, presumably dead. With this introduction, we understand more of the circumstances from which the paw came. We see Sgt. Major Morris kneeled on the ground. In Front of him are two people, one presumably the fakir, casting a spell on a monkey’s paw. Then in a later flashback, Sgt. Major Morris giving another man …show more content…

Major Morris finishes his story, and leaves, in the film, the son comes back down from his room and jokes about making wishes with the paw. Mr White makes his first wish and is spooked after he thinks the paw moves. His son looks at him like he made it up and jokes “"I expect you'll find the cash tied up in a big bag in the middle of your bed," said Herbert, as he bade them good-night, "and something horrible squatting up on top of the wardrobe watching you as you pocket your ill-gotten gains."” (Jacobs _). But in the film the son then goes to bed. In the original story, the son stays by the fire “seeing faces in it. The last face was so horrible and so simian that he gazed at it in amazement. It got so vivid that, with a little uneasy laugh, he felt on the table for a glass containing a little water to throw over it.” (Jacobs _). In the short story, you could take this as foreshadowing of Herbert’s