Plot Development In The Monkey's Paw Story

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What is plot development? It is defined as how a book progresses. Plot is casual sequence of events; it tells you why everything happens in the story. It draws in the readers into the character’s lives and makes them understand what that character is going through. The structure is the way the story elements are arranged and it can vary depending on the writer. The basic literary structure for most stories is: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution. To identify this structure I will use as a tool the W.W. Jacob’s The Monkey’s Paw story. The exposition of the story starts us off with the mood set to be a dark, stormy night while the three members of the White family sit cozy in their living room, Mrs. White knitting …show more content…

Mr. White accepts the paw because he believed the paw couldn’t really have magical powers so he saw no harm. Although it is an object, the monkey’s paw symbolizes desire and greed, making it alluring even to unselfish people who desire nothing like the Whites. Mr. Whites, interested by the paw, tries to see if it works by wishing for two hundred pounds, which is the amount needed to pay of the family home. This is the action leading up to the climax of the next scene but the Whites will never be sure if what happens in the climax is a result of the wish or …show more content…

The story has all its ups and downs leading up to the climax to then the falling action and eventually its resolution. It is very interesting how the story does not give the reader a clear conclusion, it opens the door for anyone to create their own ending. We see how plot structure is very important not only here but in every novel, short story, novella, etc. because it is the controlling force that drives a story. It is clear, not simplistic or predicable but easy to follow, yet engaging enough to make people want to read the