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The Monkeys Paw Analysis

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The True Themes of "The Monkey's Paw"
More and more horror stories are written and published, but one of the most meaningful stories is "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs. Although Jacobs spent most his career writing humorous stories, he is always known by this frightening story. "The Monkey's Paw" is set in the UK after the World War I, and its plot looks like a three wishes tale; someone appears and gives the main character three wishes. However, the monkey's paw does not only give people wishes, it also gives brutal consequences. That makes this story the most horrifying. Some people suppose that the theme of this story is the narration of the Sergeant - Major Morris, "A very holy man wanted to show that fate ruled people's lives, and that …show more content…

In the Aladdin fairy tale from One Thousand and One Nights, the Genie gives Aladdin three wishes without any warnings, but in "The Monkey's Paw", the plot is totally different. Fairy tales are only fairy tales that tell about miracles and the beautiful world. The story of Jacobs focuses on the karma in life, through the warnings of The Sergeant such as "if you keep it, don't blame me for what happens", or when he advises Mr. White that he should wish for something sensible. Nevertheless, the cost of wishes in this story is not about the assets or materials. This cost is the damage of Mr. and Mrs. White's spirit. By the first wish, Mr. White has money, but it costs his son's life. Due to sadness and mourning over their son's death, they make the second mistake. After his son's death a week, Mrs. White forces her husband on reviving their son by using the monkey's paw. Herbert may be revived, but Mr. White at that moment is too scared to meet him, which is proven by the appeal, "For God's sake don't let it in," so he wishes that Herbert dies again. Nothing is more painful than losing their child twice and takes his wife hope, which is the price Mr. White pays for 200

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W.W. Jacobs uses foreshadowing and other literary techniques to create tones of mystery, tension, suspense, and surprise in each part of his work “The Monkey’s Paw”. The first example of mystery is presented in part one when the soldier says, “The first man had his three wishes, yes… I don’t know what the first two were, but the third was for death. That’s how I got the paw.” This leaves the reader questioning several points; why did the man before him wish for death?

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280 Words | 2 Pages

In W.W Jacob’s short story “The Monkey’s Paw,” there are many instances of foreshadowing in order to keep readers engaged and on the edge of their seats. In part one of “The Monkey’ Paw’” the White family is introduced to the monkey’s paw by, family, friend Sergeant Major Morris. Major Morris explains the dire outcome of using the paw. Mrs. White asks if anyone has used the paw before and Major Morris responds with “The first man used his wishes, yes,”...”I don 't know what his first two wishes were, but the third was for death.

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298 Words | 2 Pages

In this essay, i will be telling you about the two stories that we read. First, i will be telling you about “The Monkey’s Paw.” , it’s a story Sergeant Major Moris brings The White family a magic monkey paw that grants any three wishes that you want. The next story is “The Third Wish.” which is about a man that frees a swan that is in trouble that turns out to be the king of the forest.

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541 Words | 3 Pages

If you had the opportunity, would you make a wish that you believed would modify your life for the better? What if you were advised that it wouldn’t end as well as you assumed? A book by W.W. Jacobs titled “The Monkey’s Paw”, entertains us with the story of a family who suffers the loss of their son after a wish is made on a monkey’s paw the family attained from a friend. Numerous examples from the text will justify that Sergeant Major Morris is the most responsible for the death of the family’s son, Herbert. The first example that shows Sergeant Major Morris is responsible for the death is found on page 34.

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726 Words | 3 Pages

Thesis: In The Monkey's Paw by W.W Jacobs, the realistic essence of the monkey's paw made it fundamentally creepy. Point 1: The monkey's paw is a symbol for inclination for greed, exposing our superior wants as people, even the most humble. Point 2: Consequences for the actions of those using the paw develops the image of regret and fear. Point 3:

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254 Words | 2 Pages

Since they are always changing, people never know what is going to happen. In “The Monkey’s Paw”, Mr. White could have made many different decisions about what to do with the paw. The fact that he chose to make wishes was only one of the few things he could have done with it.

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401 Words | 2 Pages

"The Monkey's Paw" is a short story by W.W. Jacobs tells the story of a family who comes into possession of a cursed monkey's paw that grants wishes, but with deadly consequences. The story's tone is somewhat ominous, evoking a sense of dread as the characters unfold the dark forces unleashed by the paw. Through his use of great imagery and foreshadowing Jacobs creates a really suspenseful atmosphere that grips readers from beginning to the end of the story. The tone in the "The Monkey's Paw" is established from the beginning of the story. Jacobs uses vivid and evocative language to describe the setting and characters, creating a sense of unease.

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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.

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681 Words | 3 Pages

Even though both stories are based on a magical item that can grant wishes but will bring consequences to it, they are very different from each other. In the Monkey’s Paw, there is a husband “Mr. White”, son “Herbert”, and wife “Mrs.White” although the Herbert dies as the consequence of the first wish.. On the other hand, it is only a husband

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1106 Words | 5 Pages

Practice of Contemporary Higher Education Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark United States Supreme Court case that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students to be unconstitutional (Kashatus, 2004). This decision had a significant impact on higher education in the United States by paving the way for greater integration and diversity in colleges and universities. While the immediate impact of the decision was felt in K-12 education, it also had a significant impact on higher education. The ruling in Brown v. Board of Education fundamentally challenged the concept of "separate but equal" educational opportunities for black and white students, and set the stage for the integration of

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546 Words | 3 Pages

Two stories and two magical wishes. The Monkey’s Paw and the Story of an Hour share several similarities throughout the passage. In the beginning of each passage, the author creates a sense of mystery and curiosity for the readers. As each passage reveals the characters in the story, the reader begins to relate the characters role from each story and how they act towards the conflict in the text. These different events, conflicts, or plot in both stories connect with death and wishes.

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776 Words | 4 Pages

Cite textual evidence from the selection to support your answer. Mr. White’s feelings transition from sheepish to fearful to panicky when he makes his first, second, and third wish, respectively. Right before Mr. White makes his first wish, he “smil[ed] shamefacedly at his own credulity” (Jacobs). At first, Mr. White was skeptical with the monkey’s paw. He felt gullible when he made his first wish.

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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.

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649 Words | 3 Pages

“The Monkey’s Paw” is not that type of story. It is not something that makes the reader sleep with the lights on and pull the covers up to their

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825 Words | 4 Pages

Have you ever watched a suspenseful movie about magic? Have you ever wished you had your own genie that would grant you three wishes? However, the three wishes aren 't exactly what you wished for? Well in the story the Monkey’s Paw that pattern seems to be happening a lot.

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