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The Monkey's Paw Character Analysis

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What makes people happy? A magical paw that can grant wishes? Or perhaps, stuffing humans as a hobby? The Monkey’s Paw is about the White family, who makes 3 wishes on the “cursed” monkey’s paw. As they expected, all of their wishes came true. The Tell-Tale Heart on the other hand, is about how the narrator tries to convince his readers that he’s not a psychopath, while planning to murder an elderly man due to his unnatural looking eye. In, “The Monkey’s paw” the paw can grant three wishes. Mr. White was the 3rd owner of the monkey’s paw, (The second owner was Sergeant-Major Morris, and the first owner being a man who wished for his own death.) Sergeant-Major Morris, is an English soldier who brings the enchanted monkey 's paw back from India. (Mr. White and Mrs. White are the parents of Herbert) Mr. White wished for 200 pounds on the paw, he believed the story that Morris told but, he just doesn 't want to admit it. The wish came true in exchange for Herbert’s death. Mr. white was curious, easily influenced and he has a strong personality. At the …show more content…

The narrator is described as crazy and organized by the readers. The text says “You should have seen how wisely I proceeded --with what caution...Ha! would a madman have been so wise as this....In an instant I dragged him to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him. I then smiled gaily, to find the deed so far done.” Since he thinks that he didn 't do anything wrong ( especially since he is currently murdering someone) he is considered mad. Another example as proof is “First of all I dismembered the corpse. I cut off the head and the arms and the legs...There was nothing to wash out --no stain of any kind --no blood-spot whatever...The officers were satisfied. My manner had convinced them.” he was very successful and

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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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The person responsible for the misfortune to the White family in the Monkey's paw is Mr. White. The Monkey’s Paw is a short story by W.W. Jacobs is a story about a paw that grants three people three wishes. The family gets the paw but the catch is that each wish comes at a cost. The family's first son causes their son's death.

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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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The monkey's paw is just like the quote, “Be careful what you wish for it will surely be yours” (Baldwin 3). One of the ways is when the Whites wished for 200 pounds to pay off their home. How they got the money was by way of their son. He died at work due to falling into the machines. The Whites got a settlement for his death.

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Throughout the story of “ The Monkey’s Paw “ The author creates tension, mystery, and surprise throughout. Everyone is concerned about the power of the mysterious monkey’s paw The paw is said to grant the wishes of whoever has it in their hand. This power changed the lives the people in one family forever.

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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.

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“I did have some idea of selling it, but I don’t think I will. It has caused enough mischief already.” This was the perfect time for Sergeant Major Morris to enlarge on how the paw makes life miserable but he only expressed this vaguely and without emphasis. The family wasn’t aware of the mischief mentioned because they were so thrilled, but if Sergeant Major Morris talked the things that happened – especially to him – more, it could consequently deter the them from being so eager to wish. This shows how Sergeant Major Morris wasn’t as determined to prevent the family from yearning to

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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-

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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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This way Mr. White has a better chance of distracting Herbert from the game so that he won't notice the mistake that Mr. Herbert has made in their chess game. “Mr. Whites imoetuous move of his chess piece, which he realizes to late will allow Herbert to “check” his king foreshadows his first and second wishes on the Monkey’s Paw, which he also does not take the time to think through”. In other words Mr. White does not really think much before he does something. For example when Mr. White makes his wishes he just

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Arthur St. John Adcock is an English novelist and poet as well as a journalist. He mentions that “the uncanny grimness of ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ by a pathos that is wrought to a pitch of almost painful intensity when the knock comes on the door at night and the heart-broken mother, after struggling desperately with the bolts, flings the door open and there is nothing there” (Adcock 3). The family makes an avoidable mistake by wishing with the monkey’s paw, but when they finally realize that, it is already too late. Their first innocent wish flips their lives upside down and they bring themselves irreversible pain and sorrow through a few words. Carl Mowery, a professor at several universities with a doctorate in rhetoric and composition, gives a great statement about the story as a whole.

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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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With Morris’s face whitening, it tacitly tells the audience that something terrifying happened when Morris made his wishes. This foreshadows that something dreadful will happen once the Whites make their wishes. Question 2: Compare Mr. White’s feelings about the monkey’s paw when he makes the first wish, second wish, and third wish. How does his attitude change?

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That creates suspense because the reader wants to know why he wished for death. It foreshadows that the paw brings bad luck. Sergeant Major Morris also tells the Whites “…don’t blame me for what happens” (Jacobs 91). It foreshadows that something very bad is going to happen. Herbert foreshadows his death by saying the quote “Well I don’t see the money…and I bet I never shall”(134-135 Jacobs).

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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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