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Monkey's Paw: Themes In The Monkey's Paw

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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. 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. The first reason is the foreshadowing. The short stories have many examples of foreshadowing. One example of foreshadowing that happened in the story was when Mr.White …show more content…

The third reason is the events that happen that lead to the theme. First when Mr.White wished for two pounds. White’s first received the monkey 's paw they wished for some compensations which were the two hundred pounds. When he wished for Two hundred pounds”A fine crash from the piano greeted the words, interrupted by a shuddering cry from the old man. His wife and son ran toward him.” This lead to the reader having the suspense of what was going to happen. Mr.White and Mrs.White later found out that his son had been killed. The visitor said that their son had been “Badly hurt”.( page 112 line 245) Mr.White and Mrs.White were devastated. The Visitor that told them that their son got caught in machinery gave them two hundred pounds for her “son’s services” and the visitor said that they wish to present them with a certain sum as compensation, which was the two hundred pounds that was exactly what they wished for. In all conclusion, the Monkey 's Paw shows the theme that you should never mess with fate. Even if you need more because you never know what you

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In the short story, “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs, one identified mood is suspenseful due to the consequences of the wishes made using the monkey’s paw. The day after Mr.White had wished for 200 pounds using the monkey’s paw, the family was still hung up on it, especially Mrs.White. When she received the mail she checked to see if the wish came true because she remembered the Sergeant saying the wish happens so naturally it almost seems like a coincidence. On page 35 it states, “All of which did not prevent her from scurrying to the door at the postman’s knock, nor prevent her from referring somewhat shortly to retired sergeant-majors of bibulous habits when she found that the post brought a tailor’s bill.” Mrs.White’s actions show that even though the wish was made last night they are still waiting for the 200 pounds to show up and they are paying attention, as it could happen any time, and randomly.

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Chatter against the glass. Another example is when he tells Mr. & Mrs. White about the previous Owner had his first two wishes granted but the third was for death, he is hinting the danger that is Obviously connected to the monkey's paw. Once Herbert is killed the Whites then receive the Two hundred pounds they are so lonely without their son. Mr. White then begs to wish his son back .

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The Monkey’s Paw has a few characters and is also there is family called the Whites. The characters in this story are Mr. and Mrs. White and their son also some others character. There is character that had the paw and there are also others that had used the paw and there are others that have heard about the paw. The paw can grant up to three wishes but use them wisely.

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So, Sergeant Major started to say that the monkey paw could grant anybody three that they desire wishes. And Mr. White was beginning to get more and more curious about the Monkey paw. So, than Sergeant Major starting to talk about the monkey’s paw evil side saying that the monkey paw could grant three wishes for anybody but,

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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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The Monkey's paw provided three wishes for whatever was wanted. The first wish was to have $200, Herbert told his mother, “If you only paid off the house, you’d be quite happy, wouldn’t you¨ (W.W. Jacobs 4)! Even though they did not really need the money, they still thought it would be a good idea to wish for the money. The White family thought it would be a great first wish so Mr White grabbed the monkey's paw and said ¨I wish for two hundred pounds¨ (W.W. Jacobs 4).The paw did grant the wish but the wish came true because of the death of the son. The paw did not bring happiness because the $200 were wished for something good, but bad luck because the way that the money was given to the White family was because of the son, Herbert's

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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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With that being said, he uses his second wish to turn her back into a swan so she can live happily with her sister. In The Monkey’s Paw, Mr. White wishes for 200 pounds but in return they lose their son, Herbert. Mrs. White who is heartbroken and outrageous begs her husband to wish their son back. “At the foot of the stairs the match went out, and he paused to strike another, and at the same moment a knock, so quiet and stealthy as to be scarcely audible, sounded on the front door. The matches fell from his hand.

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The title, “The Monkey's Paw” was used multiple times throughout the story; At first It’s meaning or use was just what it was, a Monkey’s Paw that seemed like someone's old souvenir or a memento. But throughout the story it changes into deeper and more perplexing meanings. The paw’s meaning became things like the relenting desire to fix mistakes and regrets, and the symbol of greed and ignorance; shown by the wishes from Mr. and Mrs.White, but It’s true meaning is that you can’t control all things In life, and that you shouldn’t take things for granted. This is one of the most important parts of the story, It’s where the real conflict started and where part of the message Is the quotation or part in the story where Morris warns Mr.White about

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Mr ans Mrs became the owner of the monkey’s paw that grants three wishes. The first wish was for 300 pounds but, their son Herbert died later that day. After that, Mr and Mrs White received 300 pounds as compensation from Herbert 's work. From lines 369 to 390 Mrs White wishes for Herbert to return back, when Herbert knocked on the door the suspense grew and when they saw he

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The man brings a paw that is supposed to be cursed but has a gift where it will give three wishes, the family is warned but ignores the advice and the family takes advantage of it. As a consequence for their actions, their son dies and are they very devastated. In the story “The Monkey’s Paw” The father learns that greed can control you and courage makes you act on behalf of others. The theme of greed controlling people first appears when the old family friend appears with a magical items that can grant you three wishes.

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The Monkey’s Paw is about the White family, consisting of Mr., Mrs., and the son Herbert White, aquiring a monkey’s paw that has a curse on it that lets the family ask three wishes. The family uses one wish to get 200,000 dollars. But this wish comes with a price, as Herbert dies in machinery at work, the family is given 200,000 dollars as a compensation.

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In the short story, the author splits the story into three parts. In the first part, the readers meet Mr. and Mrs. White, Sergeant-Major Morris, Herbert, and the monkey’s paw, which Mr. White wishes for two hundred pounds with. In part two, the Whites wait to receive their money. A fellow employee of Herbert’s comes to give Mr. and Mrs. White a compensation for Herbert’s death. Mortified, Mr. White falls to the ground.

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“The Monkey’s Paw” holds back a lot of information, a perfect example of this is when Herbert’s boss comes to tell Mr. White about his son’s death he wouldn’t say Herbert had died he only said, “He was badly hurt, but he’s not in any pain.” It leaves the readers imagination to decide on what happened to Herbert; this state of unknowing creates suspense forcing the reader to continue to read to figure out what happened. Another example of this literary device is when Mr.White says to Mrs.White "He has been dead ten days, and besides he - I would not tell you else, but - I could only recognize him by his clothing. If he was too terrible for you to see then, how now? " this is almost self-explanatory, during those 10 days the no information is given as well as Herbert’s appearance, so the reader is left to decide based on all the give information; what had happened to Herbert.

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In the story, Sergeant- Major Morris gave the White Family the Monkey’s Paw because they asked and begged for it. The White family thought that they were getting a chance to grant three wishes of their choice, but they didn’t consider the dangers in which Morris warned them about.

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