The Monkey’s Paw Literary Analysis Essay
The Monkey’s Paw is a short story by W. W. Jacobs, first published in 1902. It deals with the themes of horror, the unknown, fate, and grief. This page contains The Monkey’s Paw literary analysis.
Introduction
It is a common belief that when wishes are made with genuine intentions, they are likely to come true and impact positively on our lives. The monkey’s paw is a short story which was written by Jacobs in 1902, the story involves a family set-up.
On one evening, Mr. and Mrs. White in the company of their son Herbert are relaxing in the parlor. Mrs. White is knitting while Mr. White and Herbert are playing Chess, however Herbert is winning continuously. Sergeant major Morris who is a long time friend visits the family and they share drinks and engage in a conversation.
Sergeant major Morris begins to tell the family about the monkey’s paw origin, and how he possessed it and that it has the ability to grant wishes. The sergeant throws the monkey paw in to the fire; however Mr. White retrieves it, and insists that he would want to possess the paw since the sergeant did not require its services. However, the sergeant warns Mr. White against blaming him for the consequences that will follow if he uses the monkey paw to grant his wishes.
The Monkey’s Paw Critical Analysis – Themes
The author concentrates on the need to be careful concerning wishes, this is because every action has a consequence. Herbert encourages his father to wish for 200 pounds, not long after Herbert leaves for work the following day, his family receives news of his death, after being involved in an accident. Ironically, the company Herbert worked for offers to cater for the funeral expenses, they offer a sum of 200 pounds, the same amount Mr. White had previously wished for.
The theme is applied once again, when Mrs. White begs her husband to make a second wish, which would bring back their son back to life; however Mr. White is convinced that this is a bad idea, following the consequences of his first wish. Nevertheless, he proceeds with his wife’s wish, their son comes back to life, but Mr. White is afraid that their son may come back a different person. Therefore he uses the paw to wish for his son’s death.
Irony is evident throughout this story; the author makes the story interesting to the reader by twisting facts. It is obvious that the reader expects that wishes can be granted especially when the intentions are genuine; however the monkey paw wishes are different and have severe consequences.
As a result, it is evident that there is nothing for free in this story; a price has to be paid, regardless of the level of sincerity. The flow of events in this story is systematic, the setup starts with a humble happy family, and ends with a devastated family.
The author has also utilized metaphors in the story, for instance the fact that the wishes granted by the monkey paw had severe consequences, this means that the deal was too good to be true, therefore Mr. White and his family should have thought through the matter seriously, before making any decisions. Tension is also evident, when Sergeant Morris throws the monkey’s paw in to fire, which symbolizes the Sergeant’s fear and hatred of the paw.
Suspense is evident when Mr. White hears footsteps followed by the knock, readers are tense, and this is because they are unsure of the results. The monkey’s paw is symbolic; in this case it is seen as a savior, however it is mysterious in nature and unpredictable. The author creates excitement to this story by adding suspense and mystery; therefore the readers cannot predict the ending of the story, which makes the story interesting.
The Monkey’s Paw: Conclusion
The monkey’s paw is an interesting story, which creates suspicion for the readers; the flow of events is systematic which creates quality of the contents of the story. The main lesson learnt from the story is that everything comes at a price, and when the deal is too good, the recipient should think through before making any hasty decisions. However, it is disappointing to learn that Mr. White used all the three wishes with genuine intentions but all the consequences were regrettable.
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IvyPanda. (2023, October 28). The Monkey’s Paw Literary Analysis Essay. https://ivypanda.com/essays/literary-analysis-the-monkeys-paw/
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IvyPanda . 2023. "The Monkey’s Paw Literary Analysis Essay." October 28, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/literary-analysis-the-monkeys-paw/.
1. IvyPanda . "The Monkey’s Paw Literary Analysis Essay." October 28, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/literary-analysis-the-monkeys-paw/.
Bibliography
IvyPanda . "The Monkey’s Paw Literary Analysis Essay." October 28, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/literary-analysis-the-monkeys-paw/.
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The Monkey's Paw
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Discussion Questions
What stylistic and descriptive elements help create the atmosphere of horror in the story?
Describe the differences in how each of the Whites responds to the possibilities of the monkey’s paw . How would you respond?
How do the outside world and modernization pose threats to the Whites?
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A Short Analysis of W. W. Jacobs’ ‘The Monkey’s Paw’
On Tuesday, we summarised ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ , W. W. Jacobs’ popular and widely anthologised short horror story about a mummified paw which has the power to grant three wishes to three men. Now, it’s time to offer some words of analysis and commentary on this intriguing and brilliantly constructed tale.
You can read ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ here .
‘The Monkey’s Paw’ is a modern fairy tale, and indeed fairy tales and magical stories from the Arabian Nights (featuring djinn, or genies, who can grant wishes, as the story of Aladdin attests) are both mentioned by characters in the story.
As in many classic fairy tales , the number three is invested with great narrative significance: there are three members of the White family, three men can use the monkey’s paw to request wishes, and each man gets three wishes. There are three knocks at the door after the Whites use the monkey’s paw to wish for their son to be alive again. The story itself is divided into three parts.
The moral of the story: be careful what you wish for. The White family choose to use the monkey’s paw to wish for two hundred pounds – a not insubstantial sum in 1902 – thus opening themselves up to the charge of personal greed (especially as the money is wanted for nothing more life-threatening than clearing up the house). At the same time, the family do not seem to be especially rich, so it doesn’t strike us as an overly grasping and greedy act.
But their punishment is to come into possession of the two hundred pounds in the most horrible way possible: as compensation for the loss of their son.
What makes ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ so unsettling, and such a masterclass in writing horror fiction, is that Jacobs doesn’t give us a clear reason why Mr White should deserve such a fate. If the monkey’s paw represents the empire striking back (see below), we are given no indication that White or his family is or has been particularly heavily involved in colonial India (and thus, one might argue, fair game).
At the same time, it’s worth remembering that the surname of the Englishman who acquires the monkey’s paw is White: he is the white Englishman in possession of a magical Indian object which embodies the colonial other – the empire striking back. Perhaps being British is enough. But perhaps this is to look for motivation for something which requires none: it is a monkey’s paw, after all, an inanimate (albeit once animate) object, and it is pure coincidence that it finds its way into Mr White’s possession.
If Mr White had been an army veteran like Morris who had served in India, or if he had made a fortune through colonial ventures, it would have reduced the story to a morality tale about the evils of empire.
And in 1902, the British empire still wasn’t problematic for many Britons. What makes the story more unsettling is the strong suspicion that Mr White doesn’t deserve his fate, and that his son definitely doesn’t deserve to die so the terms of the first wish can be fulfilled.
Stories about the revenge of the empire were popular around the turn of the century, as novels like Richard Marsh’s The Beetle and Conan Doyle’s short stories attest.
But what makes ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ such a pre-eminent example of the supernatural tale and such a popular story is that its themes are not reducible to empire. Its moral, be careful what you wish for, is, in the last analysis, a little cleverer and more complex than this: even the most innocent ambitions or wishes may have unintended consequences.
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4 thoughts on “A Short Analysis of W. W. Jacobs’ ‘The Monkey’s Paw’”
Could I suggest a post on the best shock or twist endings in literature ? Best ever : The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Runners-up : The Necklace by Maupassant Incident at Owl Creek by Bierce The Outsider by Lovecraft
As often here: an aspect of a well known piece that I hadn’t considered before. Thanks!
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The Monkey's Paw
By w.w. jacobs, the monkey's paw essay questions.
In which ways does the relationship between husband and wife alter as a result of the influence of possession of the monkey’s paw?
The relation between husband and wife could be termed a gift. They are not only comfortable with each other, but actually enjoy each other’s company. More than merely spouses, they also appear to be each other’s best friend, as exemplified by the playful interaction that takes place between them. Once it appears as though the consequences of the husband’s wish upon the monkey’s paw causes the accidental death of their son, everything changes between them. The playful sense of emotional bonding over their son now absent, they withdraw into a stony coolness toward each other that masks a simmering antagonism of the wife toward her husband; this will soon boil over into a frightful rage. The promise extended by the monkey’s paw has cost them a price greater than just the loss of their son: it has cost them their happy marriage as well.
With the themes of “The Monkey’s Paw” in mind, do you think there is any possible combination of words that Mr. White could have used to make his wish not result in an ironically tragic impact on somebody they cared about? Why or why not?
It is important to note that there is nothing anywhere in the text to indicate that any member of the White family has done anything deserving of such wicked retribution as what happens to them as a consequence of making the wish on the paw. This is an essential component of the thematic foundation of the story. Clearly, the monkey’s paw is invested with some strange supernatural power to punish, but the punishment is remarkably fair and democratic: anyone who makes any wish for any reason will be dealt with rather severely solely on the basis of having had the temerity to think they could place dice with fate. Which means the consequences of trying to make a deal with this hairy little devil is not high stakes game of chance where statistical probabilities gamed to manipulate the odds for success. The severity of the terms of that justice may change according to the wording of the wish, but the point is clear: there is no escaping justice if you choose to mess with the monkey.
The author allows the characters to confront the question of whether the consequences of wishing upon the monkey’s paw might be mere coincidence; can this theory of natural coincidence be applied to the experience that the Whites have with the monkey’s paw?
Could Herbert have been killed in a factory machine purely by accident in a way that was no fault of Maw & Meggins? Well, sure: workplace deaths occur by accident all the time. Would Maw & Meggins have been willing to pay out compensation even though they insist they were not responsible in any way? Even if you fervently believe that no business ever lets go of a dime unless they have to, there is always the fallback reality that many companies are willing to pay out money just to such unpleasantness quiet. Doubt toward merely coincidence being at play here likely comes down to one single issue: whether or not you believe that 200 pounds is an appropriate compensation figure for something a company insists was not their fault. As for the macabre knocking at the door resulting from the second wish and the instant cessation of knocking upon Mr. White’s unidentified third wish…well, keep in mind that the third wish is not revealed. Thus the exact nature of reality is masked, as Jacobs invites readers to color vague details with their own fear.
The theme of “The Monkey’s Paw” essentially boils down to one of the more macabre variations of the universal caution against wishing for things because the worst thing might happen is your wish coming true. The universality of the element of the story has made it one of the most popular works in literature for parody and loose adaptations. Can you think of any movies or TV shows that focus on more specific aspects of the story? How do they relate to this source text? How can each text illuminate the other?
One of the most famous parodies of “The Monkey Paw” was an early segment on the yearly Halloween special of The Simpsons . Homer also purchases a monkey’s paw from a shady foreign fakir who warns against the consequences of using it. The warning proves to contain the same sort of grotesque irony as exhibited in the original story. A much less faithful adaptation of the plot that also becomes a more expansive examination of the theory that negative consequences can be avoided by carefully wording the manner in which the wish is made was presented on a seventh season episode of The X-Files . Although only tangentially an adaptation at best, the ending of the episode of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer in which Buffy and Dawn bury their mother stands as one of the most haunting considerations of the emotional impact of the Mrs. White eagerly opening the door at the sound of the knocking only to find nobody there.
The Monkey’s Paw Questions and Answers
The Question and Answer section for The Monkey’s Paw is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.
ALTERNATE ENDING: Imagine that Mr. White is unable to locate the monkey’s paw that he is searching for while his wife is attempting to unbolt the door. Write an alternate ending to the story. Begin by describing what is on the other side of the door. (At
Sorry, this is only a short-answer space.
Identify the allusion in The Monkey's Paw paragraph 45-49 that Mrs White makes, what does the allusions suggest about Mrs White's view of the paw?
From the text:
“Sounds like the ‘Arabian Nights’”, said Mrs. White, as she rose and began to set the dinner. “Don’t you think you might wish for four pairs of hands for me.”
The monkey's paw like Alladin's lamp grants its owner wishes, but it...
What is the most frightening moment in the story? Why?
I would say when Herbert comes back as a zombie at the end of the story. That was pretty scary! Mr. White has to decide what to doto his son in a matter of seconds.
Study Guide for The Monkey’s Paw
The Monkey's Paw study guide contains a biography of W.W. Jacobs, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.
- About The Monkey's Paw
- The Monkey's Paw Summary
- Character List
Lesson Plan for The Monkey’s Paw
- About the Author
- Study Objectives
- Common Core Standards
- Introduction to The Monkey's Paw
- Relationship to Other Books
- Bringing in Technology
- Notes to the Teacher
- Related Links
- The Monkey's Paw Bibliography
Wikipedia Entries for The Monkey’s Paw
- Introduction
- Notable versions in other media
- Variations and parodies
Jacobs’s The Monkey’s Paw Literary Analysis
The monkey’s paw: analysis introduction, the monkey’s paw analysis: plot summary, the monkey’s paw literary analysis: themes, the monkey’s paw analysis: symbolism, the monkey’s paw: literary analysis conclusion.
The Monkey’s Paw is a horror short story written by William Wymark Jacobs in the early twentieth century. Despite telling about mysterious events and matters, the story feels probable due to realistic settings and characters. The synthesis of the real and unreal world helps the author deliver the message to the reader that people should not wish for what they do not need. The present paper aims and discussing the major themes and symbols used by Jacobs to acquire a deeper understanding of the short story.
The story revolves around a mysterious Indian adulate that was enchanted to grant three wishes to its owners. In the first part of the story, Sergeant Major Morris shows Mr. White a mummified paw of a monkey and tells about its properties. Mr. White stresses the fact that Morris no longer needs the talisman and buys it in spite of the warning from the owner. Shortly after the visit, Mr. White decides to test the paw and wishes for two hundred pounds. Nothing happens immediately; however, the next day the factory pays the Whites the money, as their son dies in an accident at his workplaces. For the second wish, Mr. White asks to return his son to life, as his wife insists on it. However, during the night, when the family hears a knock on the door and Mrs. White rushes to open it, her husband reaches to for the paw and the knocking suddenly stops. Therefore, Jacobs leaves the story open-ended, making the reader wonder if the third wish was to return his son to his grave.
There are two central themes in the story are fate and the nature of wishes. First, the author shows that not accepting one’s destiny and trying to alter it may result in adverse events. “He wanted to show that fate ruled people’s lives and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow” (Jacobs, n.d., para. 24). Indeed, Mr. White learned the lesson and decided to deal with the consequences of his second wish and asked to return his son to his grave. Second, the author warns the reader about being careful about what they wish. People tend to desire for things they do not need and getting these things may lead to unhappiness. It is symbolic that the monkey’s paw comes from India where people believe in laws of karma that promote the idea of fate and austerity. Even though there are themes that can be traced in the short story, the two mentioned above are the most evident.
The most evident symbol in the short story is the monkey’s paw that represents human greed. The Whites ask for money because of their greed and not because they need it. As a result, the one willing for wealth the most, his son Herbert, is taken by the paw. At the same time, there is a less noticeable symbol that needs mentioning, the chess. At the beginning of the story, Mr. White and Sergeant Major Morris play the game while talking about the ominous talisman. Chess is an Indian game of cause and effect and sometimes being greedy and taking a pawn (or two hundred pounds) may result in losing a queen (or a son). Therefore, the game may be considered the symbol of karma. The two symbols used by Jacobs coincide with the two central themes mentioned above.
The Monkey’s Paw is a carefully thought-through short story that makes the reader wonder about his or her wishes. The major themes of the story are interfering with fate and the consequences of desires that are addressed through the symbol of greed, the paw, and the symbol of karma, chess. Additionally, the fact that Jacobs leaves the story open-ended provokes further analysis and projection. In conclusion, the short story is a valuable piece of literature that teaches important life lessons.
Jacobs, W. W. (n.d.). The Monkey’s Paw . Web.
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StudyCorgi. (2021, July 10). Jacobs’s The Monkey’s Paw Literary Analysis. https://studycorgi.com/jacobss-the-monkeys-paw-literary-analysis/
"Jacobs’s The Monkey’s Paw Literary Analysis." StudyCorgi , 10 July 2021, studycorgi.com/jacobss-the-monkeys-paw-literary-analysis/.
StudyCorgi . (2021) 'Jacobs’s The Monkey’s Paw Literary Analysis'. 10 July.
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The Monkey's Paw Essay Examples
The power of magic in the monkey’s paw by w. w. jacobs.
“Magic is the power to use supernatural forces to move impossible things happen, such as making people disappear or controlling events in nature” (Collins dictionary). The Monkey’s Paw is a short story about a family that is given the chance to receive a magical Monkey’s...
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About The Monkey's Paw
W. W. Jacobs
Horror, short story
September 1902
Fate vs. Freewill. The Uncertainty of Reality. Inside vs. Outside. Industrialization.
The Monkey’s Paw
Mr. White, Mrs. White, Herbert White, Sergeant-Major Morris, The Company Representative / The Stranger
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