's Paw By W. Jacobs And The Lottery Ticket By Anton Chekhov

Fate is commonly thought of as something you can’t change, something that just happens to you, but something that you interfere with at your peril. Luck, however, is often seen as something that should be seized whenever it presents itself to improve your lot in life. In “The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacobs and “The Lottery Ticket” by Anton Chekhov the idea that luck is a blessing is juxtaposed with the ironic endings: the two families started with happiness and ended with sorrow after they took advantage of a seemingly lucky chance to change their fate. Both stories illustrate that when you accept your fate and stop trying to look for lucky shortcuts through life, you will be satisfied with your life; but when you take profit on something you have not earned, the price will always be paid some time and often it will cost much more than it is worth.

Ivan Dmitritch “was very well satisfied with his lot,” and Mr. White said “It seems to me I’ve got all I want”. Despite that, when the opportunity to be a winner without hard work came along, they each saw it as a blessing; they could get all they wanted without time, patience or effort. What at first seemed like the fortune of a lifetime turned into a curse that caused more grief than happiness. Ivan’s satisfaction of his life turned sour after dreaming of what it could be, ending with him wanting to hang himself “on the first aspen-tree!” Mr. White’s contentment with his family turned to terror and loss when he tried to change his fate. Neither parties considered the consequences; never considered that, as the fakir in “The Monkey’s Paw” said, “fate ruled people’s lives and those who interfered with it did so to their