When writing a story, poem, or a song, people use literary terms to express what they feel or what the character feels. For example, a story is good when it makes people feel like they are the one’s experiencing everything the character feels. It also means the author used the literary elements the right way. This essay will examine “The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacobs and the way the author used literary elements in creating this chilling and well written story that proves fate can’t be changed. Jacobs starts the beginning of the story with a bit of a spooky tone. Mr. White just having finished playing chess with his son and bringing in a serious scene. Jacobs wrote, “...a tall burly man, beady of eye, and rubicund of visage (The …show more content…
In page thirty-three Jacobs describes how the family behaves, “the little family circle regarding with eager interest this visitor from distant parts (W.W. Jacobs)”. Now the purpose of these words is to make the reader feel excitement about the visitor Sergeant Morris. It helps people picture the setting of the family taking a seat surrounding the tall man with a fire in the main room as if the reader was there. Jacobs also uses Sergeant Morris from the story to bring in a spooky vibe in page thirty-four, right after Mr. Whiteasks Morris about the monkey’s paw, Morris says, “Nothing...leastways nothing worth hearing (W.W. Jacobs pg34).” With these words Jacobs let’s the readers know that the focus of the story will be on the monkey’s paw later revealing that it symbolizes the fate of the family. …show more content…
Jacobs also showed his point that messing with fate is dangerous with Herbert’s death. Herbert’s death affects the Whites, Ms. White especially. It wasn’t until about a week ago that she thought about using the paw to bring her son back. Mr. White didn’t agree with her knowing it could be dangerous in page forty while he gets the paw for Ms. White it says, “His brow cold with sweat, he...groped along the wall until he found himself in the small passage with the unwholesome thing in his hand. (W.W. Jacobs pg40)” the tone of these words shows how dangerous the paw has become and that Mr. White knows they will somehow have to pay another price after wishing their son Herbert alive. Not wanting to disappoint his beloved wife hewished for Herbert alive again interfering with fate. This foreshadows that the whites will have to pay the price by losing their lives to see Herbert which’s not in the story because Mr. White prevents that from happening. In page forty-one after Ms. White assumes that its her son knocking on the door while she struggles with the bolt, Mr. White says, “don’t let it in (The Monkey’s Paw pg41),” this tense tone reveals, he truly thinks it isn’t his son and he might possibly be thinking it’s a killer instead sending them to heaven with Herbert, as the paw’s price for the wish. Although, Jacobs doesn’t write what Mr. White
Another reason why The Monkey's Paw explains foreshadowing with suspense or tension because in the article the author writes again "A rat," said the old man, in shaking tones—"a rat. It passed me on the stairs."
In The Book Thief, Death bluntly tells the reader, “You are going to die.” The macabe statement grabs the attention of the reader and points to a larger theme: fate rules peoples lives. The theme of fate is present in many popular works of literature. Through the use of literary devices, the authors of The Book Thief, Monkey’s Paw, and The Interlopers convey their common theme that fate is fixed and that humanity can not change the course of their lives.
In the stories, The Monkey's Paw and The Landlady, the characters, settings, and mood, are all similar and different in many different ways. These suspenseful yet intriguing stories leave readers confused and thrilled but the end. The characters are confused, the setting is mysterious, and the mood is traumatizing.
Just like a genie, right? Wrong. Thesewishes come with an outstanding price. The story proves that interfering with fate can have a disastrous outcome. “The Monkey’s Paw” uses literary devices to create a story filled with both suspense and horror..
The monkey’s paw is a gothic tale. The tale is about a family of three named the Whites. When the Whites are given a magical monkey’s paw by an old family friend – Sergeant Major Morris - they also inherit three wishes. Herbert, the descendant of the family takes the paw for granted and had no certainty in the paw. That day they make their first wish for two hundred pounds, nothing happens. That night, after the old couple had departed to bed, Herbert sees a simian-like face in the fire. The following day, Herbert, goes to Maw and Meggins, where he works. In the meantime a worker from the Maw and Meggins cotton mill comes to visit Herbert’s parents and delivers devastating news. He claims that Herbert had been crushed by machinery whilst working which led to his death, but they were entitled to compensation of two hundred pounds. The couple are absorbed by grief and after the funeral Mrs White suggests that they use the monkey’s paw to wish Herbert back to life. Mr White is very hesitant to do this, but after a lot of persuasion and fuss from his wife he agrees to the idea. After making the wish the couple retire to bed. When the candles burn out, and Mr White goes to retrieve more there are loud knocks at the door. Mrs White runs to the door, and after a few struggling minutes, manages to get the door open. A loud...
In short, there are multiple similarities and differences in the characters, plot, and resolution in the short story and motion picture “The Monkey’s Paw” that clearly influence the audience. For instance, the difference in characters affects the mood. Similarities in the plot influence the tone, and the corresponding resolutions impact the theme. The director of the motion picture “The Monkey’s Paw” chose to stick to some aspects of the text as well as change some for numerous reasons, some of which include keeping the audience's attention, sustaining the author's tone in the text, and ensuring that the readers and viewers receive the same message.
Comparing The Monkey's Paw and The Signalman. In these two short stories, both authors write gothic tale stories. Both authors use gothic tale features e.g. darkness, isolation. and use of the senses.
The authors use of tone, and word choice can greatly affect the reader's’ mood. First, The Monkey’s Paw. In this story the author uses great word choice that goes right along with the mysterious story. Without the tone and word choice of the author, the story would not be much scary at all.
“I warn you of the consequences” - “The Monkey's Paw” (page 89) this essay will be comparing and contrasting Two stories “The Monkey's paw” by w.w. Jacobs and “The Third wish” by Joan Aiken. In “The Monkey's paw” and “The Third Wish” the mood and setting are almost completely different, If it wasn't for the theme this book wouldn't be so similar .
Striking to the audience that a loved one would be taken away after The White Family finds a loophole in their life. The family uses the paw again to then wish for their son back alive but, Herbert was no the same as once he was. This scenario is relatable to the audience because it shows how someone will take shortcuts to reach a goal but, does not know how to face the consequences. Seeing how the family would do anything to get their son back, even wishing for his return with the same tool that might have killed him shows that they would anything to get their son back like a mother who loses a son. Moreover, deception allows an author to gain the reader’s attention.
In the story, Mr. White wishes that he could have 200 pounds from the Monkey's Paw. In the text it states, “I wish for two hundred pounds," said the old man distinctly…."He was caught in the machinery… Mr. White dropped his wife's hand, and rising to his feet, gazed with a look of horror at his visitor. His dry lips shaped the words, "How much?" "Two hundred pounds," was the answer.”(“The Monkey’s Paw”). This piece of evidence leaves the reader in suspense because the reader doesn’t know how much destruction the paw is going to cause in the future. The White family is suddenly given the 200 pounds for their son's death which is never expected. The reader doesn’t know what might happen in the future and could be even more devastating for the family. Furthermore in the “Monkey's Paw,” the reader infers Mrs. White wished for Herbert to come back from the dead but did not realize the possibilities of the outcomes. Moreover, Jacobs develops suspense by incorporating cliffhanger to the story. In the text, it states “The knocking ceased suddenly, although the echoes of it were still in the house. He heard the chair drawn back and the door opened. A cold wind rushed up the staircase, and a long loud wail of disappointment and misery from his wife gave him courage to run down to her side, and then to the gate beyond. The street lamp flickering
White used on the monkey’s paw was to have 200 pounds (Jacobs 91). The previous examples prove how the theme of limiting luxury is illustrated differently in both stories by showing the wealth of each family. In “The Veldt,” the family is in a superior financial state where they have access to anything they want and where money is not an issue. However in “The Monkey’s Paw,” although it took place in 1902, the White’s first wish was for 200 pounds- 243 dollars and 83 cents- which is not an insanely large amount of money that would result in them being care-free for the rest of their lives. Overall, this proves the theme of the limiting luxury through showing the amount of means each family has and how their limit’s would be different from one another's as the two stories progress. Another instance of how the theme is portrayed differently in the short stories is how finances play a role in family life. For instance, in Ray Bradbury’s “The Veldt,” the Hadley’s have access to such an extreme amount of money that it begins to affect how the parents and kids interact. This occurs when Peter threatens his father by saying, “I don’t think you’d better consider it any more, father” (Bradbury 7). On the contrary, the relationship between the members of the White family is much
Events take place through the art of African storytelling by Simon, the ‘narrator’ who offers a commentary on the lives of all the characters. He shares pained experiences that the characters endure in their lives such as that of the beating of Alfred Sorrows and the self-mutilation of Ruth. The commentary takes a very irreverent approach and serious issues are introduces light-heartedly and playfully. This element lends itself to the postmodern style of the text but also highlights the theme of futility. The minds
"Plot Summary: 'The Monkey's Paw'." DISCovering Authors. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Discovering Collection. Gale. St Charles Community College. 15 Apr. 2011.
Three wishes, an old Indian curse, and a mummified paw, that was cut from a monkey. This is going to be exciting! “The Monkey’s Paw” is a short story written by W.W. Jacobs in the early 1900’s just after the turn of the centenary. Even though the text is short, it grabs the reader’s attention and keeps them on the edge of their seats until the very end. As exhilarating as this thriller is to read, unfortunately like many literary works written during that time, “The Monkey’s Paw,” is demeaning towards women and goes against feminist literary criticism’s principles and ideologies.