The White Family In The Monkey's Paw By W. Jacobs

865 Words2 Pages

“The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs is a short story about the White family. One night they’re given an ornament that resembled a monkey’s paw. Sargeant-Major Morris, the man who gifts the Whites the monkey’s paw, explains the magic of the paw in detail.
“… a very holy man. He wanted to show fate ruled people’s lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow. He put a spell on it so that three separate men could each have three wishes from it.”(W.W. Jacobs 2)
As the story concludes it ends up with the wishes tearing their family apart. The decisions that the family makes throughout the story bring consequences for all the characters throughout the story. Many consequences come through this decision that deal with grim subject …show more content…

If only he could find it before the thing inside got in. ... He heard the creaking of the bolt as it came slowly back, and at the same moment he found the monkey’s paw, and frantically his breathed third and final wish.”(W.W. Jacobs 7)
Throughout the story the monkey’s paw brings pain and grief to the White family. So I disagree with the decision that the White family made by taking the paw. The consequences bring to much pain for the paw to be worthwhile. The decision to take the monkeys paw ultimately does grant you three wishes which seems great, but the consequences that it comes with can be painful or even fatal. So, no the decision to take the paw was not considered properly and was a mistake it ends with the family grieving for all that they lost. Mr. White decision was in fact a mistake in the long run the story ends on a worse note than it begins, but it’s hard to fight greed and the feeling you have when greed wants to control. If I was in Mr. Whites place I probably would end up taking the paw. Having the same knowledge as Mr. White I have no recollection of the misfortune the paw is bound to bring. Learning of something as magical as a paw that grants wishes would be amazing I could have anything I desire, but not knowing of the curse it brings would bring pain and anger upon my heart. Mr. White doesn’t know the curse the paw brings all he knows is Sargeant-Major Morris’s experience wasn’t

Open Document