Comparing Short Story 'The Monkey's Paw'

“The Monkeys Paw” is a heavy gothic short story that teaches a grave lesson. This story is jam-packed with foreshadowing and irony. It also teaches the important lesson on being grateful for what you have, and to be careful for what you wish for.

Every year movies come into theaters that are based on popular books and stories. In these movie blockbusters, the general ideas are the same as in the written stories, but the details may contrast from the original plot in the text. In the short story, “The Monkey’s Paw” written by W. W. Jacobs, circles around the idea that this paw of monkeys' holds a special capability to grant three wishes to the person who receives the paw. Coming from India, Sergeant-Major Morris visits the White family and brings the intriguing paw with him. Explaining its purpose and use to them, they are all very fascinated with the idea of what potential power it holds within. Disregarding the warning Sergeant-Major Morris supplied, Mr. White wishes for 200 pounds in the short story, and 300 pounds in the cinematic production.. The consequences would soon become known and affect the White’s stable lives forever. Two other wishes are made to try to reverse the repercussions of the first wish, leaving the White family in despair. When comparing two tellings of the same story there may be many similarities and differences that emerge, providing distinct examples of what is relatively the same and what is definitely not.

Everything is normal until a man that goes by the name Sergeant Morris comes to visit the Whites. He tells the family about something called The Monkey's Paw. He stated, “It's just a bit of what you might call magic.” (Pg.34) Family listens as Sergeant Morris continues to tell them more about the monkey's paw. He went on to tell them that there is a spell on it and that it is able to grant 3 men 3 wishes. W.W Jacobs adds a mysterious tone to the story because where did this item come from and why does it have the ability to grant wishes.

In order to successfully compare and contrast the ending of the short story “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W Jacobs and the ending of Ricky Lewis Jr.’s film adaptation, one must meaningfully think about all of the differences and similarities in both version. In both medias Herbert, who is son of Mr. and Mrs. White gets sent back into his grave. In the film all the characters die, while in the story Herbert is the only character that dies.

Taking place in a countryside home, W.W. Jacobs’s short story “The Monkey’s Paw” illustrates the White family’s two-day interaction with a seemingly innocent mummified monkey's paw. Each character presented in the short story represents natural human traits that can prove to be negative when greed and curiosity are involved. The use of symbolism throughout the story proves to be vital to the reader, as it allows him or her to understand the importance of every action done to the monkey’s paw has an opposite consequence. This correlates to everyone on Earth’s predetermined fate and the problems that an individual could face when greed overcomes their needs, even when it is for a better or worse life. When individuals are consumed by greed, like the White family, they must accept the consequences no matter how severe it is when it is something they truly seek in life.

This shows that because Mr. White made a wish on the monkey s paw, it only brought them sorrow. Sgt. Major Morris told the Whites that the paw was cursed, and anyone who messed with their fate would end up with sorrow. Morris throws that paw into the fire, but Mr. White takes it out right away. If you keep it, don t blame me for what happens.

“The monkey’s paw” is a story about a mystical charm, a monkey's paw that grants you three wishes to three people by W. W. Jacobs. The paw was given to the White family by Sergeant Morris. The first owner used his third wish to die, the second owner was Sergeant Morris and the third being the White family. At first, they didn't think the Monkey’s paw actually granted you your wishes and they believed it was a hoax. The author uses suspense and tension in order to catch the reader's attention and get them more interested.

Constructive Essay In the short story “The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacobs, a fakir (Muslim or Hindu holy man) teaches “that fate ruled people’s lives, and that those interfered with it did so to their sorrow.” This is the theme of the story. Both of the short stories “The Monkey’s Paw” and “The Myth of King Midas and His Golden Touch” contain this theme.

Ever had something go in one ear and it went out the other, even though there was a warning about the consequences? In The Monkey’s Paw by W. W. Jacobs, the White’s family, is introduced to a magical paw by their friend, the sergeant. The magical paw contains three wishes and after each of them, follows a blood curdling consequence. This story is a great reminder of why you shouldn’t take more than you already have.

What is the cause and effect of Monkey’s paw and Tell Tale-Heart. In this essay it compares the cause and effects in each story. And the two stories are very different.

In the classic tale known as “The Monkey’s Paw”, by W.W. Jacobs, a tale is told about how the greed of a man, and the grief of a wife, leads them down a very dark path. However, contrary to the many beliefs that this is a faultless story, or that it might be the fault of Mr. White, or his son Herbert, or his friend, Sergeant Major Morris, it is not the case. It is instead the fault of Mrs White. Her ignorance, stubbornness, and the blinding nature of grief led them down the path they went, almost bringing forth something vile that was once their own. In the story, a former soldier, and friend of Mr. White, Sergeant Major Morris, introduces White’s family to the Monkey’s

place nearly forty years apart. After a second read, however, it was easy to notice a distant

W. W. Jacobs wrote the short story “The Monkey’s Paw” in 1902. A great number of adaptations of the story have since been created using different forms of media. The two which are being compared here are the play adaptation The Monkey’s Paw dramatized by Mara Rockliff and the 2011 film version The Monkey’s Paw by Ricky Lewis Jr. Both the play and film feature the White family receiving a monkey’s paw by which three wishes may be granted. The paw had a spell put on it by a holy man who wanted to show that fate rules people’s lives and that if people try to interfere, they will be sorry. The main differences between the play and the film are that film gives more background information about how and why the paw was obtained, uses more

“The Monkey’s Paw” is very slow paced and generates suspense through it. “The Monkey’s Paw” is about a monkey’s paw that grants three wishes. The bad/horror part is that it grants

The Monkey’s paw by W. W. Jacobs is an eerie short story about a son who dies in a horrific way and a family who wants to bring him back. It focuses on an enchanted monkey’s paw that grants three wishes. The paw was enchanted by an old fakir that wanted to prove that fate controlled life and going against it would only lead to regret and sorrow. This plot point can be noted as an underlying theme, but the main theme is “be careful what you wish for, because you might get it”. While this story is superb, a question comes to mind: Would could be learned from this short story?