How Does W. Jacobs Create Suspense In 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.

The night is crisp and black as the moon lets off an eerie glow, leaves rustle and fall somewhere in the distance. A silhouette dwarfs the blackberry bush in the corner as one’s footsteps refrain, they move closer; you run. Suspense is a state of tension and anxiety which was used in the sentence above and is common in books and short stories. In the short story “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W Jacobs suspense is created in a variety of ways. Jacobs demonstrates this by using foreshadowing, conflict and surprise endings.

Jacobs “The Monkey’s Paw”. In each story, W.W. Jacobs used the elements of suspense, setting, and how the main character sees the supernatural to show horror to the reader. The suspense of the first part of the short story that included added suspense is horror because Major Morris described the paw being the reason of the first man’s death. The third part of “The Monkey’s Paw” shows how the main character views the supernatural added horror because you never knew what Mrs. White would do to the paw, or what would happen once Mr. White wished upon the paw. Finally, the setting of the first part of the short story shows horror because it set the mood of a dark, mysterious, old, house that Sharon Russell said was often found in horror stories. The short story “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs has many examples of horror, suspense, which was greatly looked for in Sharon Russell’s essay “What is the Horror

In this essay, I will be describing the contrast of the moods, main characters, and wishes of two short stories. The first story is “The Monkey's Paw” by W.W. Jacobs. The second story is “The Third Wish” by Joan Aiken. Both of these stories are about wishes, and the consequences that come with the wishes.

People have always made wishes from either blowing candles on a cake or from catching a glimpse at a shooting star. No one really expects these wishes to come true or to change their lives. However in the short story The Monkey’s Paw written by Williams Wymark Jacobs Mr. White who is the main character wishes upon a cursed Monkey’s paw and finds himself learning a valuable lesson. Jacob uses the literary tools of Foreshadowing and Symbolism to portray this horrifying and shocking story.

The story’s that we’re going to be comparing and contrasting is The Monkey’s Paw and The Third Wish. The author of The Monkey’s Paw is W.W. Jacobs and the author of The Third Wish is Joan Aiken. What I feel is important about this is almost everything. These two stories are okay and they have a good mood throughout the entire story. My favorite one out these two is The Third Wish. The characters in the Monkey’s Paw are Mr. Mrs. White, the character in the Third Wish is Mr. Peters

In this essay I will be telling you about the moods, main ideas, characters and the resolutions of two short stories. One of the short stories are The Monkey's Paw, by W.W. Jacobs. The other one is The Third Wish, by Joan Aiken. The Monkey’s Paw is a story about a family who gets a cursed monkey's paw.. With the wishes that they get from the paw comes with heartbreaking outcomes. The Third Wish is a story about a man, Mr. Peters, who frees a swan and gets granted 3 wishes.

“Why we’re going to be rich, and famous and happy. Wish to be an emperor, Father, to begin with; then you can’t be henpecked.” Herbert manipulates Mr.White into making a wish. Unfortunately, Mr.White does and Mr.White’s first wish terminates the life of his own son. “Well, I don’t see the money….and I bet I never shall.”

Have you ever heard the saying watch what you wish for? In the 1902 short story Monkey’s Paw by W. W. Jacobs, this exact saying comes to life. Through the magically cursed monkey’s paw fate becomes the ultimate ruler in this tragedy. This realization comes to light when Sergeant Morris says “But I warn you of the consequences”.(Jacobs, 1902). W. W. Jacobs uses this dark and eerie short story to remind readers to be careful what they wish for because it may just come true. W.W. Jacobs uses many literary elements such as theme, plot, symbolism, setting, and point of view to catch the eye of readers and suck them into the horror story of the Monkey’s Paw.

In the short story, “The monkeys paw,” Mr. White finds out there is this paw that can grant you three wishes. Mr. White remembers the strange tale of a monkey’s paw that Morris recently told him. Morris tells the old man that he should know, the paw brings disasters upon the wisher in the process. Mr. White instead of listening to Morris, takes the paw and looks forward into using it. His first wish was to get two hundred dollars.

One of the most obvious lessons you learn from the Monkey’s Paw is clearly on being careful on what you wish for, the wish might just come true. Wishes are difficult to ask for and how you ask for them, depending on how and what you wish for it might not even be what you really wanted. Like as an example:asking for money you might not get that wish granted

Sometimes I just wish I had three wishes or maybe people dislike would climb a tree and can’t get down unless I say. In class we read Aunty Misery and Monkey’s Paw so we could make a similarities and differences paper. In the next three paragraphs we will talk about the wishes, travelers, and old ladies in each story. There are many similarities and differences between these two stories.

The narrator's actions is a big part of the theme and his fears of being killed. In the beginning of the story during the narrators sentencing he faints, not knowing why he is being sentenced or how long he will be in prison for,

White is speechless that he got this paw that is so powerful. He does not even know what to wish for. All Herbert could think of is that he is going to be rich, famous, and happy. Mr. White said it seems to him, that he has everything that he wants. Most people would respond to that comment saying, why would one need something else if they are happy with what they have.

W. W. Jacobs “The Monkey’s Paw” is possibly one of the greatest short stories written. Just the way Jacobs puts the story together from start to finish, it is flourishing with detail all the way to the suspense up to the very end. The book is mainly about a magical man that puts a spell on a monkey’s paw that would allow three different people to have three separate wishes, but at a cost.