In "The Monkey's Paw," when Mr. White uses the monkey's paw to wish for two hundred pounds to pay off the mortgage, Herbert dies in a tragic work accident. However, the wish comes true when the company offers the Whites two hundred pounds in compensation.
What happens at the end of the Monkey's Paw?
At the end of "The Monkey's Paw," Mrs. White drives her husband into using the second wish to bring their son back from the dead. Though terrified of this wish's consequences, Mr. White makes his final wish, which has the effect of undoing the second.
What kind of story is the Monkey's Paw?
The Monkey's Paw. Jump to navigation Jump to search. Horror short story about interfering with fate. "The Monkey's Paw" is a supernatural short story by author W. W. Jacobs first published in England in the collection The Lady of the Barge in 1902.
Why does Mr White knock on the Monkey's Paw?
White is ecstatic, believing that her son has indeed returned, and hurries downstairs to let him in before her husband can stop her. Mr. White is left with only one course of action: to make a final wish on the monkey’s paw. We are not told exactly what the wish is, but when he makes it, the knocking stops abruptly.
How did Herbert die in the Monkey's Paw?
In "The Monkey's Paw," when Mr. White uses the monkey's paw to wish for two hundred pounds to pay off the mortgage, Herbert dies in a tragic work accident. However, the wish comes true when the company offers the Whites two hundred pounds in compensation.
What happened in the story The Monkey's paw?
"The Monkey's Paw" is a horror short story by author W. W. Jacobs, first published in England in the collection The Lady of the Barge in 1902. In the story, three wishes are granted to the owner of The Monkey's Paw, but the wishes come with an enormous price for interfering with fate.
What happened at the end of the monkey's paw?
Eventually, Herbert brings up the fact that there are two hundred pounds required to "clear" the house. It is settled then that the wish be used for two hundred pounds and Mr White holds the Monkey's Paw in his right hand and makes a wish.
What is the main point of the monkey's paw?
The central theme of “The Monkey's Paw” concerns the role of fate in human life. When Sergeant-Major Morris introduces the monkey's paw to the Whites, he explains the reason for its conception.
What happened in Part 1 of monkey's paw?
After his parents go to bed, Herbert sees (or thinks he sees) the "horrible" face of a monkey in the fire. He throws water on the face, then gives the paw a squeeze and goes to bed.
What was Mr White's final wish?
White's final wish, the fact that the moment he found the paw on the floor, he “frantically breathed his third and last wish and the knocking ceased suddenly,” implies that the father's last wish was for his son to return to where he now belongs.
What is Mr White's third wish?
In The Monkey's Paw, what is the third wish and what are its consequences? He wished for his son to be dead again and the consequences were that the mother saw him and she was in anguish.
What did Morris throw the paw into?
The sergeant-major throws the paw into the fire, and Mr. White quickly rescues it. The sergeant-major warns him three times to leave the paw alone, but he eventually explains how to make a wish on the paw. Mrs.
What was Mr White's first wish?
White's first wish? He wishes for 200 pounds to pay off his house.
What happens in Part 2 of the monkey's paw?
Morning brings the White family a bright sun, dispelling all their apprehensions and foolishness about the previous night. Mr. White reminds the family that the sergeant-major told them that when a wish is granted, things seem to unfold naturally, as though it were all part of some grand scheme.
Why does Mr White get angry?
Answer: White took possession of it from Sergeant-Major Morris. Those wishes were not described by Morris, who tells the family: "He [the fakir] put a spell on it so that three separate men could each have three wishes from it."
What does Mrs White transform into by the end of the story?
The death of her son and the belief that it might have been prevented nearly drive Mrs. White insane. Her transformation is far less dramatic than her son's, but she still changes from an intelligent, self-possessed woman into a raving, shrieking, weeping mourner.
What is most likely Mr White's final wish in the monkey's paw?
Answers 1. Mr. White's final wish is likely a wish for his resurrected son to go away.
What happened to the first man who made his three wishes?
The fact that the first man wished for death as his third wish, emphasises that the monkey's paw only brought him unhappiness and misery. He took the paw, and dangling it between his front finger and thumb, suddenly threw it upon the fire.
Why is the old man reluctant to use the monkey's paw again?
He is reluctant to use the monkey’s paw again for fear of what may happen. However, he does as she wishes and wishes his son alive again. They wait patiently for a response to the wish, and then there is a knock on the door. The old man is afraid to open it, although his wife is eager to see her son again.
Why did the old woman yell out that they could use the monkey's paw to wish their son back?
The old man wasn’t sure he wanted to wish his son back to life since the son had been so badly mangled in the machinery that he didn’t even recognize him.
What is Herbert's second wish?
The second wish has also come true, enabling Herbert to return from the grave as an undead corpse. Mr. White understands that Herbert is not the same and fears witnessing his son's zombie corpse. As Mrs. White struggles to unlock the door, Mr. White manages to find the monkey's paw and make his third and final wish.
Why did Morris put a spell on the paw?
Whites’ urging, Sergeant-Major Morris takes a small, mummified paw out of his pocket. He explains that a fakir (a mystic miracle worker) placed a spell on the paw to prove that people’s lives are governed by fate and that it is dangerous to meddle with fate.
What does Herbert say about the paw?
Herbert says that two hundred pounds would enable them to pay off the money owed for the house. Mr. White wishes aloud for two hundred pounds as Herbert accompanies him with melodramatic chords played on the piano. Mr. White suddenly cries out and says that the paw moved like a snake in his hand.
How many times can a sergeant wish on a paw?
According to the sergeant-major, three men can wish on the paw three times each. The sergeant-major himself has already had his three wishes, as has another man, who used his third wish to ask for death. The sergeant-major has considered selling the paw, but he doesn’t want it to cause any more trouble than it already has.
How many times does the stranger approach the gate?
The stranger hesitantly approaches their gate three times before opening it and coming up to the door. Mrs. White ushers him in. He nervously states that he is a representative of Maw and Meggins, Herbert’s employer. Mrs. White asks whether Herbert is all right, and the representative says he is hurt, but in no pain.
Does the sergeant major sell the paw?
The sergeant-major has considered selling the paw, but he doesn’t want it to cause any more trouble than it already has. Moreover, no one will buy the paw without first seeing proof of its effect. The sergeant-major throws the paw into the fire, and Mr. White quickly rescues it.
Who throws the monkey's paw into the fire?
Morris, having had a horrific experience using the paw, throws the monkey's paw into the fire but Mr. White retrieves it. Before leaving, Morris warns Mr. White that if he does use the paw, then it will be on his own head.
What is the monkey's paw?
The Monkey's Paw is a legendary item of evil intent that allowed whoever held it to obtain wishes, at a horrific price - being prone to twist the wishes in order to unleash the worst outcomes. The premise is simple: whoever picks up the paw has the knowledge that he can ask and get granted one wish per finger that remains standing in the paw.
Who is the man who puts a spell on a monkey's paw?
Sergeant-Major Morris, a friend who served with the British Army in India, introduces them to a mummified monkey's paw. An old fakir placed a spell on the paw, it would grant three wishes. The wishes are granted but always with hellish consequences as punishment for tampering with fate.