“Be careful what you wish for, you may receive it” is not only an age old phrase, but also the main idea of W.W. Jacobs’ short story, “The Monkey’s Paw”. In this short story, a fairly average family is introduced to a ‘magical’ monkey paw that has the power to grant any 3 wishes. However, when the family is warned that there are horrible consequences to wishing on the paw, they decide to use it anyways and it costs them. The story is filled with many symbols such as the way Mr.White plays the chess game, the number 3, and the monkey’s paw. It is through these symbols that W.W. Jacobs sets up the problem, raises the stakes, and introduces a main character.…