“The Monkey’s Paw” is a gothic short story written by William Wymark Jacobs in 1902. Jacobs was born in 1863, in London, England and died September 1, 1943. Jacobs “was one of the most popular English humorists of the early twentieth century” (Burne). “The Monkey’s Paw” is a macabre tale about a cursed talisman, given to an old couple; it is a twisted tale with a recurring yet dark theme, mysterious characters, and eerie events.
In the beginning of this short story, Jacobs introduces the audience to an old couple, Mr. and Mrs. White, and their son, Herbert White. The family is sitting together in the living room on a cold and wet night, when a visitor comes along. The visitor is Sergeant Major Morris, whose relation to the family is unknown, as Jacobs never describes how he knows the family. Morris goes on to speak of his “courageous adventures and his experiences of plagues and strange nations” …show more content…
White could not move, as if he were a statue. Another knock was sounded, and Mr. White bolted back to his bedroom. Upstairs, with the bedroom door closed, another knock sounded throughout the house, this time much louder than the first. Mrs. White sat up, inquiring about the noise. Another knock, this time much more loudly than the last, sounded throughout the house. Screaming “Herbert, It’s Herbert!”, Mrs. White tried to run downstairs, but her husband, afraid of what sort of creature was outside the door, stopped her. More knocks sounded throughout the house. Eventually, Mrs. White broke free from her husband and ran downstairs. Mr. White saw this as an opportunity, and frantically searched for the talisman on the floor; he wanted to find it before the mutilated creature could come inside the house. Finally, Mr. White found the monkey’s paw, and “breathed his third and last wish” (“The Monkey’s Paw”, line 325). The knocking subsided, and Mrs. White was filled with misery, knowing her son was wished away. Mr. White ran outside. All was quiet, all was
In the beginning of this short story, Jacobs introduces the audience to an old couple, Mr. and Mrs. White, and their son, Herbert White. The family is sitting together in the living room on a cold and wet night, when a visitor comes along. The visitor is Sergeant Major Morris, whose relation to the family is unknown, as Jacobs never describes how he knows the family. Morris goes on to speak of his “courageous adventures and his experiences of plagues and strange nations” …show more content…
White could not move, as if he were a statue. Another knock was sounded, and Mr. White bolted back to his bedroom. Upstairs, with the bedroom door closed, another knock sounded throughout the house, this time much louder than the first. Mrs. White sat up, inquiring about the noise. Another knock, this time much more loudly than the last, sounded throughout the house. Screaming “Herbert, It’s Herbert!”, Mrs. White tried to run downstairs, but her husband, afraid of what sort of creature was outside the door, stopped her. More knocks sounded throughout the house. Eventually, Mrs. White broke free from her husband and ran downstairs. Mr. White saw this as an opportunity, and frantically searched for the talisman on the floor; he wanted to find it before the mutilated creature could come inside the house. Finally, Mr. White found the monkey’s paw, and “breathed his third and last wish” (“The Monkey’s Paw”, line 325). The knocking subsided, and Mrs. White was filled with misery, knowing her son was wished away. Mr. White ran outside. All was quiet, all was