The Monkey's Paw Essay

When developing a theme, an author uses many different techniques and tools to emphasize it to their readers. In order to accomplish this, they may use certain aspects of the story, such as setting, symbols, motifs, mood, or tone, or may even use the story itself, including the characters, how they interact with each other and the world around them, and what they do and say. In the story The Monkey’s Paw By W.W. Jacobs, all is safe and sound inside the home of Mr. and Mrs. White and their son Herbert, but things quickly go awry when they begin to let the the dangers of the outside through the door into their seemingly invulnerable home. Throughout the short story, the author utilizes setting, symbols, and interactions between characters to …show more content…
Throughout his work, Jacobs uses symbols to do just that: “from the white-haired old lady knitting placidly by the fire” (1). By describing an old lady knitting, readers get a feeling of safety, peace, and serenity inside the house. The fire brings warmth and comfort, further supporting the idea of a safe environment inside. Later on, Jacobs again mentions the fire, although there is a different meaning behind it: “He sat alone in the darkness, gazing at the dying fire, and seeing faces in it. The last face was so horrible and so simian...he felt on the table for a little glass of water to throw over it…” (3). Throughout the story, the fire is used to represent safety and warmth. As the character starts to see ape-like faces in the fire, foreshadowing the danger of what is to come from the paw, he quickly grabs a cup of water to put it out. The author uses the cup of water to represent the White’s losing their sense of safety in their house, as once the fire is put out, things quickly turn for the worse, as the outside has found a way in. By implementing symbols in his works, Jacobs is able to express a message to his readers without needing to use