Pawing At Greed If greed was described as a physical being it would be the luscious beautiful mistress that takes us away from our pretty and loving wife. The short story “The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacobs demonstrates the effects greed can have on a family that has everything they need. The family ignores warnings about being greedy. However, they fear to miss the chance to have wishes granted. They first wish for money that they clearly state they do not need. Later, they make another wish made clearly from greed. The wishes themselves are greedy but other significant details throughout the story signifies some characters making greedy descisions. W. W. Jacobs showcases the effects greed has on a well off family by using the setting, tone,
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He uses the setting of the house throughout the story. The house is the setting that the family gain possession of the monkey paw. It is also the place where each wish is asked for and received. Jacobs describes the house so the reader imagines a well furnished dwelling, with a chess board and the piano. These items shows the readers that the family is financially stable enough to own luxury items. This indicates that the wish that is made later is out of greed and not necessity. (Jacobs) Also Jacobs starts the story with a delightful chess game and a mother cooking which shows the house in a happy environment before the obsession of the paw. Later, the setting of the house becomes cold, dark and creaky after the passing of their son. Jacobs begins to describe it as a dreary place with mice, darkness and creaks signifying that the toll of the wish took the life out of the house. The well off family seemed to lose the happiness they had before they knew about the paw. …show more content…
It could cause him to die like the money caused the son to die. Likewise, it could do something to the boy. Something unimaginably worse than death itself. All the same, she wanted her son back. The only wish that was not greedy would be the third, wishing the son was back dead. Fate had been twisted like the monkey paw twists after a wish, and the father did not want to twist any more of it. He wished for him to be dead again for the sake of the son, his spouse and himself. (Jacobs) The father states he could not think of a wish because he had everything he needed. However the son tells the father to wish for money. Later the fathers grieving with the mother but the mother says wish for her son to be alive again. Beyond the wishes themselves being extremely greedy these two characters, the son and the mother, shows greediness in another way. They want a wish granted but convinces someone else into wishing for it.
He uses the setting of the house throughout the story. The house is the setting that the family gain possession of the monkey paw. It is also the place where each wish is asked for and received. Jacobs describes the house so the reader imagines a well furnished dwelling, with a chess board and the piano. These items shows the readers that the family is financially stable enough to own luxury items. This indicates that the wish that is made later is out of greed and not necessity. (Jacobs) Also Jacobs starts the story with a delightful chess game and a mother cooking which shows the house in a happy environment before the obsession of the paw. Later, the setting of the house becomes cold, dark and creaky after the passing of their son. Jacobs begins to describe it as a dreary place with mice, darkness and creaks signifying that the toll of the wish took the life out of the house. The well off family seemed to lose the happiness they had before they knew about the paw. …show more content…
It could cause him to die like the money caused the son to die. Likewise, it could do something to the boy. Something unimaginably worse than death itself. All the same, she wanted her son back. The only wish that was not greedy would be the third, wishing the son was back dead. Fate had been twisted like the monkey paw twists after a wish, and the father did not want to twist any more of it. He wished for him to be dead again for the sake of the son, his spouse and himself. (Jacobs) The father states he could not think of a wish because he had everything he needed. However the son tells the father to wish for money. Later the fathers grieving with the mother but the mother says wish for her son to be alive again. Beyond the wishes themselves being extremely greedy these two characters, the son and the mother, shows greediness in another way. They want a wish granted but convinces someone else into wishing for it.