What Is The Monkey's Paw

What nightmares keep you awake at night? Is it thoughts of death? Or of a monster in your closet? I am sure it is not a monkey’s paw. Many readers agree that The Monkey’s Paw is a horror-filled piece that makes your mind spin with the dark side of humanity. I, along with others, believe that The Monkey’s Paw is a sorrow story filled with casual and tragic events that eliminate the sense of horror. Most of us will readily agree that it is a well written short story. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of whether or not it is frightening. Whereas some are convinced that it brings chills down your spine, I maintain that it is a sorrow story due to the fact that is contains a causal beginning, the mournful death of one of the characters, and the devastation the characters face. …show more content…
White is playing a friendly game of chess with his son, Herbert White, while his wife is knitting. This is an everyday scene that can be seen at any moment. This scene goes on for a lengthy time. The element of surprise could have been incorporated but instead the author chooses to drag on this casual setting. This eliminates the element of horror. After a while, a family friend shows up at the door. He begins to talk about his experiences while he was abroad. Herbert tells him that he one day wants to travel as well. I strongly believe this is not terrifying and spine tingling. Once the family is introduced to the monkey's paw, a magic paw that grants wishes, Mr. White wishes upon it for 200 pounds. The next morning, jokes are made about it. “How could two hundred pounds hurt you,