It is simple human nature to wish for our lives to be
different or to wish for what we don’t have. In the short
stories called “The Monkey’s Paw” by Jacobs and “The
Third Wish” by Aiken, the main characters—Mr. White and
Mr. Peters—are each granted three wishes; after each
character uses his first wish, the stories unfold to show the
recklessness of wanting possessions we do not have. The
stories share similarities and differences in their settings,
conflicts, and lessons learned.
Have you read the two short stories, "The Monkey's Paw" and
"The Third Wish"? A compare and contrast of these two stories shows
that they both are similar and different in several ways. For example,
when compared, both incorporate a similar motif, a story theme that has
been found in literature across time and throughout different cultures.
Some examples of motifs include villains, evil stepmothers, a forbidden
door, and, as is the case of the two stories mentioned above, the number
three, or three wishes. In contrast, both "The Monkey's Paw" and "The
Third Wish" have very different moods, which, in literature, is the
prevailing atmosphere or feeling the author creates for a story.
Comparing and contrasting motif and mood will allow readers to better
understand these two short stories.
A beautiful swan is transformed into a woman. A
mummified monkey’s paw moves in the palm of an old man’s
hand. These events are certainly different, yet they are both part
of the rising action in stories about people who are given three
wishes, and with unhappy results. The main characters of both
stories mean well, and yet they create sorrow. In both stories,
there are symbols for these wishes. The main theme of both
short stories, “The Third Wish,” by Joan Aiken and “The
Monkey’s Paw,” by W.W. Jacobs, is that human beings should
not attempt to interfere with fate, and it is illustrated by the
characters and their wishes.