Reading
Quiz
1) According to the sergeant major, what is
special about the monkey’s paw?
2) How do the Whites get $200?
3) At the end, why is Mr. White afraid?
By W. W. Jacobs
The Monkey’s Paw
W. W. Jacobs
(1863-1943)
Although W.W. Jacobs wrote
mostly comic stories, he is bestknown for his horrifying tale
The Monkey’s Paw.
Jacobs grew up among sailors
and dock-workers on the banks
of the Thames River in London
where he set many of his
humorous stories. As an adult,
he worked as a bank clerk, a job
that bored him, and he wrote in
his spare time. He worked at the
bank for nearly twenty years
before he was able to quit and
earn his living as a full-time
writer.
Jacobs wrote dozens of short
story collections and a number
of plays. The Monkey’s Paw
was first published in 1902.
LITERARY
ELEMENTS
MONKEY
IN
BEFORE
READING
Read the title and peruse the story. Make a
prediction based on what you see as to what
the story might be about.
What is the story of Aladdin about? What is the
genie supposed to do? What would you wish for
with three wishes ?
keenly
gains
fatal
hospitable
assure
dubiously
Vocabulary
to know
compensation
solemnly
inquired
sergeant major
mischief peril
mutilated
Army or Marine officer
Asked
Seriously
Profits
Payment
Sharply
Risky or dangerous
Open and inviting
Completely destroyed
Tendency to play tricks or cause
destruction
Deadly
Uncertainly or doubtfully
To give confidence
The story was published in 1902. The setting of this
story takes place in London around the turn of the
century.
One of the main characters in the story is a sergeant
who has returned from a tour of duty in India. India
became a colony of Great Britain in the mid-1800s and
did not gain independence until 1947. During this time, it
was common for British soldiers to serve in India.
STORY
BACKGROUND
Read The Monkey’s Paw to:
Find out how the
author’s descriptive
words are used to
create the mood
of the story.
Find out how a
character’s experiences
and motivations
influences the decisions
they make.
After
Reading
In The Monkey’s Paw, a man’s wish
ends up leading to terrible consequences.
What do you suppose Jacobs might be
trying to tell us as readers?
At what point in the story could you
predict that Herbert is killed in an
accident? Include specific events from the
story to support your answer.
The Monkey’s Paw
Are You Superstitious?
The
Illuminati
Plot Chart
The Monkey’s Paw
Plot Chart
The Monkey’s Paw
Plot Chart
The Monkey’s Paw
Foreshadowing
The Monkey’s Paw
--In “The Monkey’s Paw,” there are
many things that foreshadow what will
happen later. In an essay, identify two
examples of foreshadowing from the
story and explain in detail the specific
future events they suggest.