Summary of The Monkey’s Paw
Literary Terms:
Author: W.W Jacobs
W.W. Jacobs’s full name is
William Wymark Jacobs. He was born
September 8th 1863 in London, England
and died September 1st 1943 in Insling,
London. He was very apprehensive and
quiet. Also he had a fair complexion
with white hair in his older days. He
was mostly known for the eerie story
The Monkey’s Paw, which was made
into a successful play. Most of his
stories were supernatural elements.
The story takes place late in the
night in a parlor of Laburnam Villa. Mr. and
Mrs. White are enjoying their quiet house
when their friend, Sergeant Major Morris
drops by for a visit. He is talking about his
visit to India. Later on Mr. White brings up
the Monkey Paw that sergeant Morris has
and wants to know what it is for. So,
Sergeant Morris starts the intriguing story
about an old fakir, who was very holy, and
cast a spell on a monkey’s paw to show
that everything that happened to people
was fate and they should not interfere with
it. He said the spell was cast so three
separate men could have three wishes
each from it. Sergeant Morris did not want
it so he gave it to Mr. and Mrs. White, but
warned them about the consequences.
Later that night Mr. White wished for two
hundred pounds. The next morning nothing
happened, but then a strange man crept up
upon the house. Mrs. White noticed him
and went to get the door. When Mrs.
White came back to her husband she was
with the man. He said dearly and
passionately the bad news he had to bring
upon them. He told them that their son
had died in a tragic machine accident and
that they will be getting two hundred
pounds as a reprisal. A week after the
death Mrs. White finally realized that they
had two more wishes left and wanted her
husband to wish their son alive again, and
as told the story ends with Mr. White
wishing one last wish before his wife opens
their front door to see their son. She ended
up seeing nothing but the deserted road.
1)
Suspense- the growing of
excitement felt by an audience or
individual.
Example from the story, page 38“There was another knock, and
another. The old women with a
sudden wrench broke free and ran
from the room.”
2)
Foreshadowing- clues that suggest
events that have not yet occurred
in the literary work.
Example from the story, page 32“Hold it up in your right hand and
wish aloud.” said the sergeant
major. “But I warn you of its
consequences.”
3)
Context clues- determining a
word’s meaning by examining
the words around it. Example
from story, page 30-“It had a
spell put on it by an old fakir”
Autobiography
Vocabulary Terms:
1)
Doughty- Brave; valiant. Example
from the story, page 30- “…scenes
and doughty deeds; of wars….”
Andrea Speck
2) Credulity- A tendency to believe too
readily. Example from the story,
page 32- “…smiling shamefacedly at
his own credulity…”
3)
Prosaic- commonplace; ordinary.
Example from the story, page 33“There was an air of prosaic
wholesomeness about the room…”
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Creative
Imaginative
Crazy
Quiet
Only Child
Caring
The Monkey’s Paw
By: W.W. Jacobs