THE MONKEY’S
PAW
By
W.W. Jacobs
WARM UP

Which do you believe to be true?:
• I am in complete control of everything that happens to me in my life,
good or bad, and nothing is predetermined. I am the maker of my
own destiny.
• Or….
• The events of life are predetermined for me, and I do not have
control over what happens to me, good or bad. Everything happens
for a reason, and I should not try to challenge my destiny.

Choose the statement that best reflects your opinion, and
support your answer with a specific example.
PURPOSE
 The specific reason for reading a
piece of literature.
 In this case, our purpose is to
Analyze:
• The influence of setting on
the mood and tone of the
story,
• the motivations of characters,
• and the application of the
theme to real life.
VOCABULARY
Time to check your context clue
activity. How many words did you
define correctly??
FAKIR
Men who sell lucky
charms and perform
incredible feats, such as
laying on a bed of nails or
appearing to float.**A magic
man, street performer in India.
PERIL
To be in danger
• Noun (thing)
TALISMAN
A good luck charm.
 Noun
 “Before the test, Herbert
took out his talisman and wished
for an A.”
AVARICIOUS

To be greedy.

“He came across as a greedy,
uncaring, avaricious person
driven by money.”
ANTIMACASSAR

A decorative cloth or
covering along the top of
a chair or couch.

“My grandmother had a
knitted antimacassar on to top
of her favorite chair on which
the cat would sit.”
SIMIAN
 To be monkey-like or apelike
 Adjective
 “The fire had a simian look in the
flames, like a howler monkey staring
back.”
ENTHRALLED

To be very interested in
something.

“The three sat enthralled,
listening to the Sergeant Major’s
story eagerly.”
FATE
 A person’s destiny
 Noun (thing)
 Fate has played an important
role in the play of Romeo and
Juliet.
SURVEYING
 To look across the land
 Adjective (helps a noun)
 Mr. Hager was surveying the
land before they could start their
project.
PROSAIC
 When something is
dull or boring.
 “There was an air of
prosaic wholesomeness
in the room, just like
every other day.”
CREDULITY
 To be gullible or easily
fooled
 Noun (thing)
 The girl thought she heard
the dog talk to the cat; the
mother laughed at her
daughter’s credulity.
AMIABLY

To do something in a
friendly manner.

“Mr. White welcomed the
guest amiably, with a smile and a
handshake.”
INTERCEPT

To cross or get between two
things.

“Mr. White looked up, just in
time to intercept a knowing
glance between mother and
son.”
MALIGNED

When someone has been
offended.

“The woman was quite
maligned when the dimwitted
man asked her age. Didn’t he
know you never ask a woman
her age?”
GRIMACE
 An unpleasant or
disgusted look.
 Noun (thing)
 Sarah bit into the octopus
and grimaced at the taste.
L I S T E N I N G T O M O N K E Y ’ S PAW

Monkey Paw Read Aloud

Monkey's Paw Lego Version

Monkey's Paw Simpson Version
Plot Line –
Place in Chronological order
A. Mr. White makes his third wish.
B. Mr. White wishes for 200 pounds, which he is then awarded through compensation for
the death of his son.
C. “Someone” begins to knock on the front door.
D. Sergeant Major Morris tells Mr. White to let the paw burn, but Mr. White saves it from
the fire. Morris warns him of the consequences of wishing on the paw.
E. On a cold, wet night, Mr. White and Herbert play chess while Mrs. White knits by the
fire.
F. The knocking ceases.
G. Mrs. White runs to the door and tries to open it. She cries for Mr. White to help her
with the bolt.
H. With a pale face, Sergeant Major Morris tells Herbert that he has had his three wishes
on the paw granted.
I. Mrs. White begs for Mr. White to wish for Herbert to be alive again.
J. Mrs. White opens the door and lets out a long wail of disappointment.
F. Mr. White makes his third wish.
G. Mr. White wishes for 200 pounds, which he is then
awarded through compensation for the death of his son.
H. “Someone” begins to knock on the front door.
I. Sergeant Major Morris tells Mr. White to let the paw
burn, but Mr. White saves it from the fire. Morris warns
him of the consequences of wishing on the paw.
J. On a cold, wet night, Mr. White and Herbert play
chess while Mrs. White knits by the fire.

LITER ARY ELEMEN T PR AC TIC E:
PROVIDE AN EXAMPLE FRO M TH E S TO RY
FOR EACH
Point of View

Theme
(What is it? How do you know?)

Atmosphere
(What feeling does the story give readers?)




Setting
Foreshadowing
Flashback
Conflict
If there isn’t
an example in
the story,
explain how
one could be
added to the
story.

Irony

Motivation

Suspense

Symbol

Allusion

Motif - Recurring story events, token events