Reading Portoflio

The Monkey's Paw by W. W. Jacobs

THE
MONKEY'S
PAW!
Brought to you by Phuong Ly, Minh Tien, Bao Long,
Nguyen Vu, Ngoc Linh
Read the story:
The Monkey's Paw
 AUTHOR'S
BACKGROUND
 AUTHOR'S
BACKGROUND
William Wymark Jacobs, better known by his pen name W.W.
Jacobs, was an English writer. He was born in 1863 in London.
Jacobs was raised in a working-class family and had very little
formal education. He began working at the age of 14 as a clerk in a
civil service office. It was during his free time that he began to write
stories, and he eventually became a successful author. His stories
often revolve around everyday people and their struggles to cope
with life's many challenges.
Jacobs' clarity of prose and his ability to create vivid characters
have made his works popular even today.
 AUTHOR'S
BACKGROUND

His most famous work is "The Monkey's Paw," first

published in 1902. The story is about a cursed monkey's paw
that grants its owner three wishes, but each desire comes
with a terrible consequence.
In addition to his fictional writing, Jacobs also worked as a
journalist for a time. He gained success as a humorist and
began writing short stories serialized in magazines.
INTRODUCTION
 INTRODUCTION
The Monkey's Paw" is a chilling short story written by the English author
W.W. Jacobs, first published in 1902.
Set in the early 20th century, the story is imbued with the fascination for
the supernatural that was popular during the Victorian era. The tale is set
in a time when rapid advancements in science and technology had made
people question their beliefs in paranormal and otherworldly phenomena.
Against this cultural backdrop, Jacobs weaves a deeply unsettling narrative
that centers around the talismanic powers of a monkey's paw. The story
opens with the arrival of the mystical paw at the home of a humble family,
the Whites. The paw is said to have the power to grant its owner three
wishes, but with terrible consequences that often result in tragic
circumstances.
 INTRODUCTION
Jacobs' motivation for writing "The Monkey's Paw" remains a subject of
debate. Some believe that he drew inspiration from the prevalent
fascination with the supernatural in Victorian England.
Others speculate that the recognizable influence was the tale of Aladdin
and the magic lamp, one of the more famous tales in The Book of One
Thousand and One Nights. They shared the idea that wishing for things to
happen through magic is futile because things often don't turn out as
expected. Jacobs also follows a similar pattern in "The Monkey's Paw"
which is found in most "three wishes" stories. The first wish leads to an
unsatisfactory outcome, the second hastily made wish fails to reverse the
first one and worsens the situation, and the third wish eventually manages
to undo the terrible consequences of the second wish.
 INTRODUCTION
Jacobs’s less obvious sources of inspiration, however, include the Bible
and stories of Faust, the German scholar who sells his soul in exchange for
the devil’s service.
Mr. White recoils in horror after wishing on the monkey’s paw for the first
time, insisting that the paw moved like a snake in his hand. This snake
alludes to the biblical story of Adam and Eve, in which Eve discovers that
the seemingly delicious fruit brings only misery. Similarly, the Whites—
whose surname suggests unsullied innocence—discover that the powerful
monkey’s paw grants wishes with a heavy price. And just as in the Faust
stories, the fulfillment of Mr. and Mrs. White’s wishes brings only pain and
suffering to others and therefore fails to satisfy them.
 Plot Diagram TURNING POINT

A representative of Herbert’s company visited the

White’s house to inform had died in a machine
RISING ACTION accident and brought 200£ as compensation. FALLING ACTION

After Morris had left, Herbert suggested his

Mr. and Mrs. White fell into great
CHARACTERS parents wish for 200£ which could pay the
exhaustion and grief after Herbert’s death.
debt and help them own the house outright.
Protagonist and main characters: Title
Mr./ Mrs. White Mrs. White suddenly insisted that her husband
Morris threw the paw into the fire The Monkey's Paw
Their son, Herbert use the paw to wish Herbert back to life.
but Mr. White quickly rescued it. Author
Antagonist:
Morris warned Mr. White that the W. W. Jacobs That night, a knock sounded on the door
Sergeant-Major Morris
paw was cursed – people got hurt Genre relentlessly. Upon hearing that noise, Mrs. White
An employee of Herbert’s though that would have been her beloved son.
when their wishes were granted. Horror
company

SETTING CONFLICT RESOLUTION

THEME
Time: A dark and stormy night To persuade Mr. White who was Mr. White searched frantically for the paw and
Place: The White’s house interested in visiting India, the then made his final wish. The knocking stopped
Sergeant-Major Morris took out Do not wish to change fate and Mr. White dashed downstairs to see that
of his pocket a small, mummified and be content with who we beyond the door, the street was empty.
paw which granted three men are, what we have at present
three wishes each.
 CHARACTERS'
DESCRIPTIONS &
RELATIONSHIPS
 CHARACTERS'
DESCRIPTIONS
MR. WHITE
At the beginning of the story, Mr. White is a middle-aged man who is discontented with his fate. He
invariably tries to alter it no matter if it is as trivial as a game of chess with his son or his peaceful day-to-
day life with his cozy family including his wife, Mrs. White, and his son, Herbert in a quiet area compared
to his friend Morris’s thrilling adventures. Therefore, when heard about the magical ability of a dead
monkey’s paw to make wishes come true, his curiosity is driven to the extreme. Mr. White eventually gives
in to the talisman’s temptation and makes a wish for money. This wish ultimately leads to tragedy as his
son's death comes with the money. Eventually, having learned the consequences of trying to alter fate, the
grief-stricken Mr. White has to resort to the last wish to revoke his wife’s yearning for their son's
comeback lest the thing that will return might not be Herbert. In my opinion, Mr. White is a complex
character who is both cautious and impulsive, and who ultimately learns a grave lesson about the power
of wishes. Yet, his connection to reality is quite dubious as there is no confirmation that the monkey’s paw
moving in his hands is true and that the death of his son was caused by magical beings. This illustrates the
unstable state of mind of people who are too reliant on spiritual means.
 CHARACTERS'
DESCRIPTIONS
MRS. WHITE

At the beginning of the story, Mrs. White is portrayed as a kind-hearted, caring woman who is
devoted to her husband and son. She is quite contrary to her husband, Mr. White, in that she is more
level-headed and cautious when it comes to supernatural means like the monkey’s paw. She
expresses great concern when the appearance of the paw interrupts the usual tranquility of the
household and tries to tease her husband out of making wishes with it which actually does not hide
her anxiety for the money to come. This caution proves to be justified, as each wish the Whites make
with the paw comes with grave consequences. By the climax of the story, she receives the sum of
money as well as the announcement of the death of her son. Mrs. White is surrounded by her grief
which eventually forces her to give in to the paw just to once again experience sheer pain since there
was no one at the door. Her change from a calm housewife to a frantic woman demonstrates the
consequence of one’s attempt to alter fate.
 CHARACTERS'
DESCRIPTIONS
SERGEANT-MAJOR MORRIS

Introduced into the family as a guest, an old friend of Mr. White, Sergeant-Major Morris is
described as a “ tall, heavy built, strong-looking man”. He is a veteran of the British army who
has traveled extensively around the globe and brings back with him a myriad of thrilling
adventure stories. Morris possesses the mysterious monkey's paw, which he claims has the
power to grant wishes. However, he is also very cautious about the paw's power. Morris himself
seems haunted by the paw, warning the Whites not to use it, recounting its previous ill-fated
owners. However, when inquired if he would use it again if he had the opportunity, the soldier
displays a sense of longing, suggesting the enormous enthrallment of supernatural means.
Nevertheless, there is not any verification of the reality of his tales.
 CHARACTERS'
RELATIONSHIPS
BETWEEN THE WHITES AND MORRIS - THE BLACK CAT
OF THE FAMILY
Sergeant-Major Morris, although introduced later in the story as an old friend of Mr. White and
only comes for a brief visit, poses a huge yet unforeseeable threat to the tranquility of the
family. Described as a dedicated raconteur, his appearance at the Whites indulges their
curiosity with a wealth of tales from distant parts, of “wild scenes and brave acts, of wars and
strange peoples”. However, this interest gradually turns into fear as the soldier shares more
details about a talisman in his possession - a monkey’s paw, which according to him, has an
accursed history. Morris, on the one hand, warns the family of the grisly fate of its owners while
contradictorily, still expounds to them on how to make a wish. Accordingly, his cautions seem to
inadvertently bolster the temptation of the paw which leads to Mr. White's first wish for a sum of
money without his knowing that it comes with his son’s death.
 CHARACTERS'
RELATIONSHIPS
BETWEEN THE WHITES AND MORRIS - THE BLACK CAT
OF THE FAMILY
The reality of Morris’s tales is nonetheless uncertain. Throughout the story, there are not any
direct indications that the paw was put a spell on. All impressions of its magic are personal
testimony from people like Mr. White and Sergeant-Major Morris, especially Morris when he
is the one who informs them about its magical ability. Therefore, all wretched events may
have coincidentally taken place and the paw’s ability to alter fate may be falsely claimed. Yet,
the readers can still see that the story has placed within the White family a perception that
the paw brings dismay along with its wishes and it has actually taken their son away from
them, making them reliant on it again to bring him back. As a result, it is clear that Morris’s
words, whether intentionally or not, have substantially influenced their life. The Whites have
not only lost their precious child but also their sanity.
Rhetorical
devices
 Rhetorical devices
As one of the most well-known short horror stories in the world, Jacob’s
adeptness in using rhetorical devices has contributed considerably to the
Monkey’s paw success. Foreshadowing, deftly incorporated with
symbolism, was used throughout the whole story. The story starts off with
a game of chess - a daringly risky game - that is, parallel to the lives of the
Whites under the Monkey's paw “game”. Mr. White’s “unusual moves” in
chess, unnecessarily danger his king, which is similar to the way he
terribly endangered Herbert with his rash decision to use the paw. By the
same token, the game’s outcome also mirrors the story’s outcome - like “ a
mistake that cost him the game”, his decision to use the paw much too
rashly would ultimately cost him the life of his only son. Foreshadowing
was also imminent in Sergeant-Major Morris’ ominous warning, and when
he mentioned that the paw's first-
 Rhetorical devices
owner wished for death , which makes readers think about the horrifying
background associated with the object. The aforementioned details all
foreshadow the great affliction that the Whites were going to face at the
end of the story, generating mounting suspense and tension as well as
anticipation for what is to come next for the misshapen family. The text
also contains some other examples of symbolism helping to convey the
author's message. The monkey's paw can be viewed as a talisman that
brings out the greed and selfish desire dormant in even the most content
people, thereby teaching us about the consequences of tampering with
fate. Finally, the author uses bitter irony when presenting his story to
readers. For instance, when responding to his father's wish, Herbert says
that he does not see money, adding, "and I bet I never shall" (Jacobs, 1902,
p. 6).
 Rhetorical devices
His “prophecy” would later come true as Herbert dies the next day and isn’t
able tosee the money in compensation for his death. This irony contributes
to creating the story's mood and emphasizes the danger coming from
people's desires. In addition, the use of euphemism when talking about
Herbert’s death “caught in the machinery” when he was in fact mangled
and severely mutilated, highlighted the unsafe factory working conditions
in early 19th century England. In such a way, foreshadowing, imagery,
symbolism, and irony help to establish a specific atmosphere and impact
readers.
 REVIEW'S
QUOTATIONS
 REVIEW'S
QUOTATIONS
"The only concept that could have been older is that of Pandora's
Box, where something that showed promise of wealth and riches
turned out bringing disease and death. The key difference is that
Pandora's Box is just a concept of being careful when you come
across suspicious objects. "The Monkey's Paw" has that concept,
but it takes the direction of being careful about what choices you
make, because you may very well regret them."

(Josh Caporale, July 2013)

 REVIEW'S
QUOTATIONS
"What makes ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ so unsettling, and such a
masterclass in writing horror fiction, is that Jacobs doesn’t give us a
clear reason why Mr White should deserve such a fate. If the
monkey’s paw represents the empire striking back, we are given no
indication that White or his family is or has been particularly heavily
involved in colonial India (and thus, one might argue, fair game)."

(Interesting Literature, 2019)

 REVIEW'S
QUOTATIONS
"Unfolding of the status of a character keeps the audience on the edge of
their chairs. As they grow the ability of relating themselves to a character
in the narrative, they commence to feel their presence between the lines
of the story and I believe that this is unique, this makes literature
beautiful. Unfortunately, in The Monkey's Paw, Jacobs does not even put
effort in characterization. All we, as the readers have are the dialogues.
We are rarely given physical descriptions of characters."

(Simal Zagra, 2013)

 STORY
REVIEW
Story Review

An Edwardian (1902) classic, The Monkey’s Paw is a modern parable of fear and fate.

W.W. Jacobs interwove a number of horror elements into the setting: the remoteness of the
location, the insistent knock at the door, and the juxtaposition between the safety of home and the
eerieness of night. It creates a sense of paranoia and keeps the reader on the edge wish after wish.

The writing had room for improvement, but the horror of the tale, even the anticlimactic ending,
lingers long after. Fear is an emotion that’s deep within us. It causes discomfort and induces us to
do things out of character. Since better the devil you know than the devil you don’t, fear of the
unknown makes people act rashly and not consider the consequences of their actions.
Story Review

We have our own deep, dark fantasies, and The Monkey’s Paw comes into play as a warning that
one should be afraid of our own desire, for it may become true. Additionally, the fact that Jacobs
leaves the story open-ended provokes further analysis and projection. Maybe it was all pure
coincidence, but the existence of the paw makes the Whites think otherwise.

The mix of irony and horror as well as Orientalism and Skepticism has made “The Monkey’s Paw”
popular with generations of readers.

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
REFLECTION
Reflection Why we choose this story?

The forming process of this assignment is such an eye-opening and helpful experience for us. We have
undergone tremendous personal growth through surmounting our own insecurities and enhancing many
relatable skills.

To be honest, we bumped into this story quite accidentally. At first, our team already aimed at picking a horror-
themed book because our members are not so into mainstream genres such as romance or comedy. Besides, we
would like to find a short story that only includes 9 - 10 pages in length so that we could capture all the story’s
values. Our members fancied picking a book that is not so popular to view the story in our own perspectives. We
first selected a short story called “The Tower” written by Marghanita Lanski. However, after having read the story,
we realized that this contained too implicit details which were not clearly cited or highlighted the story’ values.
We then had struggled a lot as there were so many options on the Internet. But while roaming randomly on
Google, we were immediately attracted by the title “The Monkey’s Paw” and the illustrated cover. The book’s title
was so provoking and we were curious at which fields the story would explore. As expected, the story has
provided us a mind-blowing insight into the brutal side of reality through the embodiment of a monkey’s paw.
Reflection One of the details we fancy

One detail that I appreciate is the portrayal of the paw as a physical object with a distinct and eerie
presence but at the same time, a symbol of greed and the uncertainty of reality. From the moment
Sergeant-Major Morris first withdraws the paw from his pocket, it is described as having a "dried to a
mummy" appearance. The paw is also noted for each individual’s reaction to it, for Mrs. White, it may be
disgust but for Herbert, it seemingly intrigues him. Therefore, the readers can view this talisman through
the scope of different characters, accordingly, we may obtain a closer insight into how each person
reacts when approaching a mysterious object. This tangible quality adds to the paw's mystique and
makes it feel like a real, ominous presence in the story. As the events of the story unfold, the paw takes on
an ever-greater significance, becoming a symbol of the White family's obsession with altering their fate.
Jacobs' attention to the physicality of the paw not only adds to the story's atmosphere but also
underscores the consequences of the Whites' actions, as they have unintentionally invited a cursed object
into their home.
Reflection Problematic Details

1. Cultural appropriation: The story makes use of a mystical object from Indian mythology, the monkey's
paw, which is exoticized and appropriated in a way that perpetuates stereotypes and cultural
insensitivity.
2. Racism: The story includes racist language and stereotypical attitudes toward the Indian characters.
The Indians in the story are portrayed as exotic and mystic, and their culture is devalued as inferior. It
also shows a belief that Indian and other foreign traditions would cause problems if introduced into
Western societies.
3. Fatalism: The story advocates a fatalistic worldview in which people are ultimately powerless to control
their own fate. This may be distressing for people who value agency and personal responsibility.
Reflection Problematic Details

While these problematic aspects should be taken into account when reading "The Monkey's Paw", it is
also important to understand the story in its historical background which was in 1902 when India was
still part of the British Empire. Because of the British presence and influence in India, the British public
had been exposed to information about India (much of it faulty) for some time, mostly from British
people who spent time there.

For example, some details that can be changed upon is firstly the monkey paw itself can be switched to a
different item instead, one that doesn’t mock, make light of India’s culture. Although during that time, the
monkey’s paw was an extremely effective title as most people were curious about India only hearing how
it was completely different from Britain, thus drawing people in. Second thing that the story should
change is its simplistic way of depicting the consequences of the wishes, being too stereotypical. A way to
solve this is to delve deeper, to explore the more nuanced aspects of it, how it affects the character’s
perception of what they’ve known, how it’s even possible in the first place.
Reflection Impact of the story's background

The story "Monkey Paw" is written by W.W. Jacobs and describes a white family with a magical monkey
paw that could give three wishes. This story's historical and social background emphasizes the
destructiveness of uncontrolled wishes, which cost a terrible price and lead to negative consequences.
The social and economic changes in the 19-th century, the growth of the British Empire, and the author's
personal experience are significant in conveying the story.
The story critiqued the social and economic system and emphasized the impact of the Empire's fall on
people, which developed greed among people. Firstly, in England in the 19th century, significant
economic and social changes occurred, mainly due to industrialization.
Reflection Impact of the story's background

The novel critique this system, and the Monkey paw represent the negative influence of wealth and the
white family – middle class. Secondly, the British Empire grew, but the imperial system harmed people. In
this case, Monkey paw might result from imperial influence on people. Lastly, the author faced the
difficulties that were faced by the lower classes, so he felt the negative consequences of this part of life.
That is why "Monkey Paw" might reflect Jacob's concerns about ordinary people's lives and struggles.
Hence, the story's historical, economic, social, and authors background influenced it and were
symbolized in the novel.

In conclusion, "The Monkey's Paw" teaches the value of people's decisions and their consequences. The
historical, social, economic, and author's backgrounds shaped the message conveyed by the novel. The
story shows that people's wishes and actions have consequences, which might be destructive, so it is
essential to be cautious with them. Lastly, the story emphasizes the harmful impact of imperialism on
people's lives and uses symbolism to demonstrate it.
 The End.
Thank you.