W. Jacobs The Monkey's Paw

511 Words2 Pages

While one would assume the person primarily responsible for the misery is the one who introduced it, in W.W. Jacobs’ The Monkey’s Paw, the sorrow resulted from a seemingly innocent character. In W.W. Jacobs’ The Monkey’s Paw, Mr. White is the most responsible for the sorrows that result from wishing on the monkey’s paw because he’s the one who disregarded Sergeant-Major Morris’ warnings, and he’s the one who makes all three wishes. When Morris first apprehensively shares the story of the monkey’s paw, he tells the family how it was spelled by a fakir to demonstrate what happens when one tampers with their fate. He warns the family three times not to use it, as he is aware of the dire consequences, and he even alerts the family that someone …show more content…

White] shook his head and examined his new possession closely. How do you do it? he inquired” (Jacobs, 3). Mr. White’s curiosity to learn about the object demonstrates his credulity. He recklessly takes the paw and believes in its powers, despite being aware of the danger it can bring and Morris’ pleas not to. His impressionability ultimately sets the tragedy of events in motion, inviting evil into his family’s life. After receiving the paw through an exchange driven by greed, Mr. White and his family ponder what to wish for. Mr. White acknowledges that he doesn’t know what to wish for, as he already has everything he needs. Despite this, he foolishly makes a wish jokingly suggested by his son, Herbert. “‘I wish for two hundred pounds,’ said the old man distinctly” (Jacobs, 4). By unnecessarily wishing for more, Mr. White succumbs to temptation. His willingness to wish while being conscious of the potential consequences further illustrates how he made irrational decisions out of greed. The next day, the family receives news that Herbert died, and they’re given two hundred pounds as compensation. Mr. White finally realizes the price he’ll have to pay for his unearned

Open Document