The Monkey’s Paw - by W. W. Jacobs

The Monkey’s Paw

-      By W. W. Jacobs

      "The Monkey's Paw" is a supernatural short story by author W. W. Jacobs first published in England in 1902. In this story, Jacobs has focused upon the superstition but in a different way. The story is full of suspense and we can feel the thrill while reading it. The story contains the effect of sound and it creates the horrific environment for the reader.

       In the story, the character of Sergeant Morris has the magical thing which is ‘Monkey’s Paw’. Sergeant tells the story of this paw to the white family. The paw is like a curse and one who owns it, it creates disaster for them. This paw was able to fulfill 3 wishes of the person, but in which way, that is the main suspense.

      Herbert was the son of Mr. and Mrs. White and he was quite modern. He didn’t believe the facts told by Morris and took that paw and told his father to wish £200 from paw. On next day Herbert was killed in the machinery accident at his workplace and factory owners paid £200 as the goodwill amount. After few days Mrs. White insisted Mr. White for the second with from paw, and it was get back Herbert. Mr. White did so, and at that time there was a continuous knock on the door, and it was growing louder and louder, Mr. White was aware with the fact that there may be an another disaster… so the used the Paw for last time and wished… read the original story for this.

   

      By this story we can get an idea that what is not natural is simply ‘Unnatural’ and it is not going to be good and perfect as ‘Natural’ one. Nature always gives the things on time but if we want it before time we have to work hard. There is not any shortcut. If we try to get any shortcuts, there will be a disaster only. In this story there are several themes like, theme of death, family, fate and freewill, morals and technology and greed. It also suggests ‘Be careful what you wish for’.