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English–I

Notes does, and she is the one to suggest wishing on the monkey’s paw a second time to bring
Herbert back to life. The death of her son and the belief that it might have been prevented
nearly drive Mrs. White insane. Her transformation is far less dramatic than her son’s, but she
still changes from an intelligent, self-possessed woman into a raving, shrieking, weeping mourner.

Mr. White

Mr. White’s grief is twofold as he laments his son’s death as well as his decision to wish on
the monkey’s paw in the first place. Unlike his wife, Mr. White realizes he should have never
invited trouble by wishing for the two hundred pounds or to bring Herbert back to life. The
fact that he believes an unholy creature stands knocking at his door instead of his son suggests
that he feels guilty for having let selfishness overtake him when he made his wishes. Instead
of passing off the knocking as an unrelated coincidence, he immediately jumps to the conclusion
that evil stands on the other side, as if believing the paw has punished him for being greedy.
His decision to wish the unwanted visitor away with his third wish may reflect his desire to
not only save his and Mrs. White’s lives, but also redeem himself for his sins.
Sergeant-Major Morris—A friend of the Whites. A mysterious and possibly sinister figure,
Sergeant-Major Morris enjoys talking about his adventures abroad and shows the Whites his
monkey’s paw, in spite of his professed reservations. A jaded and world-weary man, he
discourages Mr. White from dreaming of India, suggesting that life is better and simpler at
home in England. He throws the monkey’s paw into the fire and urges Mr. White not to make
any wishes, but he ultimately tells him exactly how to make a wish.
The Representative—The man who informs Mr. and Mrs. White of Herbert’s death. The nervous
representative sympathizes with the Whites and tries to distance himself from Maw and Meggins’s
failure to take responsibility, stressing that he is following orders and not expressing his own
feelings. He gives Mr. and Mrs. White two hundred pounds from the company.

Task In ‘Monkey’s Paw’ whose character is best in your view and why.

24.4 Themes, Motifs, and Symbols

Themes

The danger of wishing
The Whites’ downfall comes as the result of wishing for more than what they actually needed.
Even though Mr. White feels content with his life—he has a happy family, a comfortable
home, and plenty of love—he nevertheless uses the monkey’s paw to wish for money that he
doesn’t really need. As Jacobs suggests, making one seemingly harmless wish only intensifies
and magnifies desire as each subsequent wish becomes more outlandish. After receiving two
hundred pounds for Herbert’s death, for example, Mrs. White jumps to the conclusion that the
paw has unlimited power. She forces Mr. White to wish to bring Herbert back to life, a wish
far more serious than their first. Unchecked greed, therefore, only leads to unhappiness, no
matter how much more one asks for. Intense desire also often leads to unfulfilled expectations
or unintended consequences as with Herbert’s unexpected death and rise from the grave as
a living corpse. Put simply, Jacobs is reminding readers to be careful what they wish for
because it may just come true.

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