Page 211 - DENG103_English - I

English–I

Notes 24.6 Summary

• W. W. (William Wymark) Jacobs was born in 1863 in London, England, to an impoverished
family. His mother, Sophia, died when Jacobs was a young boy. His father, William
Jacobs, managed a wharf in South Devon.
• “The Monkey’s Paw” is W.W. Jacobs’ most famous story and is considered to be a classic
of horror fiction. It first appeared in Harper’s Monthly magazine in 1902, and was reprinted
in his third collection of short stories, The Lady of the Barge, also published in 1902.
• The possible transformation of Herbert White from a gentle, happy, and devoted young
man into a threatening monster is the central horror of “The Monkey’s Paw.”
• The monkey’s paw is a symbol of desire and greed—everything that its owner could
possibly wish for and the unrestricted ability to make it happen.

• Chess symbolizes life in “The Monkey’s Paw.” Those who play a daring, risky game of
chess, for example, will lose, just as those who take unnecessary risks in life will die.

• “The Monkey’s Paw” is a classic of the horror genre that has been copied and adapted
numerous times in the century since it was first published.

24.7 Keywords

Prominent : Important or famous
Suffragette : A woman seeking the right to vote through organized protest

Gothic : Relating to the ancient Goths or their language
Macabre : Disturbing and horrifying because concerned with death and injury.
Melodramatic : Relating to or characteristic of melodrama
Sinister : Suggestive of evil or harm
Light-hearted : Amusing and entertaining.

24.8 Review Questions

1. Describe the character of Mrs. White.
2. What was the reason behind the transformation of Herbert White?
3. Write the summary of the Monkey’s Act.

4. Jacob’s story is structured around a pettern of threes. Elucidate.
5. What led to Herbert White from a gentle, happy, and devoted young man into a threatening
monster?

6. What was the reason of Whites downfall?
7. Chess symbolizes life in “The Monkey’s Paw.” Elucidate

Answers: Self Assessment

1. False 2. True
3. False 4. True.

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