-Il dar-Tempting Fate The “Monkey’s Paw” reveals an intriguing story of destiny and death. The Theme challenges the classical ideas of destiny and fate. From the beginning of the story Mr. White denies the seriousness of the paw. When he says, “Well, why don’t you have three sir”, he is in a way mocking Morris and the criticalness of the paw. The effects of disturbing fate do not even occur to him at this point and his intrigue and human greed override his judgment.
“If you don’t want it, Morris, give it to me”, Mr. White had said after Morris threw the paw in the fire. This is where Mr. White made his first mistake. Mrs.
White on the other hand manages to keep a cool head in the beginning and is apprehensive of the paw. She originally senses the danger that the paw poses but doesn’t make much of it and actually encourages Mr. White to use the paw. Mr. White’s first wish was a simple one as he thought. “I wish for two hundred pounds,” he had uttered so easily thinking that this was as straightforward of a wish as there could be.
Little did he know that tempting fate in such a way had serious consequences. At this point in the story the writer foreshadows the grim events that follow when Herbert says, “Well, I don’t see the money, and I bet I never shall.” Ironically Herbert is correct. The twist of the story revealed itself when Mrs. White opened the door to receive her money. The visitor from Maw and Muggins delivered the bad new of their sons untimely death, “He was caught in the machinery” he said. The man awarded the Whites two hundred pounds, which is seemingly how heavy Mr.
The Essay on Analyzing Short Story: "Hills Like White Elephants" And "Story Of An Hour"
Women are treated as though they are very weak. Women were not allowed to live their lives for themselves. A woman has to perform duties and routines in a relationship as the men choose and tells her to do. But there is always a time when people realize that the ways of living should not be the way they are and that they have to change in order to live with their true selves instead of someone ...
White felt when he fainted and fell to the floor. At this point in the story the Whites were probably fanatical and this state of mind is probably what sparked the foolish idea of wishing Herbert back. Mrs. White made the initial push for the wish when she screamed “The paw! The monkey’s paw!” . Mr. White had more sense and realized that the paw once again could pull one on them.
“He has been dead ten days, and besides he-I would not tell you sense, but- I could only recognize him by his clothing. If he was too terrible for you to see then, how now?” was Mr. Whites reason for initially not wishing. To make his wife happy Mr. White decided to place the second wish to bring his son back, still with a hint of caution in the back of his mind.
Mr. White understood that it was not his son when he said, “Don’t let it in.” He knew that there was no natural way to bring back his son, and that if fate chose this for them then they must follow fate’s decision. If Mrs. White had opened the door it would be possible that the paw would take her life too in some twisted plot of irony. Mr. White would then make his third wish and find both his wife and son gone.
Subsequently Mr. White might have later taken his own life compelled by grief, and fate would rest easy knowing no one would tempt her judgment thereafter. So the story ends with a grim twist of the plot that allows the reader to get a glimpse of what consequences arise from toying with destiny. Surprisingly Mr.
White realized the game that the paw was playing and set things right. The ending did somewhat surprise me because I did not anticipate the third wish but I believe it tied the story together very superbly. So if one day you were granted three wishes I suggest you wish you didn’t have any.
