Review for "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs

A review of "Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs

"The Monkey's Paw" was written by W.W. Jacobs in 1902 and first published in Harper's Magazine vol. 105. If you have not read the story do so first and then come back to the review. It contains spoilers.
Read "The Monkey' Paw" Here

Summary
One cold night a small family receives a visit from Sergeant Major Morris, an old friend of the father. He brings with him a magical monkey's paw from India. The paw is said to be cursed to grant three wishes to three men and has already been used by a previous man and the Sergeant Major. Having no need for the monkey's paw, the father takes it from his friend. The gentleman tells the father to burn the monkey's paw because it brings misery. The father is then convinced by his son to wish for two hundred pounds using the paw. The next day the family thinks the wish was not granted and the son goes off to work. Later that night the mother and father receive a notice, from their son's employer, that their son died in an accident at work. They are given two hundred pounds as compensation. A week later after their son's funeral, the mother asks her husband to wish for their son back.  He is hesitant but eventually wishes for his son to be alive again. Later that night there is an eerie knock at the door. Several knocks continue, harder and louder but not the sound of their son's voice. The father realizes it was a mistake. As the mother goes to open the door for her son, the father makes his third and final wish. He wishes to undo the second wish. The knocking on the door stops and the mother opens to find no one standing outside.

Analysis
The story begins and ends at night which gives it a dark tone. While the interior of the house is described as quiet and safe, the outside is cold, wet and dark. The contrasting setting represents the family and the outside influence that comes into their lives.

The irony of the story is that while the father got his wish of two hundred pounds, it comes at the price of his son's death. This idea follows a common rule in fantasy which is that the use of magic comes at a price. In dark fantasy stories, the price is usually death. The monkey's paw represents power. A power that tempts people and incites greed and selfishness. Mr. White tells his family that he does not know what to wish for because he has everything he already wants. Yet he is tempted by the power and encouraged by his family to make a wish. Which he chooses to do.

One of the theme's of the story is the recurring use of the number three. There are three wishes granted to three men. Three people in the White family. Sergeant Major tells Mr. White three times to burn the paw. Mrs. White begs her husband three times to make the second wish. The story itself is broken up into three parts. It could refer to the saying that the third time is a charm. Meaning that his first two wishes went wrong but he got the third one right. There are many speculations about what the number three could represent, some having to do with religion and Christianity.

Following this theme, there is a three beat that occurs within the story. The White's let Sergeant Major Morris into their home and brings them the monkey's paw. Which will prove to be something bad. Then they let in the lawyer, who brings them bad news in the form of their son's death. The last time they hear a knock at the door Mr. White assumes it is something bad, which leads him to make a decision about his third wish. Changing the pattern from bad to good.

Thoughts
I really enjoy reading this story because it is easy to relate and empathize with the family. I think most people would be tempted to use the monkey's paw and make a wish. It seems easy to want to wish for money but as we see in the story, that money has to come from somewhere and is that a risk you are willing to take? So the story offers some good moral questions to think about.

The ending of the story didn't come as a surprise to me, it actually was a bit familiar. I'm a huge fan of the show Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. *Spoilers* There is an episode that has a very similar ending to this story. So to me, I suspected that the figure at the door was not actually their son and that the father would decide to let go for good.

What I like about the story is the setting of the house. It's a bit out of the way, it's wet outside and lit by a fire. That combined with the idea of a magical monkey's paw just sounds like a great set up to me. I love the first act of the story with the Sergeant and his warning about the paw. I like this story as a dark fantasy piece that is very different for the gothic settings of Edgar Allan Poe.

There is a movie loosely based off this story, starring Stephan Lange that was made in 2013. At the time I am writing this post, I've not seen the movie but I plan to. If it was up to me I would have made it a period piece movie to add to the overall aesthetic and atmosphere of the setting.

That's it for my review, if you have any comments or other interpretations of the story please share it in the comments below. If you have any feedback about the blog or any stories you recommend let me know.