Short Story Half-Blog

Out of all the short stories I have read there is one that intrigues my mind the most. “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs is a captivating story that intertwines elements of horror and suspense. I like it because it has good language and good dialogue. Also, the plot is full of interesting sequences and actions. The inner thoughts of the sergeant-major, the older man, and the wife are all shown well through good descriptions and dialogue. But most captivating is how the monkey’s paw affects the mindset of those three characters. Those who have made a wish with the paw understand how horrible it truly is, while the old woman has no idea the horror it can create.

The story brings up an interesting idea on human curiosity. In my paper I plan to explore how the paw shows the fallibility of curiosity. Both in talking about the paw and using it, the man gets bettered by curiosity. Also when the story ends with the knocks on the door the reader can help but anticipate that Herbert is at the door. The opening of the door and the fact that Herbert isn’t there makes the reader curious as to why the older man wished his son dead so soon after wishing him alive.

There is also a deeper meaning that is mentioned by the sergeant-major when he speaks of his travels to India. The sergeant-major has a belief fate should never be tampered with. The experience that he has had with the monkey’s paw makes him very somber when he shares his knowledge about it. While he explains, the reader can’t help but be curious as to what he wished for? How did he end up after his three wishes with the monkey’s paw? These are all topics I plan to extrapolate upon in my essay.

But I don't want to narrow down too much. As time permits this week, I will continue reading as many short stories as possible. Just in case one of then catches my attention and thoughts.