The Paw of Punishments

Be careful of what you wish for… because you might receive it… “The Monkey’s Paw” is a short horror story written by W.W. Jacob, the “Monkey’s Paw” being a magical item that can grant three wishes to its owner. The concept of this story is punishing the greedy ones who desire to use the “Monkey’s Paw”. The theme of this story is that you should always believe in fate, and never try to change it. 

On the last sentence on page 1, it quotes: “‘An old fakir put a spell on it (The Monkey’s Paw). He was a very holy man and he wanted to show that fate ruled people’s lives, and that to interfere with fate only caused deep sadness.’” (Jacobs 1) This quote gives an explanation of why the “Monkey’s Paw” is created, and at the same time, explains the theme of the book. The quote says that people interfering with fate would experience deep sadness as a punishment, proving that the sole purpose of the “Monkey’s Paw” is to teach people not to mess around with fate. Further, along with the story, the White family became the owner of the magical paw and wished for 200 pounds in money. Although their wish came true, the consequences also came: “ ‘He became trapped in the machinery’ said the visitor in a low voice.”(Jacobs 4) After the family wished for 200 pounds, they found out that the son died while working for a company, and they received 200 pounds from the company as an apology note. This quote supports my claim because the White family were punished because they tried to change their fate, ultimately losing a family member. 

In conclusion, the story teaches people to accept fate and be careful about what they do, acting as a warning for those who are ungrateful. 

 

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