Theme in “Monkey’s Paw”

The power of greed has cost people to lose things that are actually important to them, just because people could be easily fooled by the benefit, they see near them instead of beyond them. “Monkey’s paw” is a story about a monkey paw that could give you three wishes. The old man Mr. White wished for 200 dollars in order to buy the house he wished to, what he didn’t expect is the money is payed by his son’s life. Each wish had costed him something he didn’t expect, after all the wishes he had finally realized that the monkey paw was nothing but a punish for his greed and ignorant. Greed is what often leads to a bigger regret and a greater cost that cannot be undone.

In the story “Monkey’s Paw” by William W. Jacob, the author believes that greed is an unforgivable crime, and the more people lose the more they’ll wish for. Mr. White, in “Monkey’s Paw”, wished for 200 dollars using one out of the three wishes, to buy the family a house but he didn’t expect the money was payed by the life of his child. “‘Is he hurt?’ demanded the mother wildly. The visitor looked down. ‘Badly hurt,’ he said quietly. ‘But he’s not in any pain.’” (William W. Jacob 4) Mr. White had been empowered by greed when he expected to receive the 200 dollars, without any hard work. They wanted the good but didn’t want to pay the price. As despite as the wife of Mr. White is, she forced Mr. White to make his second wish; to make his dead son come alive again; this time they still not exactly aware of what might happen, as like the first wish, it’ll happen in an unexpected way ” But the old woman said feverishly, ‘Our first wish was granted. Why not the second?’… … ‘It is foolish and wicked,’ he stammered, hesitating. ‘Wish!’ repeated his wife. He raised his hand. ‘I wish my son alive again.’” (5) after they knew what power the monkey paw had, they wished for more, even reversing nature, to bring their son back. Mr. White’s family has ignored the warning from the previous owner of the monkey’s paw, and they are now left with nothing but void. The monkey paw–what repeats its appearance throughout the story– is a representation of greed and ignorance. it in the story is designed to be a punishment for greed. Greed has leads people into a bigger mistake that cannot be undone.

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