Characters
The story begins with Mr. White rescuing a monkey's paw from a burning house. He wishes for 200 pounds, enough money to pay off his family's mortgage. He then ignores the fakir's warnings and interferes with fate. Luckily, his wish is granted. However, he later regrets his actions. This article discusses the different characters in The Monkey's Paw.
Power
In the short story, "The Power of the Monkey's Paw," we see how a magic paw can change people's fate. When asked by the White family, Sergeant-Major Morris says, "third for death." This hints that there is evil in the paw, and we are told that the paw will change someone's fate. We are also warned that we must use caution when wishing to change our destiny.
Danger
The story of the danger of the monkey's paw is a familiar one. The mysterious monkey's paw grants its owner three wishes, but the White family is the third party to benefit from its power. The story follows a bankrupt businessman who uses a statue with a legend that it grants wishes to make terrible wishes - a wish that will lead him to eternal damnation. But there are some good parts of this story as well.
Adaptation
Adaptation of the monkey's pact has always been a controversial topic in literature and the arts. As a work of fiction, it often reflects an idea about othering and its ramifications. Despite the title, "The Monkey's Paw" contains no political intrigue or royal characters, but it does contain elements of Greek tragedy. The story opens in a state of hope and closes in a state of grief.
Racism
Although Jacobs primarily aimed to mirror British social attitudes, the novel also illustrates the consequences of exploring outside of British imperialism. The book uses the image of a monkey's paw to explore ideas of moral and racial superiority. While the story isn't explicit about racism, the text does reflect the attitudes of those living in Britain at the time. This racism does not change much in the 20th century, despite the novel's contemporary tone.
Moral superiority
"Moral superiority is the monkey's paw," says the artist, and it has different meanings in Indian and western cultures. Its implication of the monkey paw as a threat is also different. While the story has the same message as Jacobs's original text, the monkey paw has an opposing effect. It forces people to become disillusioned and imposes a cruel punishment on them.
