Summary
Highlights
Ten days after Herbert's burial, Mrs. White, overwhelmed by grief, demands Mr. White use the paw's remaining two wishes to bring Herbert back to life. Mr. White is horrified, imagining Herbert's mangled corpse, but Mrs. White insists. In fear, he makes the wish: 'I wish my son alive again.'
The Monkey's Paw is a profound warning against tempting fate and highlights the dangers of wishes. The story revolves around a cursed monkey's paw, a talisman symbolizing greed that grants three wishes to its owner.
On a cold, windy night, Sergeant Major Morris, an old friend who served in India, visits the White family. He shares tales and introduces them to a dried monkey's paw, explaining it grants three wishes but warns of sorrow for those who interfere with fate. Morris, having used his wishes, attempts to throw the paw into the fire, but Mr. White retrieves it. Despite warnings, Mr. White is given the paw, and jokingly wishes for £200 to pay off his house. The paw twists in his hand like a snake.
The next morning, the Whites joke about the paw. Mr. White, however, believes the paw moved. Later, a factory representative arrives, announcing Herbert's gruesome death in machinery. The company offers £200 in compensation, fulfilling Mr. White's first wish with tragic irony.
Mrs. White peers through the window, searching for Herbert. When nothing happens, Mr. White is relieved. Later, a knocking sound begins at the front door, growing louder. Mrs. White struggles to unlock the bolted door, believing it's Herbert. Mr. White, frantically searching for the paw, makes his third and final wish just as his wife unlocks the door. The knocking ceases, and upon opening the door, they find nothing but a cold wind and a quiet, deserted road.