The Monkey’s

Paw Summary

By Jorge Luis
Junior Jimenez
Gomez
W. Jacobs, the author of “The
Monkey’s Paw” was born in
London, England in 1863. He
died in 1943 at the age of 80.
The story begins a dark night.
The White family relaxes
inside their home. Herbert
White and his father are
playing chess while Mrs.
White weaves near the fire.
Sergeant-Major Morris, a
friend of Mr. White, arrives
for a visit. He tells of his
exploits abroad. Mr. White
expresses interest in going to
India, but the Sergeant-Major
says it would be better to stay
at home.
Then, Sergeant-Major Morris
shows them a small
mummified Monkey's Paw
out of his pocket, which fulfills
wishes. He explains that a
fakir put a spell on the paw to
prove that people's lives are
governed by destiny and that
it is dangerous to meddle with
destiny. He has already had
his three wishes, as has
another man who used his
third wish to ask for death.
Sergeant-Major Morris has considered selling the
Monkey's paw, but didn't want it to cause further trouble.
He throws the Monkey's paw into the fire, but Mr. White
quickly rescues it. Sergeant-Major Morris warns him to
leave the Monkey's paw, but he explained how to make a
wish.
After dinner and more stories, Sergeant-Major Morris
leaves. Mr. White thinks he has everything he wants and
isn’t sure what to wish for. Herbert says that two hundred
pounds would enable them to pay off the money owed for
the house. Mr. White wishes aloud for two hundred
pounds.
Mr. White suddenly
cries out and says that
the paw moved like a
snake in his hand. After
Mr. and Mrs. White go
to bed, Herbert sits by
the fire and sees a
realistic monkey face in
the flames.
Nevertheless, he puts
out the fire.
The next morning, a sunny winter day. Mrs.
White tells her family how ridiculous the story
of the sergeant major was, but points out that
two hundred pounds could do no harm. Then,
Herbert goes to work. Later that day, Mrs.
White notices a stranger outside dressed in
pretty clothes. The stranger approaches the
door. Mrs. White goes and opens the door.
Nervously, he claims to be a
representative of the
company where Herbert
works. Mrs. White asks if
Herbert is ok, and the
representative says he got
caught in the machinery. Mr.
White also hears the news.
The representative then
explains that the company
will not take any
responsibility for the death,
but it gives two hundred
pounds to Herbert's parents.
Mrs. White screams, and Mr.
White faints.

Mr. and Mrs. White

bury their son. Several
days pass and the
couple feels exhausted
and hopeless.
One day, Mrs. White suddenly screams that she wants
the Monkey's paw. She demands that Mr. White wish
Herbert back to life. He resists and tells her that
Herbert was so shattered that he had to identify the
body by looking at the clothes. However, Mrs. White
does not listen and continues to insist.
He makes the wish, and as
they wait, the candle goes
out, they hear the rustling of
the stairs and the squeal of a
mouse. Then they hear a
knock on the door. At the
second blow, Mr. White looks
down from above. Mrs. White
hears the third punch and
says it is Herbert. She realizes
that he had not returned just
after the wish had been made
because the cemetery is far
from home.
Mr. White begs her not to
open the door, but she runs
down. The blow becomes
more insistent but
immediately Mr. White looks
frantically for the leg. When
Mrs. White touches the bolt,
Mr. White finds the leg and
makes one last wish. The
knocking stops and Mrs.
White screams after opening
the door. Mr. White goes
down the stairs and sees that
there is no one outside.
Thanks a lot