THE MONKEY'S PAW (1902) - The plot

THE MONKEY'S PAW (1902)

from The lady of the barge (1906, 6th ed.)
London and New York
Harper & Brothers, Publishers

by W.W. Jacobs

Retold by Rudi Brata

Theme

We have to believe that our fate in live is determined by our sacrifice through the help of the God, it is not determined by a kind of amulet such a spelled monkey’s paw. 

The Plot

The Monkey's Paw is a story about a mystical charm. The first scene of the story begins with Mr. White and his grown-up son Herbert playing a game of chess. They are playing chess cheerfully. Meanwhile,  Mrs. White is knitting by the fire and sometimes she interrupts them by giving some comments about the game. In that game, Mr. White loses it and becomes upset and irritated. Soon, there is a knock at the door and a friend of the Whites who has been part of the British force in India. His name is Sergeant-Major Morris, then he enters the room. He brings a monkey's paw. It is brought into the home of the White family by Sergeant Major Morris. Because in the past, he served in India along with Mr. White. He tells that the monkey’s paw can  fulfill their wishes because this paw has had a spell put on it by a fakir (a holy man), to the Whites. Morris goes on to say that the fakir wanted to show that "fate ruled people's lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow. He put a spell on it so that three different men could each have three wishes from it.  The monkey's paw has the ability to grant three wishes to three people.  Sergeant-Major. Morris was the second owner. But unfortunately, the first and the third owner's wish was for death. 

When Sergeant-Major Morris comes into the room. They share a few drinks and the Sergeant-Major tells them some tales about his trips to India, where he got a monkey's paw. Sergeant M. Morris expresses deep sadness frustration over the monkey's paw and tries to destroy it. However,  Mr. White saves it and takes it off his hands for a small fee.  

After that, Mr. White gives his first wish is for 200 pounds. He and his family, wife and son Herbert, think that the monkey's paw is a hoax because  nothing happens immediately. Then, the Whites' get the money. But this is a really sad and bad news. Because it is from Herbert's factory after he is accidentally pulled into a machine and severely mutilated by the machine to death.  

And then I think this is the climax of the story. Because through the second wish which is thought of by Mrs. White unrealistically, is hoping to bring her son back from the grave.  He has been dead for 10 days, again after the wish, nothing happens immediately.  The Whites' then begin to hear the sound of someone or something arriving at their door and a loud knocking begins.  Mrs. White wants to rush to the door. Mr. White is not so sure. As Mrs. White rushes to the door to open it, it is locked by a bolt at the top, she can't reach the lock.

Finally, when she is dragging a chair to the door, Mr. White is angrily looking for the monkey's paw to make his third wish because he doesn’t want his son to be back from his death. Then Mr. White makes his third wish, to return whatever is at the door, Herbert or something else,  to be back to the grave. And when Mrs. White opens the door, She doesn’t find anything but only the dark empty night.