The Monkey’s Paw

By W.W. Jacobs

 

 

Introduction:

 

The scary story is about a monkey’s paw which has magical powers.  It gives three wishes to its owner.  The monkey’s paw is given to a family of three:  a father, mother, and son.  They wish for some money, and the next day an employee of the son’s company arrives at the family’s home and tells the parents that their son has died in an accident and they will receive some money – the exact amount they wished for.  About a week later, the mother wishes that their dead son would return home alive.  When knocking is heard at the door, the father realizes what has happened, and before the mother can open the door, the father uses the last wish.  The knocking stops, and when the door is opened, no one is there.

 

Questions:

 

1.                  What shows what the parent’s want?

 

2.  What indicates what happened before the story?

 

3.  If you had the Monkey’s Paw, what would your three wished be? 

 

4.  List the consequences that may have occurred due to each wish good and bad?

 

5.  Does fate rule our lives or do we have some control over what happens to us?

 

 

Vocabulary List:

Bog - Any of certain wetland areas

Condoling - To express sympathy or sorrow

Rubicund - Inclined to a healthy rosiness; ruddy

Visage - The face or facial expression of a person; countenance

Proffered - To offer for acceptance; tender

Doughty - Marked by stouthearted courage; brave

Fakir - A Hindu ascetic or religious mendicant, especially one who performs feats of magic or endurance

Wont - Accustomed or used

Presumptuous - Going beyond what is right or proper; excessively forward

Talisman - An object marked with magic signs and believed to confer on its bearer supernatural powers or protection

Maligned - To make evil, harmful, and often untrue statements about; speak evil of

Dubiously - Fraught with uncertainty or doubt; undecided

Credulity - A disposition to believe too readily

Prosaic - Lacking in imagination and spirit; dull

Betokened - To be or give a sign or portent of

Frivolous - Unworthy of serious attention; trivial

Bibulous - Given to or marked by the consumption of alcoholic drink

Furtively - Characterized by stealth; surreptitious

Broach - To bring up (a subject) for discussion or debate

Interposed - To insert or introduce between parts

Averted - To turn away

Apathy - Lack of interest or concern, especially regarding matters of general importance or appeal; indifference

Ere - Previous to; before. Rather than; before.

Audible - That is heard or that can be heard

Fusillade - A rapid outburst or barrage