Mr White's First Wish example essay topic

In "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs, a curious man wishes three times on a magical monkey's paw, only to discover how interfering with fate may result in a negative way. The story begins on a cold, wet, windy night. Mr. White, an elderly man, plays chess with his son, Herbert, at their home while they wait for a visitor. Once Sergeant Major Morris, the visitor, arrives, he entertains the Mr. White, Mrs. White, and Herbert by telling of his adventures around the world. During this conversation, Mr. White asks Sergeant Major Morris about a monkey's paw that Morris had begun to describe a previous day. Morris attempts to shrug it off, but when questioned by Mrs. White, Morris quickly changes his mind and provides an explanation.

Morris speaks of an old fakir who put a spell on a monkey's paw "to show that fate ruled people's lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow". The monkey's paw allows three wishes for three separate people. When asked about Morris's wishes, Morris turns white and doesn't clarify what they were. Morris also says that the first owner of the monkey's paw wished his last wish for death. Next, Morris tosses the paw into the fire, but Mr. White snatches it swiftly. The sergeant tries to persuade Mr. White not to keep the monkey's paw, but Mr. White insists, so Morris gives the paw to Mr. White and leaves empty handed.

For Mr. White's first wish he requests two hundred pounds. Immediately following the wish, there is a crash at the piano and Mr. White exclaims that the monkey's paw twitched in his hand when he made the wish. The money doesn't appear, so Mr. and Mrs. White head to bed. Now alone, Herbert gazes into the fire and sees vivid, scary faces. The following night, Mr. And Mrs. White get another visitor. This one is from Herbert's company and reports that Herbert got caught in machinery and was killed.

As a compensation, the company offers two hundred pounds. During the parents' grieving period, Mrs. White begs her husband to wish for Herbert to be alive again. Mr. White hesitates, but eventually gives in. They waited for their son to arrive until they heard a knock on the door. Mr. White cries out for his wife not to open the door because he thinks his son will look the same as he did when he died. Mrs. White ignores her husband's calls and runs toward the door.

While Mrs. White struggles to unlock the door, Mr. White desperately searches for the monkey's paw. He finds it and frantically makes his final wish. Then Mrs. White at last opens the door and is disappointed to find no one. Although everything in the story seems coincidental, the characters find that they can't manipulate the forces of fate.