Monkey's Paw Brings Disaster to White Family - Essay Sample

Introduction

The monkey's paw story is one that is told in a family setting by a soldier who comes visiting in one evening. In this case, the family consisted of a father, Mr. White, his wife, Mrs. White, and their promising son, Herbert White, who the couple loves and cherishes (Jacobs). The solder gives this story and how the "Monkey's Paw" had an impact in their lives while in India, how they said their wishes and the role that the monkey paw played. The family then uses this Paw, and disaster strikes them later by drastically losing their only son Herbert (Jacobs). This analysis will concentrate on Mr. White, and the character traits that he is displayed in the last passage of the story, discuss his character traits like, concerned, terrified, contented, mythical and remorseful and show how his character traits has influenced and affected his wife who continues to think about their son days after his death. Mr. White is one of the main characters in the story, and analysis focuses on his traits will be able to elaborate more on his influence thought the story.

Concerned

In this passage, Mr. White comes out to be very concerned about his wife. For example, from the reading, the older man occasionally glanced at his wife through the window (Jacobs). It shows that he must have been thinking of her and wondering how and what she was feeling after their significant loss. After hearing a knock at the door, the wife runs to open it with the expectation of seeing her son alive again. Mr. White rushes to her and holds her hand back (Jacobs). He is not sure of what awaits his wife at the door and wants to protect her at all costs. This somewhat prevents the old lady from reaching the door. When the knock at the door stops suddenly, he runs towards his wife and sits by her side. This shows that he still wanted to know what the wife was feeling after that ordeal.

Contented

The passage has displayed Mr. White as one who has moved on after the death of their son and focusing ahead. Unlike him, his wife cannot fathom the idea that their son is no more and with the knock at the door so runs so quickly so that she can open the door and see her son alive again. Mr. White tells her not to let it in, “For God’s sake, don't let it in” (Jacobs). This shows that the old man has moved on and is not willing and do not care if it’s their son who is outside knocking or not. This could have been because he believed that their son was dead and buried and could not come back, and this had sunk in his mind.

Terrified

Mr. White comes out to be very terrified in the passage. When he heard a knock at the door from the passage, the matches fell from his hand and spilled in the passage—the reason why Mr. White was going downstairs was to get a candle because of the mouse that scarring noisily through the wall. Here it is seen that the wife was not disturbed because she believed it was just a mouse, but the old man wanted to really confirm that for sure it was. Another thing that shows that Mr. white is terrified is when he asks his wife, "what are you going to do" this shows that he was so terrified that he could not comprehend what the wife could meet with at the door. Also, he says “For God’s sake don’t let it in” he did this while trembling in a loud voice, this further explains that Mr. white is so much afraid to take the initiative as the man to be in the forefront to unearth what could have been at the door (Jacobs).

Remorseful

Seeing that the old man sat until he was chilled by the cold portrays that he must have been in deep thought, wondering why he engaged the monkey's Paw in saying his wishes. The old man believes that his action had cost them their son, which is why he is in that deep thought. If there was no paw, then their son would still be alive by this time, and all of them could be happy.

Mythical

Mr. White's character is seen in the passage. He believes that, the knock at the door is linked to the Paw and that's why while his wife is struggling to get to door to see her son Mr. white concentrates in searching of the Paw because he believes it is as a result of the Paw that all these were happening and that the solution to their problems lies in the Paw. While his wife is shouting, "the bolt," Mr. White is busy fumbling vividly on the floor in such of the Paw (Jacobs). Seeing that he frantically said his last wish to the monkey’s Paw shows that he fully trusts in it and believes by saying the last request, his wife and him can be saved from the attack. Instead of running to help his wife, Mr. White, has given all of his energy to finding the Paw so that they can be free at last.

Therefore, it can be seen how Mr. White's behavior has influenced the entire family's life first in the whole story and, lastly, in the last passage. His wife has taken up the lead in trying to unearth what could be happening at the door since she might have known that Mr. White is afraid and cannot take the risk of checking what is happening at the door. His traits and actions of getting the Paw later bears fruit by helping stop the consistent nock at the door even though his wife feels disappointed because she has not met her soon. The traits shape the reader's mind to imagine what could have happened if the story could continue.

Work Cited

W.W, Jacobs. The Monkey’s Paw. 2004. www.gutenberg.org/files/12122/12122-h/12122-h.htm