The Monkeys Paw by W.W. Jacobs - pg.

249
NAME: Ally Glaws
Directions: Use textual evidence from the story to support your answer when it asks
for it (quote & pg #). Answer the questions after EACH CHAPTER of the story - avoid
reading the whole story first, then answering the questions. Work together with your
partner, but DO NOT share the document!

Chapter 1 Questions:
1. How does Mr. White approach the game of chess as he plays with his son? What
might this reveal about his personality?
Answer: He does not think ahead and what might happen if this happens or that
happens, he plays this game kind of recklessly. Also, even though this is not his first
game that he lost, he is still kind of a sore loser about it and then starts complaining
about the weather.
Quote: Thats the worst of living so far out of all the beastly, slushy,
out-of-the-way places to live in, this is the worst...
Pg #: 250
2. When Mr. White states that hed like to go to India, just like Sergeant-Major Morris,
Morris tells him better where you are. In what way might this be a foreshadowing
clue?
Answer: Since he was at war, he has seen so many things like people dying from
the causes of the war or the animals in India. So, he says that it is safer where he lives.
3. Morris tells Mr. White that the old fakir who owned the monkeys paw put a spell on
it to show that fate ruled peoples lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to
their sorrow. How might this information about the monkeys paw be a
foreshadowing clue?
Answer: That it can rule out peoples lives if they used it even when people tell
them not to then there is sorrow in their future.
4. After Mr. White retrieves the monkeys paw from the fire, give examples of
foreshadowing clues, provided by Morris, that build suspense or hint at what might
happen later in connection with the monkeys paw.

The Monkeys Paw by W.W. Jacobs - pg. 249

Answer: He said that he should not take it out of the fire or something will
happen to him.
Quote: I threw it on the fire. If you keep it, dont blame me for what happens.
Pitch on the fire, like a sensible man or Hold it up in your right hand and wish out
loud, but dont blame me for the consequences
Pg #: 254
5. Give examples of Herbert Whites attitude towards the monkeys paw.
Answer: I think that he does not feel comfortable wishing because he does not
know what to wish for and he does not know what is going to happen to him if he
wishes for the wrong thing.
Quote: His father, smiling shamefaced at his own credulity, held up a talisman ,
as his son, with a solemn face somewhat marred by a wink at his mother, sat down at
the piano, and struck a few chords
Pg #: 255
6. Why does Mr. White at first have trouble making a wish on the monkeys paw? What
does he end up wishing for?
Answer: He said that he does not know because he has what he wants, so he does
not know what to wish for.
Quote: I dont know what to wish for ,and that's a fact
It seems to me Ive got all I want
Pg #: 255

Chapter 2 Questions:
1. Using details from the first page of chapter two provide examples of Mrs. Whites
contradictory feelings about the monkeys paw and the wish that Mr. White made.
Answer: When he wished for the 200 pounds and the got hurt. The wife thinks it
is something to valuable to wish for. She think that the monkeys paw is nonsense and
that it really does not grant wishes.
Quote: The idea of our listening to such nonsense! How could wishes be granted
these days? And if they could, how can 200 pounds hurt you, Father?
Pg #: 256

The Monkeys Paw by W.W. Jacobs - pg. 249

2. When the well-dressed stranger appears at their home, what foreshadowing clues
are provided that hint at the message that he brings will not be a positive one?
Answer: That what he was wearing could have costs 200 pounds just by looking
at him. When she saw him, she knew it had to do something with the wish that they
made.
Quote: She was watching the mysterious movements of a man outside, who,
peering in an undecided fashion at the house, appeared to be trying to make up his
mind to enter. In mental connection with the 200 pounds, she noticed that the stranger
was well dressed and wore a silk hat of glossy newness.
Pg #: 257
3. When the stranger arrives, what clues can the reader use to make an inference that
Mrs. White believes he is rich? What inference can the reader make about why Mrs.
White believes the stranger has come?
Answer: What he was wearing look expensive and very new.
Quote: In mental connection with the 200 pounds, she noticed that the stranger
was well dressed and wore a silk hat of glossy newness.
Pg #: 257
4. How was Mrs. White able to make the inference that her son was dead?
Answer: She was able to make that inference because he said that. Badly hurt,
but he is not in any pain. At first, she was so happy that her son was ok, but then she
realized that he was badly hurt and not in any pain because he was dead. He cant
feel any pain when you are dead, so that is why he said not in any pain because he is
no longer alive, so therefore no longer can feel pain.
Quote: She broke off suddenly as the sinister meaning assured dawned upon
her and she saw the awful confirmation of he fears in the others averted face. She
caught her breath, and turned to her husband, laid her trembling old hand upon his.
There was a long silence
Pg #: 259
5. How is the end of chapter two an example of situational irony?
Answer: You would expect that Herbert will be fine and the money will not be
there, but it was the opposite. The kid ended up dying, but they ended up getting their
wish, when they thought that they would not get it.

The Monkeys Paw by W.W. Jacobs - pg. 249

Chapter 3 Questions:
1. How are the behaviors of Mr. and Mrs. White different at the start of chapter 3?
Answer: Mr. and Mrs. White feel sad and hopeless now that they know that their
son is no longer with them. They really do not know what to talk about now that their
is dead. Also, Mrs. White cries a lot because of her son. Before Herbert died, they were
happy and living their normal life.
Quote: But the days passed, and expectations gave place to
resignation--hopeless resignation of the old, sometimes miscalled apathy. Sometimes,
they hardly exchanged a word, for now they had nothing to talk about, and their days
were long a weariness
Pg #: 260

2. In what ways has Mrs. Whites attitude about the power of the monkeys paw
changed?
Answer: She now believes that the monkey paw does have magical powers and
that if her husband wishes to have her son come back alive once again, it will happen.
Quote: well have one more. Go down and get it quickly, and wish for our boy
alive again
Pg #: 261
3. Why might Mr. White say that to bring back their son would be foolish and wicked?
Answer: He says this because he is worried that if he wishes his son to come back
to life, then he will be alive and come back as he was last time, which would look like he
was crushed from a machine. He is also afraid that if he wishes another wish that
something else would happen to their fate and their lives.
4. In what way does Mrs. White have power over her husband in the early parts of this
chapter?

The Monkeys Paw by W.W. Jacobs - pg. 249

Answer: Mr. White is afraid of his wifes behavior and afraid of her. Even though
he did not want to make the wish he did any way because his wife commands him to do
so.
Quote: Even his wifes face seemed changed as he entered the room. It was white
and expectant, and his fears seemed to have an unnatural look upon. He was afraid of
her
Pg #: 261
5. How does Mr. White react when he hears the knocks at the door?
Answer: The first knock, he dropped the box of matches and stood motionless.
The second knock, he ran to his bedroom and closes the door behind him. The third
knock was very loud so his wife her it and she asks what was that. He said it was a rat
on the steps because he was afraid who was at the door.
Quote: The matches fell from his hand and spilled in the passage. He stood
motionless, his breath suspended until the knock was repeated. Then he turned and
fled swiftly back to his room, and closed the door behind him. A third knock sounded
through the house.
Pg #: 262

6. Using clues from the story:

a. Make an inference as to what Mr. White believes is on the other side of the door.
Answer: The reader can infer that the wish worked and it did bring back his
son,who might now be a walking, mutilated corpse, to their very door. Or that
something might of happened to them (like when the wished for 200 pounds and they
got it but their son died), so they got what they wished for, but something bad may
come along when they wish for that.
b. Next, make an inference as to what Mr. White made for his third and last wish.
Answer: He was widely searching for the monkeys paw before his wife let his
son in. When he found it and he made the wish before the she opened the door. They
never said what his wish was, but we can infer he wished Herbert to back to the grave.
We can infer this because when she opened the door no one was there and the knocking
stopped when he made that wish. Also, as I said before, he made the wish before he
opened the door, so there son was no longer there when their son left.

The Monkeys Paw by W.W. Jacobs - pg. 249

c. Finally, make an inference as to why Mr. White made this wish.
Answer: He feared that he will see his son as a corpse. He said that he warned
her of how he looked upon his death, but she tells him it does not matter. He knows that
it will matter because his wife will be more terrified than, she already is.

RUBRIC
RL.8.1: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Not Yet Meeting
Struggled to explain
what the text directly
says as well as the
meaning behind the
text. Did not identify
evidence from the text.

Approaching Standard
Explained what the text
directly says as well as the
meaning behind the text.
Identified evidence, but not
necessarily the strongest
evidence.

Meeting Standard

Exceeding Standard

Explained what the text

directly says as well as the
meaning behind the text.
Identified the evidence
that most strongly
supports this analysis.

Explained what the text

directly says as well as the
meaning behind the text.
Identified the evidence
that most strongly
supports this analysis AND
proposed an argument for
why this is evidence is the
strongest.