The Monkey

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The Monkeys Paw

• By W.W. Jacobs

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The 5 parts of Plot

• A plot is the sequence of related events in a
  story.
• A typical plot revolves around a conflict, or a
  struggle between opposing forces, and follows a
  pattern.
• Exposition (or Introduction) The beginning of
  the story background on the characters and
  situation.
• Rising Action the bulk of the story all the
  events that lead up to the climax.
• Climax highest point of tension in the story
  the outcome of the conflict is revealed.
• Falling action all of the events following the
  climax.
• Resolution the ending of the story the wrap-up
  or happy ever after.

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Plot Mountain
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More Literature Vocabulary

• Foreshadowinggiving details that hint at
  upcoming events.
• Predictiona logical idea about what will happen.

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The Big Question

• Is there a difference between reality and truth?
• In The Monkeys Paw, a family learns the truth
  behind a mysterious monkeys paw.
• What different ways do people try to verify the
  truth?

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Making Predictions

• We learned with our vocabulary words that a
  talisman is a good luck charm.
• The Monkeys Paw is a suspense.
• Make a prediction. What do you think The
  Monkeys Paw is going to be about?

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For your notes

• Draw a plot mountain and label the parts as we
  read the story together.

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The Monkeys Paw by W.W. JacobsExposition

• The White family lives in a remote villa. The
  wife teases her husband as he loses a chess game
  with the son. A visitor comes to the house,
  Sergeant Major Morris, a friend of Mr. Whites
  who has been serving abroad in the
  militarypossibly in India.

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The Monkeys Paw by W.W. JacobsRising Action

• A fakir is a Muslim or Hindu holy man.
• Fate is the power that determines the outcome of
  events before they occur.
• What does He wanted to show that fate ruled
  peoples lives, and that those who interfered
  with it did so to their sorrow mean?
• This line is foreshadowing what is to come for
  the Whites. What do you think is going to happen?

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The Monkeys Paw by W.W. JacobsStop and Think

• What do these details reveal about Morris?
• Morriss sighs and gestures with his glass reveal
  that he is deeply uncomfortable talking about
  some of his experiences.
• What do you think this says about his experience
  with the monkeys paw?

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The Monkeys Paw by W.W. JacobsStop and Think

• What does the Sergeants reaction tell us about
  the monkey paw.
• What about the man who owned the monkey paw
  before the Sergeant?

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The Monkeys Paw by W.W. JacobsStop and Think

• Do you find anything strange about Sergeant
  Morriss behavior?
• Why would he bring up the monkeys paw if he
  doesnt think the Whites should have it?

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The Monkeys Paw by W.W. JacobsRising Action

• What does Mr. White wish for?
• What do characters in stories about wishes
  usually learn?
• They learn that human attempts to alter fate
  usually have dangerous and unpredictable
  consequences.
• Do you think Mr. Whites wish will come true? If
  yes, how?

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The Big Question

• Myths are one example of peoples struggle to
  deal with questions about reality and truth.
• Myths are retold by many people within a culture.
  The details may differ, but the main point
  remains the same.
• Myths include supernatural events or ideas. Some
  people believe them others do not.
• There are often local stories. Individuals tell
  about experiences that prove the myths proof.
• Can you name any myths that you have heard of?

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The Big Question

• Are the Whites acting as if they believe this
  myth is true?
• Mr. and Mrs. White grow quiet. They may be
  worried about what will happen if the myth is
  true. Herbert speaks as if he thinks the myth is
  not true.
• How do the characters demonstrate our desire to
  know the truth?
• They wish they could be sure that the myth is
  either true or false. They are worried because
  they do not know what will happen.

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The Monkeys Paw by W.W. JacobsStop and Think

• Write a summary of the story so far.
• All of these events are part of the rising action
  on your plot mountain.
• How does the conversation about the money
  foreshadow a problem?
• During the discussion about the wish for 200
  pounds, Mrs. White questions how the money could
  hurt her husband, and Herbert says that the money
  might drop on his fathers head from the sky
  these comments foreshadow harm to Mr. White as a
  result of the wish.
• Have you seen any other examples of foreshadowing
  so far?
• The warnings that Sergeant Major Morris gives to
  the Whites, including the description of the man
  who wishes for death.

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The Monkeys Paw by W.W. JacobsConflict in
Literature

• Types of Conflict
• Man vs. Man (external)
• Man vs. Nature (or supernature) (external)
• Man. Vs Society (external)
• Man vs. Self (internal)
• What type of conflict is The Monkeys Paw?

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The Monkeys Paw

• We are still in the rising action portion of our
  plot mountain.
• Remember, the rising action is the bulk of the
  story.
• The tension is increasing and the conflict has
  been revealed.
• If we havent reached the climax yet, what do you
  think will happen next?

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The Monkeys Paw by W.W. JacobsRising Action

• The Whites received a monkeys paw from the
  Sergeant.
• Mr. White wishes for 200 pounds, enough money to
  pay off the mortgage on their home.
• The next day, Herbert White, the son, dies in a
  work accident and the company pays Mr. and Mrs.
  White 200 pounds.
• Describe the parents state of mind at this point
  in the story.
• If you had the monkeys paw, what would you do
  next?

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The Monkeys Paw by W.W. JacobsRising Action

• Mr. and Mrs. Whites feelings about the monkeys
  paw have begun to change. As we read, pay
  special attention to their attitude toward the
  paw.
• Mrs. White, in her desperation, believes in the
  power of the paw but disregards the consequences
  of using it. Mr. White, on the other hand, no
  longer wants anything to do with the paw.
• Why is Mr. White afraid of his wife?
• Mr. White fears Mrs. Whites unnatural obsession
  with using the monkeys paw to bring their son
  back. He is afraid of further consequences.

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The Monkeys Paw

• At this point in the plot, the conflict has
  deepened to the point where the Whites are
  struggling with each other, as well as against
  the power of the paw. The conflict now also
  includes Man vs. Man.
• The tension in the house is building to an almost
  unbearable level. The likelihood that the wish
  will come true but will have a terrible
  consequence, as Mr. White fears, builds the
  tension. The struggle of Mr. and Mrs. White over
  the wish also adds to the tension.
• We have nearly reached the climax, the point at
  which the tension reaches its highest point, but
  we are still in the rising action of the story.

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The Monkeys Paw Climax

• What can you infer about Herberts location from
  Mrs. Whites statement, I forgot it was two
  miles away?
• Mrs. White reasons that Herbert did not arrive at
  the house immediately after the wish was made
  because he had to travel from the cemetery where
  he was buried, which is two miles away from the
  house.
• If Herbert is coming from the cemetery, what
  state will his body be in?
• Reading Check Why is Mr. White afraid?
• Write down what you think is the climax of the
  story.

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The Monkeys Paw

• The falling action and resolution happen in the
  last paragraph of the story.
• Do the Whites believe that the monkeys paw
  powers are true?
• Does the author reveal the reality of the
  monkeys paw?

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Complete these sentences

• Mr. Whites initial perception of the sergeant
  major is
• Mr. White began to comprehend the effect of his
  first wish when
• The evidence Mr. and Mrs. White receive that the
  paws powers are real comes when
• The most improbable event from the story occurs
  when

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Create a plot mountain

• Create a plot mountain for The Monkeys Paw
• In the center, write the main characters,
  conflict and setting
• Be sure to include all major points of the story
  from the exposition through the resolution,
  making note of literary elements such as
  foreshadowing and conflict.

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Plot Mountain Example