THE MONKEY’S PAW By W.W. Jacobs

Setting elements Year = 1902 Location = LaBurnam Villa, Great Britain Weather = Rainy and stormy Genre = Gothic Horror

Review questions What does it mean when someone is rubicund of visage? What is the story behind the Monkey’s Paw? What type of personality does Mr. White seem have? What is the name of Mr. White’s friend that comes to visit? How does the White family act when Sergeant Morris is warning them about the Monkey’s Paw?

WARM UP Which do you believe to be true?: I am in complete control of everything that happens to me in my life, good or bad, and nothing is predetermined. I am the maker of my own destiny. Or…. The events of life are predetermined for me, and I do not have control over what happens to me, good or bad. Everything happens for a reason, and I should not try to challenge my destiny. Choose the statement that best reflects your opinion, and support your answer with a specific example.

Review questions What company does Herbert work for? How does the man act that is outside of the White family’s house? What happened to Herbert? Be specific? What does the mother think that the man means at first? What does the company decide to do to “compensate” the family? Does the family get their first wish?

Whiskey tumblers

Monkey’s paw

FAKIR Men who sell lucky charms and perform incredible feats, such as laying on a bed of nails or appearing to float.**A magic man, street performer in India.

TALISMAN A good luck charm. Noun “Before the test, Herbert took out his talisman and wished for an A.”

AVARICIOUS To be greedy. “He came across as a greedy, uncaring, avaricious person driven by money.”

ANTIMACASSAR A decorative cloth or covering along the top of a chair or couch. “My grandmother had a knitted antimacassar on to top of her favorite chair on which the cat would sit.”

ENTHRALLED To be very interested in something. “The three sat enthralled, listening to the Sergeant Major’s story eagerly.”

FATE A person’s destiny Noun (thing) Fate has played an important role in the play of Romeo and Juliet.

SURVEYING To look across the land Adjective (helps a noun) Mr. Hager was surveying the land before they could start their project.

MALIGNED When someone has been offended. “The woman was quite maligned when the dimwitted man asked her age. Didn’t he know you never ask a woman her age?”

GRIMACE An unpleasant or disgusted look. Noun (thing) Sarah bit into the octopus and grimaced at the taste.

Literary Element Practice: Provide an example from the Story For each Point of View Theme (What is it? How do you know?) Irony Atmosphere Motivation (What feeling does the story give readers?) Setting Suspense Foreshadowing Symbol Flashback Allusion Conflict Motif - Recurring story events, token events If there isn’t an example in the story, explain how one could be added to the story.