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

249
NAMES: Jessica and Lexie
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 wants to change the rules of chess a classic game, which suggests if
something comes up in his life in the future he will be okay with change even if it had
been that way for a long time. He also put his most important chess piece in danger
which is a big risk which suggest he has a risk taking personality.
Quote: Father and son were at chess, the former, who possessed ideas about the
game involving radical changes, putting his king into such sharp and unnecessary
perils
Pg #: 249
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: This might be a clue because it shows that the man cares about Mr.
White and doesnt want him to go to India. This is a foreshadowing clue that there
might be something scary or bad in India and thats why he doesnt want Mr. White to
go there. It also shows what kind of man Sergeant Major Morris is. He is a good person
because that he doesnt want anything bad to happen to Mr. White.
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?

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

Answer: Because if you make wishes to change your fate it will backfire because
the reason the monkeys paw was created was to show that fate ruled peoples lives.
Sergeant Major Morris said that the man before him had a third wish, and it was for
death so the must have backfired. This is foreshadowing, because it shows that
something bad is probably going to happen when someone uses the monkey paw.
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.
Answer: By an experienced monkey paw owner, Morris, saying that beware of
the consequences, it gives the hint that there might be consequences for Mr. White
using the paw. It causes suspense because you are scared Mr. White will get hurt. There
could be good consequences, or bad consequences, so Mr. White needed to be very wise
when he made his first wish. In the beginning, Mr. White made a risky wish to put his
king in danger when playing chess, and if he makes a risky wish he could be in danger.
Quote: Hold it up in your right hand and wish aloud, said the sergeant Major,
But i warn you of the consequences.
Pg #: 254
5. Give examples of Herbert Whites attitude towards the monkeys paw.
Answer: He doesn't believe its real magic and it will grant any wished. He thinks
the monkeys paw is stupid.
Quote: If the tale about the monkey's paw is not more truthful than those he has
been telling us We shant make much out of it said Hebert
Pg #: 254
6. Why does Mr. White at first have trouble making a wish on the monkeys paw? What
does he end up wishing for?
Answer: Mr. White didnt seem to want to make a wish, because he is already
happy with what he has, and doesnt feel the need for anything else. Also, if Mr. White
made the wrong wish, his entire life could be ruined.
Quote:I dont know what to wish for, and thats a fact, he said slowly. It seems
to me Ive got all that I want.
Pg #: 255

Chapter 2 Questions:

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

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: Mrs White does not believe that the wishes will be granted, but also she
thinks if they could be granted how could they hurt Mr. White. Her contradictory
feelings are she keeps going back and forth believing the wishes won't work and
believing they will and thinking about if they will hurt someone.
Quote: How could three wishes be granted in these days? And if they could how
could 200 pounds hurt you, father?
Pg #: 256
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: Usually when someone has good news to say, they will want to tell you
right away and are ager to tell you. When someone has bad news, usually they feel bad
and dont want to tell you.
Quote: She then waited patiently for him to broach his business, but he was at
first strangely silent.
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: Because he was well dressed. Richer people are well dressed. He also
had 200 pounds and if he was poor he would have probably ran off with 200 pounds but
if he was rich he wouldnt need 200 pounds and would give it to Mrs. White.
Quote: In mental connection with 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: Because if the stranger told him her son was badly hurt but not in any
pain, she would know that if you were badly hurt you would be in a ton of pain unless
he was dead.

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

Quote: The visitor bowed in assent. Badly hurt, he said quietly, but he is not in
any pain.
Pg #: 258
5. How is the end of chapter two an example of situational irony?
Answer: Because everyone though getting 200 pounds would improve their life
but it made it terribly worse when it caused their son to die.

Chapter 3 Questions:
1. How are the behaviors of Mr. and Mrs. White different at the start of chapter 3?
Answer: After they made their first wish, they realized that they didnt like the
Monkeys Paw, but then Mrs. White had an idea. Once she had the idea to bring Herbert
back to life, they both wanted to use the monkeys paw again.
Quote:
repeated his wife.
Pg #: 261
2. In what ways has Mrs. Whites attitude about the power of the monkeys paw
changed?
Answer: Mrs. Whites attitude about the power of the Monkeys paw changed,
because she realized just how powerful it could be when their son died. She thought
that since it was so powerful, it could bring their son back to life.
Quote: Bring him back, cried the old woman, and dragged him toward the
door.
Pg #: 261
3. Why might Mr. White say that to bring back their son would be foolish and wicked?
Answer: He might have thought it was foolish because the first wish killed their
son and backfired so it is likely the second wish will backfire too and kill someone else
and it will be a foolish wish. He might have thought it was wicked because bringing
someone back from the dead it only something a which could do and it not okay to do.

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

4. In what way does Mrs. White have power over her husband in the early parts of this
chapter?
Answer: Mrs. White convinced her husband to use the monkey's paw and wish
for her son back when he really didnt want to. She controlled her husband and made
him wish on the monkey's paw.
Quote: Bring him back cried the old women and dragged him towards the door,
Do you think I fear the child I have nursed.
Pg #: 261
5. How does Mr. White react when he hears the knocks at the door?
Answer: Very scared because he doesn't think its their son. Or maybe he thinks
it is there son but as a scary zombie. He doesn't want it to enter their home so he wishes
it away.
Quote: Dont let it in cried the old man trembling and He found the monkey's
paw, and frantically breathed his third wish
Pg #: 263

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: Mr. White believes that their is a zombie like version of their son
because they heard really loud creepy knocking.
b. Next, make an inference as to what Mr. White made for his third and last wish.
Answer: Mr. White wished for their son to be dead again, so they would get rid of
the knocking. I know this because it said he made his last wish, and all of the knocking
stopped.
c. Finally, make an inference as to why Mr. White made this wish.
Answer: Mr. White made this wish because he didnt want to get hurt or
anything bad to happen to him because of the zombie.

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

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.