The Monkey's Paw Summary and Question Answer PDF chse 12th class

THE MONKEY'S PAW 

By W.W. Jacobs 

 Introduction to W.W. Jacob : 

William Wymark Jacobs is an English author of short stories and novels. Although much of his work is humorous, he is most famous for a horror story "The Monkey's Paw" 

Introduction to the Monkey's Paw : 

The Indian saints, through long meditation on the Himalayas, have got many wonderful mantras, tantras by which they can walk on water, send a tree to a distant place, fly in the sky, make a tree to a distant place, fly in the sky, make a man into a sheep. They can put their miraculous power into various objects so that they act as magic objects, perform wonderful magic. 

           Here is a story "The Monkey's Paw" which is built upon a similar vein. A saint put some magic power to a monkey's paw to prove that fate rules over life and if one goes against fate, he must face its fatal consequence. 

          The Monkey's Paw has special power to fulfil any three ambitious of any three possessors. The present story records what happened to the third possessor when he made three wishes. Let's read the story and enjoy it. 

Characters in the story : 

1. Mr. White - an English gentleman. 

2. Mrs. White – the wife of Mr. White 

3. Herbert - Son of the Whites. 

4. Sergeant Major Morris - a Sergeant retired. 5. A Stranger -a man from Maw and Meggins company. 

Summary of "The Monkey's Paw": 

Mr. Herbert was playing chess with his father Mr. White. The rain was pattering outside. Mr.White, being defeated again and again, showed his anger upon rain. In the meantime Sergeant Major Morris arrived there. He had spent twenty one years in India. Herbert requested him to tell about Indian magic, saints. He showed a monkey's paw and said that an Indian saint had ruined some people's lives. Anyone who tried to interfere with fate would be sorry. 

           The sergeant said that the first owner of the monkey's paw died unhappily. He was the second holder and his three wishes gave him unhappy result. He wanted to sell it, but nobody bought it. So he would threw it to fire. Mr. White stopped him and took the monkey's paw. He said-I will try to test rny fate by it. The sergeant advised him not to do it and he left the house disgustedly. 

          Herbert asked Mr. White made his wish holding the monkey's paw. At first he was unwilling. But later he took the monkey's paw in his hand and wished two hundred pounds. He felt the paw moving in his hand. He dropped it. Mrs. White and Herbert laughed at his fear. No money came.

         The next day Herbert went to the factory to work there. Mr. White and Mrs. White were talking on monkey's paw. A stranger came. He said that he was from Maw and Meggins company. Herbert was caught in the machinery. The company had sent two hundred pound.

          A week. Mr. and Mrs. White were weeping because their only son Herbert had died due to the wish made by monkey's paw. Mrs. White urged her husband to make the second wish to bring back his life. Mr. White was unwilling. As Mrs. White compelled him to hold it in his hand and wished for his son's life. 

           They heard knocking on the door. Mrs. White looked happy and ran towards the door shouting- My Son ! My Son ! Wait ! I am opening the door. Mr. White took the paw and made the third wish. The knocking stopped. Mrs. White opened the door and found nobody. The play ended in a cold atmosphere.

Analytical Outlines of the monkey's paw :

• Mr. White was playing chess with his son Herbert on a rainy evening. 
• The rain was pattering heavily outside. 
• Mr. White was defeated again and again. 
• He expressed his anger at the rain and the government for its inaction. 
• Sergeant Major Morris arrived. 
• He had spent 21 years in India. 
• He had a Monkey's paw. 
• He often said that it was magical. 
• He talked about Indian magic, mantra, and tantra. 
• Herbert told him to talk about the monkey's paw. 
• The sergeant said that an Indian saint had put some spell in the monkey's paw 
• It could fulfil any three wishes of any three persons. 
• He wanted to prove that fate rules over human lives. 
• If man wants to change fate, he must be ruined in the end. 
• The first owner of the monkey's paw made the third wish to die. 
• The second owner, Sergeant Major Morris, was a great sufferer due to the paw. 
• He wanted to sell it.
• Nobody believed its magic power. 
• They laughed at Sergeant's words. 
• He wanted to destroy it by throwing it to fire. 
• Mr. White caught it. 
• He said that he would try it at hard times. 
• Major warned him not to use it. 
• He ate food and left Whites family. 
• Herbert temped his father to make wish. 
• Mrs. White too tempted him. 
• Mr. White was unwilling. 
• Herbert told him to ask for two hundred pounds to pay off the debts. 
• Mr. White made the first wish. 
• He felt something wriggling in his hand. 
• He dropped the paw on the ground. 
• Herbert criticised him for being nervous. 
• He said that nothing would come. 
• He said,it was psychological failure, 
• They went to bed after eating. 
• The next day Herbert went to the Maw and Meggins factory to work there. 
• Mr. and Mrs. White were waiting for lunch. 
• A stranger came. 
• He was from Maw and Meggins. 
• He said that Herbert was caught in the machinery. 
• The company disclaimed all responsibility. 
• They have sent two hundred pounds as compensation. 
• The Whites blamed the monkey's paw for the death. 
• A week passed. 
• The Whites felt life cheerless without son. 
• Mrs. White told Mr. White makes the second wish to get back son's life. 
• Mr. White strongly refused. 
• Mrs. White urged forcefully. 
• Mrs. White made the wish for his son's life. 
• There was a knock on the door. 
• Mrs. White said- my son returned. 
• She ran towards the door to open it. 
• Mr. White held the paw and made the third wish. 
• What he said was not understood. 
• The knocking stopped. 
• Mrs. White opened the door. 
• Nobody was there. 
• The Monkey's paw was lying on the floor.

Question Answer of the monkey's paw (questions to be answered carrying 5 marks each) 
Scene-1 

Question.1. Describe the weather and its influence on the theme. 

Answer. It was a cold winter night. The rain was pattering heavily. There was an occasional thunder clap. Life had come to a stake outside. Rainwater was flooding on the road. Such weather was exerting a negative impact. Unholy practices were going to happen shortly. It is expressed through the hostile weather. 

Question.2. What was special about the Monkey's Paw ? 

Answer. Sergeant Major Morris showed a Monkey's Paw to the Whites. It had some magic spell from a holyman in India. He wanted to prove how fate ruled over lives and if any tried to interfere in fate, he must face unhappy results. The monkey's paw had the ability to fulfil any three wishes of any three owner's each. re 

Question.3. How did the first owner of the Monkey's Paw use it ? 

Answer. The first owner of the Monkey's Paw got it from an old holyman. He made two wishes. Nothing is known about his first two wishes. But his last wish was to die. This showed that he had been utterly fed up with the monkey's paw. His attempt to change fate by it has failed and by being desperate he has nsked it for death. 

Question.4. Why couldn't Morris soll the Monkey's Paw ? 

Answer. Morrin was the second owner of the Monkey's Paw. Ho made three wishes and was dooply harannod Then ho wanted to sell the monkey's paw But people doubted its magical proportion Some called him mad Some called it a fake thing. Some wanted to try It first. If the result would be satisfactory they would make payment. So he could not sell it 

Question.5. How did the Whiten got the Monkey's Paw ? 

Answer. The second owner of the monkey's paw was Sergeant Major Morris. He was greatly disturbed by the gain and loss he had got from the monkey's paw. So he wanted to sell it. As it was not possible, he wanted to destroy it While showing it to the whites, he throw it on firo in white's family Mr. White picked it up and kept it for future use. 

Question.6. How does Morris describe the Monkey's Paw ? 

Answer. Morris says that the Monkey's paw was a magic thing. A holy man had put a spell on it. It could fulfil any throe wishes of any three person. The first owner had wished for death by using it. He himself was the second user and he wanted to destroy it because it takes everything against what it gives. 

Question.7. What did Morris say about how to use the Monkey's Paw ? What was his warning to the whites ? 

Answer. Morris said that the use of the Monkey's paw was very simple. Just hold it in your right hand and wish out loud. He then warned Mr.White not to use the monkey's paw because it was a dreadful thing with fatal consequences. Whoever has used it has got negative results. 

Question.8. What were the things mentioned by Sergeant Major that hinted at the White's fate ? 

Answer. Sergeant Major Morris was the second owner of the monkey's paw. He himself had experienced the result of his wishes being fulfilled by the monkey's paw, He had seen the tragic death of the first owner. So he warned Mr. VWhite not to use the paw for his personal profit. He should be sensible, realistic, otherwise he must face fatal consequences as he faced. 

Question.9. What was the first wish ? How was it made ? 

Answer. After the sergeant's departure, Herbert asked Mr. White to use the monkey's paw to get his wish fulfilled. He was unwilling but Mrs. White Herbert forced him. Mr. White said that he had no wish. Herbert told him to wish for two hundred pounds to pay off the mortgage. So he took the paw in his right hand and said, "I wish for two hundred pounds." 

Question.10. Compared Mr. White's and Herbert's attitudes towards the monkey's paw ? Why was it logical that Herbert would be the victim of the first wish ? 

Answer. Mr. White was curious about the monkey's paw. He picked up the paw from fire and kept it with him to use it at hard times and to use it in a sensible way. But it was Herbert who forced him and tempted him to use the paw instantly. He even jeered at his city and nalculod his situation. He alno forced him to wish two hundred pounds to pay off the mortgage So it was evident that Horbert would be the victim of the first wish.

Question. 11. What was the effect of the first wish ? (Scene-2) 

Answer. Mr. White made the first wing that would get two hundred pounds. Its effect was fatal. His son Horbert who worked at Maw and Moggins was caught in the machinery and died. The company sent him a combination of two hundred pounds at the cost of his son's life. 

Question.12.Why didn't Mr. White want to make the second wish 7 (Scene-3) 

Answer. Mr. White did not want to make the second wish because by that time he had no doubt that changing fate by means of the monkey's paw was life- corroding. The first ivish took his son's life giving two hundred pounds. If he made the second, he might face a greater foss. The warming of the sergeant, his own experience prohibited him to make the second wish. 

Question.13. Bring him back ! Do you think I would fear my own son ? Why does Mrs. White says so ? 

Answer. Mr. White said that he had gone to the factory and saw Herbert's dead body. He had been pressed and it was impossible to recognise him. If he came back in that mutilated condition Mrs. White would be horrified. Then he made the second wish. There was a knock on the door. Mrs. White rushed to the door shouting-my son has come. Mr. White stopped her. At that time she said so, She wanted to say that she was not afraid of her son.

Question.14. What was the final wish ? 

Answer. When Mrs. White rushed to the door to open it, Mr. White tried to stop her. But she did not listen, She was trying to open the lock, At that time Mr. White took the paw and made the third wish. It was not clearly audible because of the knock on the door. But just after the wish, the knock stopped and nobody was found, So we can guess that the third wish was for the disappearance of the son. 

Question.15. Did the Whites get what they really wanted ? Give reasons for your answer. 

Answer. The Whites did not get what they had wanted. Mr. White's first wish was to get two hundred pounds. He got it, but instead he lost his son's life. His second wish was to get his son back alive. They heard the knock on the door. But before Mrs. White opened the door, he made the third wish and the knock stopped. The three wishes were made, but they got nothing. Rather they had lost everything. 

Question.16. What role did the author want the monkey's paw to play here ? 

Answer. The monkey's paw was a magical thing. Without the holy man's magic spell, it is a mere object. It was specially designed to fulfil any three wishes of any three persons. The saint made it to show that man is destined. He can't rise above or below fate's wish. If he uses any magical power to interfere with fate, to change his life's situations he would be ruined. The Whites used monkey's paw to change fate. So they were doomed. The monkey's paw would not change their fate.

 

Question.17. What did the holyman want to prove to people by putting the spell on the paw? 

Answer. The holyman was of the view that fate was all powerful. Man must act according to fate. Fate grants happiness or sorrow to man. And man can't change what fate has stored for him. If man takes the help of magic, mantra and tantra to bring good luck he will never be successful. Instead he must face tragic consequences. 

Question.18. In your opinion, did the holy man make his point ? Why or why not ? 

Answer. The holy man was of the view that fate rules over human life. Man can't change what is written in his fate. If he tries to change fate, he must face a fatal consequence. The whites tried to change their luck by the monkey's paw. They wanted two hundred pounds. But they lost their son Herbert and got this amount as compensation. This is not a reward but a punishment.

The Monkey's Paw Summary and Question Answer PDF chse 12th class

THE MONKEY'S PAW 

By W.W. Jacobs 

The Monkey's Paw Summary 

The Monkey's Paw Question Answer PDF chse 12th class

THE MONKEY'S PAW story

By W.W. Jacobs