The Monkey's Paw Themes
The Supernatural
Do you or don't you believe in the power of the monkey's paw? This is one of those stories, unlike the Harry Potter books, where we aren't ever quite sure whether supernatural forces are at work or...
Death
In "The Monkey's Paw" we watch as the White family is transformed from a loving trio into a grief-stricken duo with the death of Herbert White. We can all relate to this aspect of the story. The lo...
Fate and Free Will
Are the Whites responsible for the bad things that happen to them, or are they helpless victims of fate, destined to suffer? Is it a combination of both? When we look closely at "The Monkey's Paw,"...
Family
At the center of "The Monkey's Paw" is the White family. The family is made up of Mr. and Mrs. White and their adult son Herbert. Their loving home is disrupted by the arrival of the monkey's paw a...
Technology and Modernization
From the late 1700s to the mid 1800s, British society underwent a huge transformation, known as the Industrial Revolution. Lots of factories were built in cities, providing many of jobs. At the sam...