Genre
Short Story (Horror)
Setting and Context
Turn-of-the-20th-century England
Narrator and Point of View
Third-person omniscient
Tone and Mood
Ominous, foreboding, uncertain tone; dreary, suspenseful, terrifying mood
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist: Mr. White and his family; Antagonist: The Monkey's Paw
Major Conflict
The major conflict is whether Mr. White's wishes will bring the family good or evil.
Climax
The climax occurs when the Maw and Meggins representative announces that Herbert is dead and the family will be given two hundred pounds.
Foreshadowing
There is a multitude of foreshadowing. All of Morris's words about being wary of the talisman, of the sorrows it brought to the past owners, and his cautions and ominous hints for the Whites, lead the reader to anticipate that there will be issues ahead for the family if they use the paw.
Understatement
"He was caught in the machinery" is an understatement because Herbert was killed and his body monstrously mangled.
Allusions
-there are multiple allusions to the British colonial presence in India
-the Arabian Nights is "One Thousand and One Nights," a collection of short stories published in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age
Imagery
See the "Imagery" section of this guide.
Paradox
N/A.
Parallelism
N/A.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A.
Personification
N/A.
