White is grief stricken over Herbert’s death and will do anything to get Herbert back. So she forces Mr. White to wish Herbert alive again. And while some might argue that this is not greedy and that this shows her love for Herbert, Mrs. White is still being greedy by using that second wish and instead of doing it herself, she forces her husband to make the wish knowing something bad will then happen to him instead of her.
In conclusion, the theme of the story is that greed is bad and that no matter what you do, you will gain something and lose something out of it. Whether it is winning the lottery and losing your friends because you think you’re too good for them or that they want your money and not you. Either way you lose your friends, and you have lost your ability to know if they want to be your friends because of you or because of your money. W. W. Jacobs shows us how greed can be an evil emotion and that’s when you get the chance, your greed will show more than