The Monkey's Paw
“The Monkey’s Paw” – Understanding Plot Assignment Zoe Frost
1. a) Character vs. Character: Mr. White vs. Mrs. White.
Mrs. White forces Mr. White to wish for their son, Herbert, to come alive again, but Mr. White knows there will be a consequence (Herbert will come back a zombie, or such thing) and does not want to make the wish.
2. Character vs. Unknown: Mr. White vs. the knocking on the door.
Mr. White doesn’t want to help Mrs. White open the door because he is afraid of what is on the other side. Mr. White fears his son will come back a zombie.
3. Character vs. Himself: Mr. White vs. Himself.
Numerous times throughout the story Mr. White faces an internal conflict about making a wish with the paw. At first, Mr. White doesn’t want to wish because he says
b) Protagonist: Mr. White Antagonist: Sergeant Major Morris
The protagonist in The Monkey’s Paw is Mr. White because he is the character making all of the wishes throughout the story. The antagonist is the Sergeant Major because he gives Mr. White the monkey’s paw, which creates all of the problems in the story.
2. The story begins on a cold, wet night at Mr. and Mrs. White’s home. Mrs. White is knitting by the bright fire while Mr. White and his son Herbert play chess. They are waiting for Sergeant Major to arrive.
3. The inciting incident occurs when Sergeant Major leaves the monkey’s paw with Mr. White because the rising action begins after Mr. White makes his first wish.
4. i) Herbert asks Mr. White to wish for 200 pounds ii) Herbert gets killed at work -> Mr. White gets 200 pounds iii) Mrs. White forces Mr. White to wish for Herbert to come alive
5. The climax of the story happens when Mrs. White is struggling to open the door for Herbert while Mr. White is rushing to find the monkeys paw to make his third and final wish for Herbert to disappear. The door flies open as soon as he makes the last wish and the street is empty. We know this is the climax of the story because all of Mr.
1. a) Character vs. Character: Mr. White vs. Mrs. White.
Mrs. White forces Mr. White to wish for their son, Herbert, to come alive again, but Mr. White knows there will be a consequence (Herbert will come back a zombie, or such thing) and does not want to make the wish.
2. Character vs. Unknown: Mr. White vs. the knocking on the door.
Mr. White doesn’t want to help Mrs. White open the door because he is afraid of what is on the other side. Mr. White fears his son will come back a zombie.
3. Character vs. Himself: Mr. White vs. Himself.
Numerous times throughout the story Mr. White faces an internal conflict about making a wish with the paw. At first, Mr. White doesn’t want to wish because he says
b) Protagonist: Mr. White Antagonist: Sergeant Major Morris
The protagonist in The Monkey’s Paw is Mr. White because he is the character making all of the wishes throughout the story. The antagonist is the Sergeant Major because he gives Mr. White the monkey’s paw, which creates all of the problems in the story.
2. The story begins on a cold, wet night at Mr. and Mrs. White’s home. Mrs. White is knitting by the bright fire while Mr. White and his son Herbert play chess. They are waiting for Sergeant Major to arrive.
3. The inciting incident occurs when Sergeant Major leaves the monkey’s paw with Mr. White because the rising action begins after Mr. White makes his first wish.
4. i) Herbert asks Mr. White to wish for 200 pounds ii) Herbert gets killed at work -> Mr. White gets 200 pounds iii) Mrs. White forces Mr. White to wish for Herbert to come alive
5. The climax of the story happens when Mrs. White is struggling to open the door for Herbert while Mr. White is rushing to find the monkeys paw to make his third and final wish for Herbert to disappear. The door flies open as soon as he makes the last wish and the street is empty. We know this is the climax of the story because all of Mr.