Characters & Setting
Who is Herbert
This is the name of the family who receives the monkey's paw.
How much money did they ask for?
200 pounds
How does the White family get the 200 pounds they wished for?
They receive it as compensation from the company for their son's death.
What does the knocking on the door symbolize at the end of the story?
It symbolizes the arrival of the resurrected, mutilated body of Herbert.
Who is Sergeant-Major Morris?
He is the retired soldier who brings the monkey's paw back from India.
Who suggests the specific amount of money for the first wish?
Herbert suggests wishing for 200 pounds.
How does Herbert die?
He gets caught and crushed in the machinery at his workplace.
What pattern do we see in Herbert’s face in the fire before his death?
Mr. White sees a vivid and horrible face of a monkey in the flames.
What is Laburnum Villa?
The place where story takes place in: inside this isolated, cozy house during a dark and stormy night.
What is Mr. White's final wish?
He wishes for the thing knocking at the door to go away and disappear.
What company does Herbert work for?
He works for a company called Maw and Meggins.
What happened to the first man who owned the monkey's paw before Morris?
His third wish was for his own death, which is how Morris got the paw.
What is Maw and Meggins?
The name of the company where Herbert works and where the tragic accident happens.
What is the second wish in the story?
Mrs. White demands that her husband wish for their dead son to be alive again.
Why does Sergeant-Major Morris throw the paw into the fire?
He knows the paw is evil and wants to destroy it to prevent more harm.
Why is the weather significant at the start of the story?
The cold, wet, and stormy night sets a dark and spooky mood for the story.