The Monkey's Paw

Jacobs confronted a world that was shaped by industrialization and modernization. The story, written in 1902, hints at these changes. Mr. White’s complaint about the house’s remoteness illustrates that it is largely untouched by the modern world. The family lovingly plays chess and knits close to a fire, which shows a domestic world of peace and contentment.

Sergeant-Major Morris crosses the threshold of the home with tales about the modern world. The reader never knows in detail what he means, but he mentions “wars and plagues and strange people” (13). These concepts feel far from the home of the Whites, but their mention piques Mr. White’s interest in travel and the monkey’s paw. The paw is a talisman from the outside, modern world. It would not be likely that the Whites would encounter such a paw on their own or in their geographically limited lives. Yet, Morris and his global travels—increasingly common with modernization—have allowed this object to appear in their small, domestic world.

Herbert’s job at the factory is the cause of his death—another symbol of the intrusion of the outside world into the private sphere of the family.