Exposition: setting - small parlour of Laburnum villa (“the blinds were drawn and the fire burned brightly”)
The father (Mr. White) and the son (Herbert) are playing, while the mother (Mrs. White) sits knitting by the fire. Mr. White loses the chess game to his son.
Initiating incident:
Sergeant-Major Morris arrives.
He tells them the tale of the Monkey Paw which can grant three wishes to three men.
He then chucks the monkey paw on the fire and Mr. White, horrified, picks it up and keeps it (to the Sergeant’s dismay).
Morris goes home.
Rising Action:
Mr. White wishes for two hundred pounds.
Herbert goes off to the machinery at ‘Meg and Maws’ and doesn’t come back.
A man comes the house and tells Mr. and Mrs. White that there son is dead and that Meg and Maws are providing a sum of two hundred pounds as compensation for their son’s loss.
The son is buried. Time goes by and things do not get better. Then one night Mrs. White realizes that they can use the second wish to bring back their son.
After Mr. White makes the wish there is a knocking at the door.
Climax:
Mrs. White goes downstairs to let it in while Mr. White stays upstairs, afraid and frantic about what is about to be let into the house.
Mrs. White goes downstairs to let it in while Mr. White stays upstairs, afraid and frantic about what is about to be let into the house.
Just as Mrs. White is unlocking the door, Mr. White pounces on the Monkey paw.
Falling Action:
The knocking ceases suddenly and the chair is drawn back from the door and the door is opened. Mrs. White wails with disappointment and misery.
Conclusion
Mr. White rushes downstairs to his wife’s side and then out to the gate beyond.
The street is quiet and deserted.
