“The Monkey’s Paw”

by W. W. Jacobs

Unit: Mood and Tone

Concept: The Mood of Suspense

Essential QuestionHow does the story’s mood of suspense contribute

to the plot?

Writers create suspense as the rising action builds toward the climax of the story. The mood of suspense contributes to the plot because it

encourages the reader to become involved in the story. You want to know what is going to happen

next.

Let’s Think About “Control”On a sheet of notebook paper, draw a word map.

We are going to examine the word “Control.”

How much control do you have over your own life?

Does anyone have complete control over what happens to them?

Build BackgroundMany folk tales and horror stories involve

magic or magical objects that give unusual powers to anyone who owns it.

Think of objects in our culture that some people believe to bring good luck Horseshoes Rabbit’s foot

How is this story an example of horror story genre?

Built around gradually increasing suspense Violence often occurs out of the reader’s

view Leaving out the violence allows the reader

to imagine the worst which increases the suspense

Art Appreciation

Look at the painting in the textbook on page 681.

Describe what you see in this painting by Charles Burchfield.

Like a written story, a painting can tell a story.

What story might this painting be telling?

Description Pale, almost colorless

parts Dark clouds Solitary figure

What painting shows Person standing

outside next to the fence of a possibly abandoned house in forbidding surroundings

Predicting

What prediction can you make about the story you are about to read using clues from the painting?

W. W. Jacob’s Style

What reading strategies can the reader

use to better understand the story?

Clue: Sentences are long and complicated Read slow Reread Chunk: break the sentence into smaller parts

Vocabulary

Write a possible definition for each of the underlined words.

As I stood surveying the dark forest, I was unsure of my fate and was afraid my life may be in peril. I grimaced as the wind howled and shadows moved in the darkness. Then, I smiled at my own credulity because I believed that there was no danger.

Other words to know Without means “outside” Hark at the wind means “listen

to the wind” Check and checkmate are

chess terms that meaning “you are about to lose” or “you have lost”

Fakir is an Hindu wonderworker or magician

Jarred means “irritated”

What is fate?

Does fate rule people’s lives?

Do those who interfere with fate come to sorrow?

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