The Monkey’s Paw (for Advanced Levels C1-C2)

The Monkey’s Paw is one of the most celebrated supernatural short stories in English literature. Written by the English author W. W. Jacobs (1863–1943), the story was first published in 1902 and has remained a timeless classic for more than a century. Although Jacobs was widely known for his humorous fiction, The Monkey’s Paw established his reputation as a master of suspense and psychological horror. Its unforgettable plot, memorable characters, and thought-provoking message have made it one of the most frequently studied stories in schools, universities, and English literature courses around the world.

Set in a quiet English home, the story follows the White family after they receive an unusual object from an old family friend—a mysterious monkey’s paw said to grant three wishes. At first, the idea seems harmless, even amusing. However, as the family’s wishes begin to come true in unexpected ways, they discover that every desire may carry consequences beyond imagination. Through an atmosphere of growing suspense, emotional conflict, and supernatural mystery, the story explores the dangers of interfering with fate, the power of human desire, and the painful cost of attempting to change destiny.

This edition has been carefully rewritten for advanced English learners at the CEFR C1–C2 level. Rather than simplifying the story, the language has been modernized and enriched with sophisticated vocabulary, natural dialogue, and elegant narrative style while preserving the emotional depth and dramatic tension of the original work. The adaptation is designed to help readers experience authentic literary English without losing the essence of Jacobs’ masterpiece.

As you read, you will encounter a wide range of advanced vocabulary, academic expressions, idiomatic language, collocations, phrasal verbs, and complex grammatical structures that frequently appear in modern English literature and high-level proficiency examinations. Reading stories in context allows learners to acquire new language naturally, improving not only vocabulary but also reading fluency, writing style, and overall language awareness.

This Short story book is intended for learners who wish to move beyond textbook English and immerse themselves in authentic storytelling. By observing how advanced grammar, descriptive language, and realistic dialogue work together, readers can develop a deeper understanding of English while enjoying one of the most influential supernatural tales ever written.

Whether you are preparing for an advanced English examination, expanding your literary vocabulary, or simply seeking an engaging reading experience, this adaptation offers an excellent opportunity to strengthen your language skills while exploring a story that continues to captivate readers across generations.

This story was rewritten by LearnEnglish-new.com for English learners. The story is in the public domain, so it is free from copyright. Enjoy reading and improve your English skills!

The Monkey’s Paw

By W. W. Jacobs

Contents

Part I – The Visitor and the First Wish

Part II – The Price of a Wish

Part III – A Mother’s Hope

Part IV – The Final Wish

---

“Be careful what you wish for, you may receive it.” –Anonymous

Part I

The Visitor and the First Wish

The evening had surrendered completely to the storm. Thick clouds concealed the moon, while relentless rain drummed against the windows of Laburnum Villa. The narrow country lane leading to the isolated cottage had turned into a stretch of slippery mud, and every gust of wind rattled the old wooden fence as if determined to tear it from the ground.

Inside the house, however, the atmosphere was remarkably peaceful. A lively fire crackled in the hearth, casting dancing shadows across the walls and filling the room with a comforting warmth that stood in sharp contrast to the miserable weather outside. The scent of burning oak mingled pleasantly with the aroma of freshly brewed tea.

Mr. Arthur White and his only son, Herbert, were engaged in what was supposed to be a serious game of chess. In reality, Herbert had been suppressing laughter for several minutes, watching his father enthusiastically devise another strategy that seemed destined to end in disaster.

“You’ve left your king completely exposed,” Herbert observed with a smile, moving one of his pieces with quiet confidence.

Mr. White frowned at the board.

“I wouldn’t say exposed,” he replied thoughtfully. “I’d call it… strategically adventurous.”

Herbert laughed.

“That’s a very elegant way of describing a terrible move.”

Mrs. White looked up from the knitting resting comfortably in her lap. Without lifting her eyes from the half-finished scarf, she smiled knowingly.

“Your father has always believed that confidence can compensate for poor planning.”

Arthur sighed dramatically.

“I see I’m hopelessly outnumbered this evening.”

“You’ve been outnumbered for years,” Herbert replied.

The three of them burst into laughter.

For a brief moment, the storm outside seemed almost irrelevant. Their modest home, though small and isolated, possessed a warmth that no weather could diminish.

Suddenly, three heavy knocks echoed through the house.

The cheerful conversation came to an abrupt halt.

Arthur looked toward the hallway before smiling.

“That will be Morris.”

Herbert stood and stretched lazily.

“I was beginning to wonder whether he’d make it through this weather.”

“If anyone can,” Arthur answered while walking toward the front door, “it’s Sergeant-Major Morris.”

A rush of cold air swept into the hallway as Arthur opened the door.

Standing outside was a tall, broad-shouldered man wrapped in a rain-soaked military coat. Water dripped steadily from the brim of his hat, and his boots carried enough mud to prove that the journey had been anything but pleasant. His face was deeply lined, his hair touched with grey, and although his posture remained unmistakably military, his eyes revealed the weariness of someone who had witnessed far more than he cared to remember.

“Arthur,” he said with a tired smile.

“Morris!”

The two old friends shook hands warmly.

“You’ve chosen a dreadful night to travel.”

“I’ve survived monsoons in India,” Morris replied while removing his gloves. “Compared with those, this is merely inconvenient.”

Mrs. White welcomed him with genuine kindness.

“Please come inside before you freeze.”

Within minutes, Morris was seated beside the fire with a steaming cup of tea in one hand and a glass of whisky in the other. Colour gradually returned to his face as warmth replaced the chill of the storm.

Conversation soon turned to the years he had spent abroad.

Herbert listened with growing fascination while Morris described distant countries where ancient temples rose above dense jungles, bustling markets overflowed with unfamiliar colours and scents, and forgotten civilizations left behind mysteries that continued to puzzle historians.

“It must have been extraordinary,” Herbert remarked.

“It was,” Morris replied.

“And dangerous?”

The old soldier smiled faintly.

“More dangerous than I realised at the time.”

Arthur leaned forward.

“You’ve always had the most remarkable stories.”

“Some of them,” Morris answered quietly, “I would rather forget.”

The change in his tone did not go unnoticed.

The room, lively only moments before, became unexpectedly silent.

Mrs. White studied him with quiet concern.

“Something happened to you over there, didn’t it?”

Morris stared into the flames for several seconds before answering.

“India has a way of changing people. Some return with medals. Others return with regrets.”

No one interrupted him.

Herbert finally broke the silence.

“My father mentioned something rather unusual that you told him during your last visit.”

Morris looked up.

“Oh?”

“He said you once found an object that could grant wishes.”

The Sergeant-Major’s expression changed instantly.

His relaxed smile disappeared, replaced by something far more difficult to identify.

Regret.

Perhaps even fear.

“I shouldn’t have mentioned it.”

Arthur smiled curiously.

“Now you’ve made us even more interested.”

For a long moment, Morris remained motionless.

At last, he reached slowly into the inner pocket of his coat and withdrew a small bundle wrapped carefully in an old piece of cloth.

He unfolded it with remarkable caution.

Resting in the centre of the fabric lay a shrivelled monkey’s paw.

Its dry, twisted fingers curled unnaturally inward, and its leathery skin appeared almost black in the firelight.

Mrs. White instinctively leaned back.

“What an unpleasant little thing.”

Herbert picked it up between two fingers, turning it over with obvious curiosity.

“It certainly doesn’t look magical.”

“It isn’t the appearance you should fear,” Morris replied.

“It’s what it represents.”

Arthur accepted the object and examined it carefully.

“It feels surprisingly ordinary.”

“So does poison,” Morris answered.

The room fell silent once more.

After a deep breath, Morris began his story.

“Many years ago, a holy man placed an ancient blessing—or perhaps a curse—upon this object. He believed that people constantly struggle against destiny, convinced they know what would make their lives happier.”

He paused before continuing.

“So he created something that would teach them otherwise.”

Herbert folded his arms.

“And this little paw teaches that lesson?”

“It grants three wishes to three different owners.”

Herbert raised an eyebrow.

“You actually expect us to believe that?”

“I expect nothing,” Morris replied calmly.

“I’ve learned that disbelief often disappears when experience takes its place.”

Arthur looked directly at his old friend.

“Have you used it yourself?”

A shadow crossed Morris’s face.

“Yes.”

“And were your wishes granted?”

“They were.”

“Were they worth it?”

Morris lowered his eyes.

“There are some questions,” he said quietly, “that no honest man wishes to answer.”

The fire cracked loudly.

No one spoke.

Even Herbert, who had approached the story with playful scepticism, found himself strangely unwilling to joke any further.

The tiny object lying upon the table suddenly seemed far heavier than its size could possibly justify.

---

Chapter 1 – Vocabulary

Chapter 1 – Comprehension Questions

1. How does the author use the description of the storm to establish the atmosphere at the beginning of the chapter?

2. What do the conversations between Arthur, Herbert, and Mrs. White reveal about their family relationships and personalities?

3. Why does Sergeant-Major Morris appear reluctant to discuss the monkey’s paw despite the family’s growing curiosity?

4. What impression do Morris’s stories about India create, and how do they prepare the reader for the supernatural events that follow?

5. Why does Herbert initially treat the monkey’s paw as a source of amusement rather than danger?

6. What clues suggest that Morris has personally suffered because of the monkey’s paw, even though he never explains everything directly?

7. How does the author gradually increase the sense of suspense throughout the chapter instead of revealing the mystery immediately?

8. Why does Morris throw the monkey’s paw into the fire, and what does Arthur’s reaction reveal about his character?

9. Explain the meaning of Morris’s statement: “There are victories that resemble disasters.” How does this foreshadow future events?

10. In what ways does curiosity influence Arthur’s decisions during the chapter? Do you think his actions are understandable? Why or why not?

11. How does the monkey’s paw function as a symbol rather than simply a magical object?

12. Compare the attitudes of Arthur, Herbert, and Mrs. White toward the monkey’s paw. How are their perspectives different?

13. Which scene creates the strongest feeling of unease in this chapter? Explain how the author’s choice of language contributes to that effect.

14. At the end of the chapter, Arthur chooses to keep the monkey’s paw despite Morris’s repeated warnings. If you had been in Arthur’s position, would you have made the same decision? Support your answer with evidence from the chapter.

Chapter 1 – Grammar Exercises

Answer Key:

1-B, 2-B, 3-A, 4-C, 5-B, 6-A, 7-C, 8-C, 9-B, 10-B, 11-C, 12-B, 13-B, 14-B

---

Part II

The Price of a Wish

Morning arrived with deceptive serenity.

The violence of the previous night’s storm had vanished, leaving behind a sky washed clean by rain. Sunlight streamed through the kitchen windows, illuminating every corner of Laburnum Villa as though nothing extraordinary had happened. The monkey’s paw, abandoned carelessly on the sideboard, appeared little more than a dried curiosity collected from a distant land.

Herbert noticed his father glancing at it more than once during breakfast.

“You don’t actually believe Morris’s story, do you?” he asked, spreading butter across a slice of toast.

Mr. White hesitated before answering.

“I don’t know what I believe.”

Mrs. White smiled warmly.

“I know exactly what I believe. Your friend has spent too many years listening to strange legends in strange countries.”

Herbert laughed.

“If that little paw truly possessed magical powers, we’d have awakened to find bags of gold stacked in the garden.”

Arthur smiled faintly, though the memory of the object twisting in his hand refused to leave his mind.

“It certainly felt real.”

“Fear often does,” Herbert replied. “That doesn’t make it supernatural.”

The conversation drifted toward ordinary matters.

Mrs. White spoke about the repairs the house desperately needed. Arthur mentioned the outstanding mortgage that weighed upon his thoughts more heavily than he cared to admit. Herbert joked that two hundred pounds would disappear almost as quickly as it had arrived—assuming, of course, that it ever arrived at all.

When breakfast ended, Herbert collected his coat.

“I’d better leave before Mr. Jenkins decides punctuality has become optional.”

Mrs. White adjusted his scarf with affectionate precision.

“You work far too hard.”

“I intend to become wealthy before I’m thirty.”

Arthur smiled.

“Perhaps the monkey’s paw will save you the effort.”

Herbert winked.

“If it does, I’ll apologise personally.”

He stepped outside into the fresh morning air.

Standing at the doorway, his parents watched him disappear along the narrow country lane, his confident stride gradually fading into the distance until he was no more than a dark silhouette against the bright horizon.

Neither of them realised it would be the last time they would ever see him alive.

---

The remainder of the morning passed quietly.

Arthur attempted to occupy himself with gardening, though his thoughts repeatedly wandered back to Morris’s unsettling warning. Several times he caught himself wondering whether coincidence alone could explain the previous evening’s strange sensation.

The monkey’s paw remained exactly where Herbert had left it.

Small.

Silent.

Harmless.

At least, it appeared so.

Mrs. White busied herself with household chores, humming softly as she dusted the sitting room. Every so often she glanced toward the clock, calculating how many hours remained before Herbert would return home for supper.

The familiar rhythm of ordinary life brought comfort.

Nothing suggested that tragedy had already begun its silent approach.

---

Shortly after midday, someone appeared outside the house.

Mrs. White noticed him first.

A gentleman stood uncertainly beside the front gate, elegantly dressed in a dark overcoat despite the improving weather. His polished shoes contrasted sharply with the muddy lane, and his black leather briefcase suggested business rather than friendship.

Curiously, he did not approach the door.

Instead, he remained motionless, studying the cottage from a distance.

Twice he turned away.

Twice he stopped.

Twice he seemed to change his mind.

“There is someone outside,” Mrs. White said quietly.

Arthur looked through the window.

“He doesn’t appear to know whether he wishes to visit us.”

“Perhaps he’s lost.”

“No.”

Arthur’s voice carried an unexpected uneasiness.

“He looks like a man searching for the right words.”

Several moments later, the stranger finally gathered enough courage to enter the garden.

His footsteps were slow.

Measured.

Reluctant.

When Arthur opened the front door, the visitor removed his hat respectfully.

“Good afternoon,” he said. “My name is Samuel Carter.”

His voice was calm.

Too calm.

“I represent Maw & Meggins Engineering.”

Arthur felt a sudden tightening in his chest.

The company’s name meant only one thing.

Herbert.

Mrs. White stepped forward immediately.

“My son works there.”

“Yes, madam.”

“Has something happened?”

The visitor lowered his eyes.

“I’m afraid… it has.”

The room became unnaturally still.

Arthur instinctively reached for the back of a chair.

“My son…” he whispered.

“Is he injured?”

The representative swallowed.

“Very seriously.”

Mrs. White clasped her hands together.

“But he’ll recover?”

The silence that followed answered her question long before the visitor spoke.

At last he said, almost inaudibly,

“He suffered fatal injuries while operating industrial machinery this morning.”

The words seemed impossible to understand.

They existed.

They could be heard.

Yet neither parent could persuade themselves to believe them.

Mrs. White stared blankly at the stranger.

“No.”

Her voice was scarcely more than a whisper.

“You’ve made a mistake.”

“I wish that were true.”

Arthur remained motionless.

Every sound inside the room disappeared.

The ticking clock.

The wind.

Even his own breathing.

Only one sentence echoed endlessly through his mind.

Herbert is dead.

---

The representative continued with visible discomfort.

“The company has conducted an initial investigation.”

Arthur did not respond.

“The accident appears to have been unavoidable.”

Still no response.

“My employers have instructed me to express their deepest sympathy.”

Mrs. White slowly sank into a chair.

Her hands trembled uncontrollably.

“They were very fond of your son,” the visitor continued.

“He was respected by everyone who worked alongside him.”

Arthur finally lifted his head.

“What happened?”

“There was a mechanical failure.”

The representative paused.

“He became trapped before anyone could reach him.”

No further explanation was necessary.

Arthur closed his eyes.

His imagination completed the rest.

---

After several long moments, the visitor opened his briefcase.

“There is one final matter.”

Arthur looked at him without expression.

“Although the company accepts no legal responsibility for the accident…”

He hesitated.

“…the directors have agreed to provide financial compensation in recognition of Herbert’s years of loyal service.”

Arthur’s lips moved slowly.

“How much?”

The representative answered quietly.

“Two hundred pounds.”

The words struck the room with greater force than any thunderstorm.

Mrs. White gasped.

Arthur’s face lost all colour.

Neither of them looked toward the sideboard.

Neither of them noticed the shrivelled monkey’s paw lying exactly where it had rested since the previous evening.

But both understood the terrible truth.

The wish had indeed been granted.

Not as a blessing.

But as a bargain.

Arthur staggered backwards before collapsing into a chair, unable to distinguish grief from horror.

Outside, the afternoon remained calm.

The sun continued to shine over the peaceful countryside.

Nature, indifferent to human suffering, carried on exactly as before.

Inside Laburnum Villa, however, nothing would ever be the same again.

---

Chapter 2 – Vocabulary

Chapter 2 – Comprehension Questions

1. How does the peaceful atmosphere at the beginning of the chapter contrast with its tragic ending? What effect does this contrast have on the reader?

2. Why does Arthur remain uncertain about the monkey’s paw even after the strange events of the previous evening?

3. What do Herbert’s jokes about the monkey’s paw reveal about his personality and attitude toward the supernatural?

4. Why does the author describe the stranger’s hesitation before entering the house? What emotions does this scene create?

5. How does the representative from Maw & Meggins demonstrate professionalism while delivering devastating news?

6. Why does Mrs. White initially refuse to believe the representative’s words? What does her reaction reveal about the psychology of grief?

7. In what ways does Arthur’s response to Herbert’s death differ from that of his wife?

8. Explain the significance of the compensation being exactly two hundred pounds. Why is this detail central to the story?

9. How does the author build suspense before revealing the true reason for the visitor’s arrival?

10. What role does irony play in this chapter? Identify at least one example and explain its importance.

11. The monkey’s paw remains silent and motionless throughout the chapter. Why do you think the author keeps it in the background instead of making it the centre of attention?

12. What does the chapter suggest about the relationship between coincidence and fate? Do you believe the events are merely accidental or controlled by a supernatural force? Support your opinion with evidence from the story.

13. Which scene do you consider the most emotionally powerful in this chapter? Explain how the author’s language and descriptive techniques strengthen its impact.

14. By the end of Chapter Two, Arthur realises that his first wish has been granted at a terrible cost. In your opinion, what important lesson has he learned, and how might this experience influence his decisions in the following chapters?

Chapter 2 – Grammar Exercises

Answer Key

1-A, 2-B, 3-B, 4-A, 5-A, 6-B, 7-B, 8-A, 9-B, 10-A, 11-C, 12-A, 13-B, 14-B

---

Part III

A Mother’s Hope

The funeral took place beneath a sky of dull grey clouds that seemed unwilling to release either sunlight or rain.

Friends, neighbours, and former colleagues gathered in respectful silence around the freshly dug grave. Their whispered condolences carried genuine sympathy, yet every carefully chosen word sounded painfully inadequate. There are losses for which language has never found a sufficient vocabulary.

Arthur White stood motionless throughout the service.

He acknowledged every handshake.

He thanked everyone who offered comfort.

Yet he remembered almost none of it.

It was as though he had become a silent observer at his own son’s farewell.

Mrs. White, by contrast, appeared almost unnaturally composed. Her face remained expressionless, her eyes fixed upon the polished oak coffin as it slowly disappeared beneath the earth. She neither wept nor spoke. The stillness surrounding her seemed more unsettling than any display of grief.

When the ceremony finally ended, the mourners drifted away one by one, leaving the elderly couple alone beside the grave.

Arthur slipped his hand into his wife’s.

She did not respond.

Instead, she continued staring at the mound of freshly turned soil, as though expecting it to move.

After several minutes, she whispered only four words.

“It shouldn’t end here.”

Arthur had no answer.

---

The days that followed dissolved into a colourless routine.

Laburnum Villa, once filled with laughter and lively conversation, had become a house governed by silence. Herbert’s empty chair remained untouched beside the fireplace. His books still rested neatly upon the shelf. His coat continued to hang beside the front door exactly where he had left it on that final morning.

Neither parent possessed the strength to remove any of it.

Each object preserved the illusion that he might return at any moment.

Arthur spent long hours sitting beside the window, pretending to read newspapers whose words never reached his mind. Sometimes he watched the road for hours without realising he had done so.

Mrs. White wandered quietly from room to room, completing household tasks with mechanical precision. She dusted furniture that was already spotless, folded clothes that no one would wear, and prepared meals that neither of them truly wished to eat.

Grief had transformed ordinary habits into silent rituals.

Conversation became increasingly rare.

When they did speak, it concerned practical matters—the weather, the garden, letters from distant relatives.

They never spoke Herbert’s name.

Not because they had forgotten him.

Because remembering hurt too much.

---

Nearly ten days passed before anything changed.

It happened shortly after midnight.

Arthur awoke suddenly.

At first, he could not understand what had disturbed his sleep.

Then he noticed the empty space beside him.

The bedroom was cold.

Moonlight filtered faintly through the curtains, revealing Mrs. White standing beside the window, her slender figure outlined against the pale glow outside.

She was crying.

Not loudly.

Not desperately.

But with the quiet exhaustion of someone whose heart had finally surrendered to unbearable sorrow.

Arthur sat up slowly.

“You’ll catch cold standing there.”

She did not turn around.

“Our son is colder than I am.”

The words pierced the silence with frightening simplicity.

Arthur climbed from the bed and approached her cautiously.

Outside, the village lay completely still.

Only the wind moved among the trees.

“I miss him too,” Arthur whispered.

Mrs. White closed her eyes.

“No.”

Her voice remained calm.

“You miss him.”

She placed one trembling hand against the window.

“I need him.”

---

Neither of them slept again.

They sat together in silence until the first pale light of dawn began to creep across the horizon.

Arthur believed the worst of the night had passed.

He was mistaken.

As Mrs. White slowly rose from her chair, she froze suddenly.

Her eyes widened.

An unfamiliar expression spread across her face.

Not grief.

Not despair.

Hope.

Powerful.

Dangerous.

Unreasonable hope.

She turned toward Arthur so abruptly that he instinctively stepped backward.

“The paw.”

Arthur frowned.

“What?”

“The monkey’s paw.”

For several moments he simply stared at her.

Then understanding struck him.

His face drained of colour.

“No.”

“We’ve only used one wish.”

“No.”

“There are two remaining.”

Arthur shook his head repeatedly.

“We’re not speaking about this.”

“We have to.”

“There is nothing to discuss.”

Mrs. White gripped his arm with unexpected strength.

“There is everything to discuss.”

Her breathing grew faster.

“The first wish came true.”

“It destroyed us.”

“But it came true.”

“It was coincidence.”

She looked directly into his eyes.

“Do you truly believe that?”

Arthur opened his mouth.

No words came.

Deep inside, he already knew the answer.

Mrs. White continued quietly.

“If one wish brought us money…”

She swallowed.

“…another can bring back our son.”

The room seemed suddenly colder.

Arthur pulled his arm free.

“Don’t say that.”

“Why not?”

“Because death cannot be undone.”

She stepped closer.

“Who decides that?”

“Nature.”

“God.”

“Time.”

“I don’t care.”

Her voice broke for the first time.

“I only want my child.”

---

Arthur turned away, unable to meet her eyes.

“Herbert has been buried.”

“So?”

“You didn’t see him.”

“I didn’t need to.”

“I identified him.”

Mrs. White remained silent.

Arthur continued, his voice barely audible.

“The accident…”

He struggled to continue.

“It left almost nothing untouched.”

A long silence followed.

When Mrs. White finally spoke, her words were filled not with fear, but with determination.

“A mother does not love a face.”

Arthur slowly turned toward her.

She placed a trembling hand against her heart.

“A mother loves her child.”

Tears rolled silently down her cheeks.

“I carried him.”

“I raised him.”

“I watched him become the finest man I’ve ever known.”

Her voice hardened.

“If fate has stolen him…”

She looked toward the sitting room.

“…then fate can return him.”

Arthur closed his eyes.

Everything Morris had warned them about returned with terrifying clarity.

“Those who interfere with destiny do so to their sorrow.”

He had dismissed those words as superstition.

Now they echoed through his mind like a sentence already passed.

Mrs. White spoke once more.

“Go downstairs.”

Arthur did not move.

“Please.”

Still he remained motionless.

Finally she whispered,

“Bring me the monkey’s paw.”

Arthur stood perfectly still, caught between reason and love, fear and hope.

Outside, the wind began to rise once again.

It moaned softly around the old house, carrying with it a strange sound that Arthur could not decide was merely the weather…

…or the first warning of something approaching.

---

Chapter 3 – Vocabulary

Chapter 3 – Comprehension Questions

1. How does the funeral scene establish the emotional tone of the chapter, and what effect does it have on the reader?

2. Compare the ways Arthur and Mrs. White respond to Herbert’s death. What do their different reactions reveal about their personalities?

3. Why does the author describe the house as being filled with silence and routine after the funeral? What does this suggest about the nature of grief?

4. How does Mrs. White’s behaviour gradually change throughout the chapter? Identify the moment when this transformation becomes most noticeable.

5. What is the significance of Herbert’s untouched belongings remaining exactly where he left them?

6. Why does Arthur continue to insist that the first wish may have been a coincidence, even though he secretly doubts it?

7. Explain why the conversation between Arthur and Mrs. White becomes the emotional turning point of the story.

8. What does Mrs. White mean when she says, “A mother does not love a face. A mother loves her child.” How does this statement reflect her state of mind?

9. How does the author use dialogue rather than action to create tension in this chapter?

10. In what ways does the chapter explore the conflict between rational thinking and overwhelming emotion?

11. Why is Arthur so frightened by the idea of using the monkey’s paw again, while Mrs. White sees it as their only hope?

12. What role does hope play in this chapter? Do you consider it a source of strength or a dangerous illusion? Support your answer with examples from the text.

13. How does the recurring theme of fate versus free will become more prominent in this chapter than in the previous two chapters?

14. At the end of the chapter, Arthur stands between fear and love before deciding whether to obey his wife. If you had been in his position, what would you have done, and why? Support your answer with evidence from the story.

Chapter 3 – Grammar Exercises

Answer Key

1-B, 2-B, 3-B, 4-B, 5-C, 6-B, 7-A, 8-A, 9-B, 10-B, 11-B, 12-C, 13-B, 14-C

Part IV

The Final Wish

Arthur remained rooted to the floor, unable to decide whether his greatest duty was to comfort his wife or protect her from the consequences of her own despair.

For several agonising moments, neither of them spoke.

Then Mrs. White took a slow step toward him.

“Please,” she whispered. “If there is even the slightest chance… how can we refuse it?”

Arthur lowered his head.

He remembered Morris’s haunted expression. He remembered the warning that had sounded less like advice and more like a confession.

“Do not interfere with destiny.”

At the time, the words had seemed unnecessarily dramatic.

Now they echoed through his mind with terrifying clarity.

Yet when he looked into his wife’s tear-filled eyes, reason began to lose its strength.

She was no longer asking for a miracle.

She was begging for her child.

Without another word, Arthur left the bedroom.

---

The staircase creaked beneath every cautious step.

Darkness filled the hallway, interrupted only by the faint glow of moonlight slipping through the windows. The familiar house suddenly felt unfamiliar, as though it had quietly transformed into a place that no longer welcomed its owners.

Arthur entered the sitting room.

The monkey’s paw still rested upon the mantelpiece exactly where he had left it.

It appeared harmless.

Lifeless.

Nothing more than a shrivelled fragment of an animal that had died long ago.

Yet Arthur hesitated before touching it.

A strange uneasiness settled over him, as if the room itself were silently urging him to leave.

Finally, he reached forward.

The object felt cold in his trembling hand.

Far colder than the surrounding air.

He closed his fingers around it and returned upstairs.

Mrs. White was waiting beside the bed.

Her face had changed completely.

The hopeless grief that had consumed her for days had been replaced by fierce determination.

She looked almost feverish.

“Make the wish,” she said.

Arthur stared at the object.

“I cannot.”

“You must.”

“What if Morris was right?”

“What if he wasn’t?”

Arthur’s voice trembled.

“What if something returns that should never return?”

Mrs. White stepped closer.

“Our son belongs here.”

“He belongs to peace.”

“He belongs with us.”

Silence stretched painfully between them.

At last, Arthur slowly raised the monkey’s paw.

His hand shook so violently that he could barely hold it.

Closing his eyes, he spoke in a broken voice.

“I wish… my son to live again.”

The room became utterly still.

The paw slipped from his fingers and landed softly upon the carpet.

Nothing happened.

No light.

No sound.

No sudden movement.

Only silence.

Mrs. White looked around expectantly.

Minutes passed.

Arthur released a long breath.

“You see?”

His voice carried unmistakable relief.

“Nothing has changed.”

Exhausted by emotion, he sat heavily beside the bed.

Mrs. White remained standing at the window, staring into the darkness beyond the glass.

---

Time moved painfully slowly.

The old clock downstairs struck two.

Each deep chime seemed louder than the last.

Outside, clouds drifted across the moon, leaving the countryside buried in darkness.

Then…

A sound.

So faint that Arthur almost believed he had imagined it.

Three gentle knocks.

Someone was at the front door.

Mrs. White froze.

“Did you hear that?”

Arthur did not answer.

The knocking came again.

Slightly louder.

Far more deliberate.

His blood turned cold.

Mrs. White’s face lit up with desperate joy.

“It’s him.”

Arthur rose abruptly.

“No.”

She hurried toward the bedroom door.

“It has to be Herbert!”

He caught her arm.

“You don’t know who’s outside.”

“I know exactly who it is.”

“You cannot.”

“I can.”

Another knock echoed through the house.

This time it was impossible to mistake.

Someone was waiting.

Mrs. White pulled herself free and rushed downstairs.

“Herbert!” she cried.

“I’m coming!”

Arthur remained frozen for only a heartbeat.

Then terror overcame him.

He followed as quickly as his ageing legs allowed.

---

The knocking grew louder.

More urgent.

Whoever stood outside struck the heavy wooden door with slow, relentless determination.

Each blow echoed through the silent house.

Mrs. White reached the entrance first.

Her trembling hands struggled desperately with the locks.

“There are too many bolts,” she gasped.

“Arthur, help me!”

Arthur stopped halfway down the staircase.

Every instinct screamed at him not to continue.

He remembered Herbert’s final moments.

The machinery.

The funeral.

The closed coffin.

If death had indeed released its hold…

What had returned?

Another tremendous knock shook the entire house.

The walls seemed to tremble.

Mrs. White finally released one of the locks.

Only the final bolt remained.

“Arthur!”

Her voice broke.

“Hurry!”

Instead of approaching the door, Arthur dropped to his knees.

His shaking hands searched desperately across the hallway floor until his fingers touched the monkey’s paw, which had slipped from his pocket during the chase downstairs.

He grasped it with desperate urgency.

The knocking became furious.

Wood groaned beneath the force of repeated blows.

Mrs. White reached for the final bolt.

At that exact instant, Arthur lifted the paw.

His voice was barely more than a whisper.

“I wish… whatever is outside… to leave forever.”

The words had scarcely left his lips when everything stopped.

The knocking ceased.

Silence descended upon the house so suddenly that it felt unnatural.

Mrs. White threw open the front door.

Cold night air swept inside.

The road beyond the gate lay empty.

No footsteps.

No shadow.

No figure disappearing into the darkness.

Only the lonely village street, washed pale beneath the moonlight.

Mrs. White stared into the empty road.

For several long seconds, she refused to accept what she saw.

Then the terrible truth settled upon her.

She slowly sank to her knees.

Arthur approached quietly and placed a trembling hand upon her shoulder.

Neither of them spoke.

Words had become meaningless.

Far above them, the wind sighed softly through the trees, carrying away the last fragile hope they had dared to hold.

Arthur looked down at the monkey’s paw one final time.

Its twisted fingers had relaxed completely.

It looked no different from any lifeless relic that might have been forgotten in a dusty cabinet.

The terrible power it had carried was gone.

Or perhaps it had simply completed its purpose.

Arthur walked to the fireplace and placed the shrivelled talisman among the burning logs.

This time, he did not hesitate.

Neither did his wife.

They stood together in silence, watching the flames consume the object until nothing remained except drifting ash.

Some gifts arrive disguised as blessings.

Some wishes conceal unbearable prices.

And some doors, once closed by fate, should never be opened again.

Outside, dawn slowly began to colour the eastern sky.

For the first time since Herbert’s death, Arthur and Mrs. White understood that love could not conquer every loss.

Sometimes the greatest act of love was finding the courage to let go.

– THE END –

Chapter 4 – Vocabulary

Chapter 4 – Comprehension Questions

1. Why does Arthur hesitate before making the second wish, even though he deeply loves his son?

2. How does the author use the setting inside the house to create a feeling of suspense before the mysterious knocking begins?

3. What changes can be observed in Mrs. White’s character throughout this chapter compared with the beginning of the story?

4. Why does Arthur fear that the person outside the door may not truly be the son they once knew?

5. How does the repeated knocking at the door increase the psychological tension of the narrative?

6. What is the symbolic significance of Arthur searching for the monkey’s paw while Mrs. White struggles to unlock the door?

7. Explain the meaning of Arthur’s final wish. Why is it both tragic and necessary?

8. How does the author explore the conflict between love and reason in Arthur’s final decision?

9. What role does suspense play in the ending of the story? Which literary techniques make the final scene so effective?

10. The author never explicitly reveals who—or what—was standing outside the door. Why do you think the ending is left ambiguous? How does this affect the reader?

11. Discuss the symbolism of the monkey’s paw being thrown into the fire at the end of the chapter. What does this action represent?

12. Throughout the story, the characters attempt to change their destiny. Based on the ending, what message does the author convey about fate, free will, and the consequences of human desire?

13. Which character undergoes the greatest psychological transformation during the story—Arthur, Mrs. White, or Herbert? Support your answer with evidence from the chapter.

14. In your opinion, does the ending suggest that some losses should never be reversed, regardless of the opportunity? Explain your answer using examples from the story and your own interpretation.

Chapter 4 – Grammar Exercises

Answer Key

1-A, 2-A, 3-B, 4-C, 5-B, 6-A, 7-B, 8-A, 9-B, 10-A, 11-A, 12-A, 13-B, 14-B

Source: americanliterature.com

More Short Story Books