Student Question
What is the flashback in "The Monkey's Paw"?
Quick answer:
"The Monkey's Paw" does not feature a traditional flashback, but it includes a significant recounting by Sergeant-Major Morris. He explains how he came into possession of the cursed paw, originally enchanted by an Indian fakir to demonstrate the futility of trying to alter fate. The previous owner used the paw's last wish to end his life, underscoring the paw's dangerous power and setting the stage for the Whites' tragic experience.
A flashback is usually a scene depicting previous events in a story. It is usually depicted as a straightforward scene. "The Monkey's Paw" does not have a traditional flashback in this sense, though the sergeant-major does share in summarizing dialogue how he came to procure possession of the enchanted monkey's paw during his time in India. The previous owner used the third wish to kill himself, which is how the sergeant-major came by the paw. The sergeant-major also shares the background of the paw: it had a spell put on it by an Indian fakir, who wanted to challenge the arrogant assumption most people had that they could control or evade fate. This dialogue is important because it shows why the paw even exists.
So while the story does not have a traditional flashback sequence, it does refer back to events which precede the story, allowing the reader to have a better sense of context about the narrative's situation.
What flashback occurs in "The Monkey's Paw" by W. W. Jacobs?
W. W. Jacobs’ “The Monkey’s Paw” includes a brief but highly significant flashback scene, in which we learn the origins of the mummified monkey’s paw and how it became cursed.
According to Sergeant-Major Morris, the monkey’s paw originally belonged to an Indian fakir. The fakir believed that humans were foolish to think they had control over their own lives. He believed fate dictated the course of people's lives and it could not be altered or avoided.
To prove his point, the fakir put a curse on the monkey’s paw, so it would grant three wishes to three different people each. His goal was to show that anyone who tried to avoid, change, or interfere with fate would suffer horrible consequences.
We do not know the fates of others who made wishes on the paw, but judging by the Whites’ experience, it appears the fakir was correct in his belief. The Whites’ lives are turned upside-down and their son is killed as a result of their wishes.
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