Fateful Wishes Worksheet
NAME: DATE:
PERIOD:
FATEFUL WISHES
Close Reading & Prediction Guide
Context: Sergeant-Major Morris has warned the White family of the monkey's paw's curse—that it grants wishes but exacts terrible consequences. Below is the crucial moment when Mr. White makes the first wish.
Directions: Read the passage carefully. Complete the active annotations in the margins, then turn to Page 2 for analysis.
The Monkey's Paw (Excerpt)
[P1] “I don’t know what to wish for, that’s a fact,” he said slowly. “It seems to me I’ve got all I want.”
[P2] “If you only cleared the house, you’d be quite happy, wouldn’t you?” said Herbert, with his hand on his shoulder. “Well, wish for two hundred pounds, then; that’ll just do it.”
[P3] His father smiled shamefacedly at his own credulity, and held up the talisman, while his son, with a solemn face, somewhat marred by a wink at his mother, sat down at the piano and struck a few impressive chords.
[P4] “I wish for two hundred pounds,” said the old man distinctly.
[P5] A fine crash from the piano greeted the words, interrupted by a shuddering cry from the old man. His wife and son ran toward him.
[P6] “It moved,” he cried, with a glance of disgust at the object on the floor. “As I wished, it twisted in my hand like a snake.”
[P7] “Well, I don’t see the money,” said his son, as he picked it up and placed it on the table, “and I bet I never shall.”
[P8] “It must have been your fancy, father,” said his wife, regarding him anxiously.
[P9] He shook his head. “Never mind, though; there’s no harm done, but it gave me a shock all the same.”
PROMPT 1: CHARACTERS
Underline Herbert's suggestion in P2. In the space below, explain what his attitude toward the monkey's paw seems to be.
PROMPT 2: SUSPENSE
Circle the sensory description in P5 and P6. How does the mood shift suddenly in these paragraphs?
PROMPT 3: FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
Box the simile used in P6. What dark connotations does this specific comparison carry for the reader?
FATE AND FOREWARNING: THE MONKEY'S PAW PAGE 1
THE MONKEY'S PAW CLOSE READING STUDENT HANDOUT
DEEP DIVE ANALYSIS
Use evidence from the text to complete your responses.
1 UNDERSTANDING MOTIVATION (Character Analysis)
Before making the wish, Mr. White hesitates, stating, “It seems to me I’ve got all I want.” Yet, he makes the wish anyway. What social pressures or emotional influences drive him to make this choice?
2 TRACKING RISING ACTION (Atmospheric Tension)
How does the author use sensory contrasts—such as the playful attitude of the family beforehand versus the loud piano crash and physical twist of the paw—to shift the story’s atmosphere?
3 THE PREDICTION TRACKER
Look closely at the ominous clues in the text and formulate logical predictions about the immediate consequences.
| Ominous Text Clue | What This Suggests | Your Logical Prediction |
|---|
| "As I wished, it twisted in my hand like a snake." | | |
| | |
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| "I wish for two hundred pounds... Well, wish for two hundred pounds, then; that'll just do it." |
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THE CRITICAL VERDICT
Sergeant-Major Morris warned: "Fate ruled people's lives, and those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow." Based on what you have observed in this scene, how do you expect the "sorrow" of the first wish will manifest?
FATE AND FOREWARNING: THE MONKEY'S PAW PAGE 2
