The Monkey’s Paw – Review Questions

Which lesson about life is most clearly shown through the events of The Monkey’s Paw?

• Think carefully before making decisions because they can have lasting effects

• Hope can heal any pain

• Money is the key to happiness

• Superstitions are never worth believing

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How does the narrator’s limited sharing of characters’ thoughts add to the suspense?

• We only know what Mr. and Mrs. White are thinking, leaving events unpredictable

• We hear Herbert’s private thoughts as he dies

• The narrator hides the Sergeant-Major’s real past

• We learn every character’s thoughts equally

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Which moment is a clear hint of future trouble?

• Herbert asks to become rich

• The Sergeant-Major urges them to destroy the paw

• The family plays games together

• Mrs. White opens the door to the night

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CCSS.RL.11-12.4

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What is the best short summary of the first part of the story?

• A stranger visits and warns the Whites about a magical but dangerous paw

• The family discovers a way to gain fame and wealth

• The paw is destroyed before anyone can use it

• The Whites’ son leaves for military service

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What does the monkey’s paw most likely represent in the story?

• The danger of interfering with destiny

• A link between life and death

• Magical good luck

• The military’s power

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How does the reader experience dramatic irony in the last section?

• We know Herbert is alive outside the door

• We understand the danger outside while Mrs. White believes it’s her son

• We realize the Whites never made their second wish

• We see the Sergeant-Major is nearby watching

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Which structural choice builds the suspense in The Monkey’s Paw?

• A peaceful start that slowly turns strange before reaching a frightening peak

• Multiple narrators telling their parts

• Flashbacks to earlier parts of Mr. White’s life

• The story starting at the ending and working backward

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CCSS.RL.11-12.4

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Which paraphrase correctly explains the events after the second wish?

• Someone knocks at the door, and Mrs. White is sure it’s Herbert

• The Sergeant-Major demands the paw back

• The family receives another payment from Maw and Meggins

• Herbert comes home unharmed

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What conflict is most important in driving the plot?

• Mr. White wanting to move to the city

• The family trying to convince the Sergeant-Major to leave the paw

• The Whites’ desire to use the paw despite knowing its risks

• Mrs. White’s annoyance at Herbert’s jokes

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Why does the author wait to show who is knocking at the door in the final scenes?

• To make Mrs. White seem unreasonable

• To prove Herbert is still alive

• To create suspense and keep the reader guessing

• To remind the reader of the Sergeant-Major’s warning

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