Question

Consider the end of the story. How does Jacobs create suspense and surprise at the end with the banging and opening of the door?

Answer 1

Monkey's Paw certainly explores the horror gothic genre. The White's are a seemingly normal family cast into the darkness of the extraordinary or supernatural. Tension is built up through the story. Subsequent wishes that are made to fix the dark result of their previous wish. The knock at the door is the culmination of the ill-begotten wishes. The author provides all the trappings of a gothic climax with a storm and crashing lightening. The knock on the door is even a prelude to some zombie action!.

Answer 2

Jacobs doesn’t tell readers who was at the door, leaving the story open to interpretation. Like the Whites, readers don’t know if the person banging on the door was indeed Herbert, the Whites’ dead son. Through the ending, Jacobs offers readers a choice between a rational explanation and a supernatural one. Even Mr. White isn’t sure if Herbert’s death is a mere coincidence, or if the monkey’s paw really did grant him his wish in a twisted way. When Mrs. White opens the door, she finds the road empty. Readers aren’t positive that Mr. White’s third wish made Herbert go away.