Question

Which detail is an example of internal conflict in "The Monkey's Paw"?

Answer 1

"The Monkey´s Paw" was a short story written by author W. W. Jacobs and it was published in 1902 as part of the collection Lady of the Barge. This story narrates the events that happen to a family of old people and their son, who, after coming in contact with a strange talisman, a monkey´s mummified paw, from India, brought to them by a friend of theirs, they wish upon the talisman as a joke and end up loosing their son in exchange for their wish of 200 pounds. Struck with grief, and remembering about the power of the talisman, the old woman decides to ask her husband, Mr. White, to wish upon the talisman that their son, Herbert, be returned to them. Mr. White, gives in to his wife´s wishes but is so overcome by the fear of what might happen when his son reappears after having been torn apart by the machinery at the factory where he worked, that just as there are knock on his door, and his wife is about to open the door, he takes the talisman and makes the third and final wish, and the knock disappears and they find that their son is no longer there.  In this excerpt from the story, the best option where we can find internal conflict, is C, because in the argument between Mr. and Mrs. White, it shows that Mr. White wants to help his wife and give her something that helps her, but he knows that by making a wish on the talisma, things will be worse. So Mr. White struggles internally with himself: does he give in to his wife, or does he listen to reason and denies his wife´s wish. In the end, by making the third wish, Mr. White gives in to the power of the talisman but to turn back the wish he made forced by his wife.

Answer 2

D.

Idea is a keyword in internal conflict, as internal conflict generally consists of one's own conflicting thoughts or beliefs rather than actual physical conflict or conflict with another person.