The Monkey's Paw

Mr. White is the main protagonist in the story. He has been married to Mrs. White for nearly 40 years and is father to Herbert White. He shows a caring and deep relationship with both characters. He is also hospitable and kind, as is obvious in his interactions with Sergeant-Major Morris. Mr. White is an older man and has a “thin grey beard” (8). He is also a risk taker, established immediately in the story by how he plays chess. The narrator says he has “ideas about the game involving radical changes” (1). This risk-taking disposition gathers strength in the story with his insistence to see the monkey paw and willingness to retrieve it from the fire and use it to make a wish. He is not a man of great wealth, and he complains about his home’s terrible condition and location. He is curious about the world, evident in his responses when Morris describes his travels and the monkey’s paw.

Mr. White simultaneously shows a deep understanding of what is of value. He struggles to think of a wish and says he already has all he wants in life. He only makes a wish after his son suggests 200 pounds.