What had he actually wanted to do with it ? Why ?

Has Sampson brought good news to the White couple?

Mrs. W: Why didn’t I think of it? Why didn’t you think of it? Mr. W : Think of what ? Mrs. W: The other two wishes. a. What makes Mrs. White think about ‘the other two wishes’ ? b. Do they really seek the two wishes? What good or harm does it do to them ?

Which of the following would make an equally suitable title for the play?
 i. Be careful what you wish for
 ii. The three wishes
 iii. Herbert returns, or does he? 
 iv. Don't mess with 

Which of the four characters in the play impresses you most? 

Each of the sentences given below has been broken up into segments which are jumbled up. Rearrange the parts to form meaningful sentences. Then reorganise the sentences in the same order as the events take place in the story.
 a.            to use the monkey's paw/A week and a half later/to wish their son alive again./Herbert's hysterical mother commands Mr White
 b.            by a holy man in India./which had had a spell placed on it/Sergeant Major Morris showed the Whites a mummified monkey's paw 
 c. against the wishes of his nervous wife,/Mr White holds the paw up/After Morris leaves,/wishes for 200 pounds.
 d.            and hastily makes a third wish./Mr White finds the monkey's paw/As Mrs White fumbles with the door,
 e.            their son Herbert/of 200 pounds./and the company promises to pay them a compensation/The next day/is killed in an accident at his factory/
 f.             was for death./could make three wishes/anyone who possessed the monkey's paw/Morris said that/but the third wish of the man from whom he had got the paw/
 g.            and makes the second wish./but when she insists/and tries to persuade his wife to change her mind,/he holds up the paw/Mr White is terrified
 h.            there is loud knocking on the front door./At that time nothing happens/but a little later
 i.              she wails in disappointment/When Mrs White finally gets the door open/or on the road ahead./as there is no one at the door

Summarize all the facts about the monkey’s paw as revealed to the Whites by Morris’ behaviour. 

What was Morris’ experience with the monkey’s paw, and what was his attitude towards it? 

How does Morris try to dissuade Mr White from keeping the paw and using it? What mood do his words and attitude at this time inject into the play? 

How do the three members of the White family react to the monkey’s paw? Which of them can be blamed for what happens to the family later in the play? 

Describe the reactions of each of the members of the family after Mr White makes the first wish and nothing happens. Why is Herbert’s attitude ironic? 

Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.
Stranger                               I’m sorry...
 Mrs White                           (frantic) Is he hurt?
 Stranger                               (nods) Badly hurt. But he is not in any pain.
 Mrs White                           Oh, thank goodness! Thank goodness for that! Thank – (She breaks off, suddenly understanding, and stares at the Stranger in growing horror.)
a.       Who is the ‘he’ referred to in the extract? How, according to the stranger, did he get hurt?
b.       Why does Mrs White first react to the stranger’s news with Thank goodness and then with growing horror?
c. What does the stranger go on to tell them which causes Mrs White to scream and Mr White to faint? Why do you think Mr White faints, and not Mrs White? 

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
Mrs White    (crying and laughing hysterically) I only just thought of it. Why didn’t I think
                                                 of it before? Why didn’t you think of it?
 Mrs White   Think of what?
 Mrs White   The other two wishes. We’ve only had one.
 Mr White     (Fiercely) Wasn’t that enough?
 Mrs White   No! We’ll have one more. Go get it down and wish our boy alive again.
a.       What does Mrs White want her husband to do? How does he try to dissuade her? What happens immediately after Mr White complies with his wife’s wishes?
b.       What happens a short while later that causes Mrs White to jump up? What does she go on to do? 
c.       Describe how Mr White uses his third wish and what follows then. 

A play consists mainly of dialogue—characters talking to one another in common everyday speech. Such speech is usually characterised by the use of idioms or colloquial expressions. 
 What do the following expressions mean? 
 i. yarn             ii. holed up      ii. time flies               iv. The Arabian Nights                     v. jumping to conclusions 

How do the two words given below differ in meaning? What is the significance of their use in the play? 
 - coincidence                          - consequences 

Mrs White                           We had the first wish granted! Why not the second?
 Mr White                             It was a coincidence.
a.       Do you think the granting of the first wish-and its connection with Herbert’s death – was a coincidence or the effect of the curse of the monkey’s paw? 
b.       Would things have been different if Sergeant Major Morris had not visited the White’s home or if Mr White had not rescued the monkey’s paw from the fire?