The History of Literature Podcast

Episode 737: “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs
Host: Jacke Wilson
Date: October 2, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Jacke Wilson dives into the chilling classic “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs, a story with enduring influence on popular culture and horror fiction. After setting the autumnal mood and reflecting on personal transitions, Jacke discusses Jacobs’s life, the recurring themes in his work, and the lasting power of the story’s core message—“be careful what you wish for.” The episode features a full reading of “The Monkey’s Paw,” interspersed with commentary that explores the story’s blend of fate, wish fulfillment, and the macabre.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Autumn Reflections and Personal Update

[02:54 - 05:50]

• Jacke opens with a personal note on the emptiness of an “empty nest” and the bittersweet transition as his children head to college.
• He expresses his deep love for October and its moody, “autumnal” pleasures, calling it his favorite time of year.
  • “Every year there’s a nip in the air and a metallic quality to the light, and I am in love with this month all over again. God bless you, October.” – Jacke Wilson [03:41]

2. Introduction to “The Monkey’s Paw”

[05:50 - 08:40]

• Jacke teases the main story, referencing its familiarity thanks to adaptations like The Simpsons and pop culture echoes.
• He highlights the central motif:
  • “You probably know it from the Simpsons or some other secondary source. The idea that there’s a monkey’s paw that can grant a wish. But be careful what you wish for, people, because your wish might turn out poorly.” [05:55]

3. Who Was W.W. Jacobs?

[08:40 - 12:40]

• Biography: Jacobs born in London, 1863, to a wharf manager with a large, blended family.
• Literary Themes:
  • Jacobs focused mostly on sea stories and maritime life, with recurring humor and trick endings, earning him nicknames like “O. Henry of the waterfront.”
  • Sample titles reveal his preoccupation with nautical themes: The Skipper’s Wooing, Many Cargoes, Sea Urchins, Sailor’s Knots, Deep Waters, and more.
  • “I think you’ve guessed the theme by now: the sea and sailors and seafaring and water.” – Jacke Wilson [10:41]
• Jacobs’s shift to the supernatural:
  • He became famous for macabre tales, most notably “The Monkey’s Paw.”
  • Noted quote from Henry James:
    • “Mr. Jacobs, I envy you. You are popular. Your admirable work is appreciated by a wide circle of readers... Mine never goes into a second edition.” [11:42]
  • Jacke observes the irony that Jacobs is now mostly forgotten outside this legendary story.

4. Introduction to the Story

[12:43 - 13:29]

• Context for “The Monkey’s Paw”:
  • First published in 1902 in Harper's, then collected in The Lady of the Barge and Other Stories.
  • Jacke promises a full reading “after this”—leading into brief ads, then the story.

Full Reading: “The Monkey’s Paw”

[17:36 - 45:15]

• Jacke reads the story in its entirety. Key elements include:
  1. The White family receives the monkey’s paw from Sergeant-Major Morris, who warns them against its use.
  2. Mr. White makes a wish for £200; the next day, their son Herbert dies in a workplace accident, and the family receives £200 in compensation.
  3. Grief-stricken, Mrs. White urges a second wish to bring Herbert back; a terrifying series of knocks on the door follows.
  4. Mr. White uses the third wish to end the horror, and the couple is left in silence and despair.

Notable Story Quotes

• “He wanted to show that fate ruled people’s lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow.” – Sergeant-Major Morris, read by Jacke [19:30]
• “I wish for two hundred pounds,” said the old man distinctly. [22:36]
• “It moved. As I wished. It twisted in my hand like a snake.” – Mr. White [22:56]
• “The first man had his three wishes. Yes, … the third was for death. That’s how I got the paw.” – Sergeant-Major Morris [19:58]
• “Bring him back,” cried the old woman and dragged him toward the door. “Do you think I fear the child I have nursed?” [38:11]

Analysis, Themes, and Afterthoughts

[44:35 - 45:15]

• Jacke wraps up with a philosophical question:
  • “Would you have wanted to see that mutilated and now decomposing boy no matter what? Or would you have wished desperately for the knocking to stop? Maybe there’s no good answer to that.” [44:48]
• He muses on the story’s underlying theme—fate versus self-determination, and the terrifying price of tampering with destiny.
  • “I wonder if the third wish, which got the old man what he wanted, I wonder if that turned on him somehow... there’s no good answer to those questions.” [44:56]

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Atmospheric Tone:
  • “Strange knocks on the door. Spooky air. Your skeleton, the one you carry around inside your body. You know it’s in there, right? … and the cold wind bites its way through your clothing and your skin and your flesh.” – Jacke Wilson [04:55]
• On the Folly of Wish Fulfillment:
  • “If you must wish, … wish for something sensible.” – Sergeant-Major Morris [20:35]
• On the Horror of Regret:
  • “He has been dead ten days. … I could only recognize him by his clothing. If he was too terrible for you to see then, how now?” – Mr. White [38:55]
• On the Enduring Power of the Macabre:
  • “We kick off October with a bang and a shriek and a knock and a street lamp flickering on a quiet and deserted road.” – Jacke Wilson [44:36]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:54] – Introduction to October and mood-setting
• [05:50] – “The Monkey’s Paw”: premise and cultural impact
• [08:40] – Biography and literary background of W.W. Jacobs
• [12:43] – Prelude to story reading
• [17:36–33:30] – Reading: Parts 1 & 2 of “The Monkey’s Paw”
• [34:36–44:36] – Reading: Part 3 & conclusion of “The Monkey’s Paw”
• [44:36–45:15] – Reflection and sign-off

Tone and Language

Jacke’s narration is warm, reflective, and occasionally tinged with melancholy—a fitting match for the story’s moody, suspenseful content. Humor and personal asides lighten the atmosphere, while the reading of the story itself is deliberate and faithful, capturing Jacobs’s blend of the everyday and the eerie.

Summary

This episode offers a deeply immersive journey into “The Monkey’s Paw”—not only through a dramatic and faithful reading, but also via context that situates Jacobs and his work within the broader landscape of literature. Jacke Wilson’s personal reflections connect the story's anxieties of fate and consequence with the everyday changes and losses of family life, perfectly framing October as a time to contemplate the spooky and the sorrowful alike.

For those seeking to understand “The Monkey’s Paw,” its author, or why this story continues to echo a century after its publication, this episode is an ideal entry—rich in insight, emotional resonance, and literary atmosphere.