The Monkey's Paw
Storyboard Text
- Introduction
- Inciting Incident/ Rising Action
- Rising Action
- The White family relaxes in the parlour of their large villa in the British countryside. Mr. White and his son, Herbert, play chess while Mrs. White sits and knits by the fire. The family awaits the arrival of their friend, Sergeant-Major Morris.
- Rising Action
- Morris arrives. He sits down before the fire as Mr. White prepares his finest whiskey for the two. Mr. Morris, a military veteran, tells stories about his time deployed in India. During his time there, he came into the possession of an old talisman, a severed monkey's paw, blessed by a fakir. He claims that whoever owns the paw may have access to three wishes of anything they so desire, but his tone is grave. Morris casts the talisman into the fire, but Mr. White, intrigued, retrieves it.
- Climax/ Falling Action
- Later that night, after Morris leaves, Mr. White decides to test the paw out. After coming to conclusion that he already has everything he's ever wanted, Herbert suggests something quick and easy, like wishing for 200 pounds. Mr. White wishes for it, but nothing happens after a couple of minutes. The family decides that Morris was just making up stories, and they all head to bed.
- Resolution
- The next morning, Herbert leaves to work while the family has breakfast. A couple hours later, a man knocks at the door. He informs the two that he is from the company that employs Herbert. That day, Herbert had been caught in machinery and killed. Mrs. White breaks down crying as Mr. White struggles to comprehend what the man is saying. With remorse, the man gives 200 pounds as compensation on behalf of the company. Mr. White realizes that Herbert's death was the doing of the monkey's paw.
- The family struggles to deal with Herbert's for the next couple of days. Overwhelmed with grief, Mrs. White suggests wishing on the paw for Herbert to come back. Mr. White is hesitant, because of what happened the last time they wished for something, but eventually gives in. He wishes, but again, nothing happens. Two hours pass, however, and there is a knock at the door. Mrs. White excitedly rushes to the door to let their son in, but Mr. White realizes that what is waiting behind the door is the mutilated corpse of their dead son.
- Mrs. White struggles with the sliding door lock, and she needs Mr. White's help to open it. Mr. white ignores her and scrambles to get to the paw. Just before Mrs. White successfully opens the door. Mr. White utters his last wish: For Herbert to go back to his grave. Mrs. White peers outside and breaks down in tears to see no one. Mr. White cautiously looks around outside. His son is gone.
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