The game of chess symbolizes Mr. White's impulsive and sometimes reckless nature and his battle against fate that the family will face.

Mr. White wishes for two hundred pounds, the piano crashes and monkey paw moves

The rising action includes Morris's arrival, the first wish, Herbert's jokes, his departure to work, and the stranger's arrival with news of his death.

They are consumed by profound grief, despair, and a sense of utter devastation.

Herbert White remains cheerful, skeptical, and lighthearted throughout his appearances in the story.

Mr. White makes the third wish, the knocking stops, and Mrs. White opens the door to find only emptiness and a deserted road.

Mr. White and Mrs. White conflict over wishing Herbert back, peaking when she tries to open the door and he struggles to stop her.

Mrs. White transforms from a practical wife into a grief-crazed mother demanding her son's return from the dead.

The climax occurs when the Whites hear knocking at the door and Mrs. White frantically tries to open it while Mr. White searches for the paw.

The monkey's paw itself is a significant symbol, representing dangerous temptation, the perils of unchecked desire

The main characters are Mr. White, Mrs. White, and their son, Herbert.

He realizes what returns may be monstrous, revealing his prioritization of his wife's safety over his own grief.

The ominous, foreboding tone makes readers feel anxious about the characters' dangerous choices.