“This Boy’s Life” by Wolff vs. “The Monkey’s Paw” by Jacobs Essay

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The paper analyzes two literature texts, “This Boy’s Life” by Wolff and “The Monkey’s Paw” by Jacobs. “This Boy’s Life” is about a young man growing up and dealing with his fears, misunderstandings, and judgment of others. “The Monkey’s Paw” recounts the story of a family who receives a monkey’s paw from a friend, fulfilling the owner’s three desires, which invariably have disastrous repercussions. As a result, the paper examines and evaluates quotations while explaining how they relate to the literature.

Tobias Wolff is dissatisfied with his identity throughout the narrative. The earliest literary indication of his reinvention is his choice to alter his name from Tobias to Jack in honor of Jack London. Tobias was persuaded that by using this name, he would get “some of the strength and competence inherent” in his perception of his identity (Wolff 1989, 15). Furthermore, Jack experiences self-loathing and a sense of unworthiness.

As a result, he blames himself for his father abandoning him, and his mother cannot form meaningful connections with decent men. Jack states, “I was subject to fits of feeling myself unworthy….along with the certainty that everybody but my mother saw through me and did not like what they saw” (Wolff 1989, 19). To become something better, Jack constructs a role model in the form of a peculiar and moody guy named Roy, with whom Jack’s mother previously had a connection.

In “The Monkey’s Paw,” Mr. White makes his first wish – to receive 200 pounds sterling – to satisfy his curiosity and at the recommendation of his son, Herbert. This sum will assist him in making the last mortgage payment on his house. The Whites receive the heartbreaking news that Herbert perished in a tragic accident in the plant, where their son was entangled in the machinery. Mrs. White recalls that two wishes remain ten days after their son’s death and extreme mental agony. Despite his fear, sweating, and shivering, Mr. White chose to utilize the second wish, and “he found himself in the small passage with the evil thing in his hand” (Jacobs and Hoppenstand 2014, 28). This quotation is an omen that they should never use the paw.

To conclude, the interpretation of quotations helps to understand literature texts better. For instance, Tobias Wolff focuses on his desire to live a different life via self-reflection and remembrance. On the other hand, “The Monkey’s Paw” by Jacobs is meant to caution readers about their desires since they may be granted.

References

Wolff, Tobias. This Boy’s Life: A Memoir. Grove Press, 1989.

Jacobs, William Wymark and Hoppenstand, Gary. The monkey’s paw and other tales. Chicago Review Press, 2014.

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""This Boy's Life" by Wolff vs. "The Monkey's Paw" by Jacobs." IvyPanda, 1 Jan. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/this-boys-life-by-wolff-vs-the-monkeys-paw-by-jacobs/.

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IvyPanda. 2024. ""This Boy's Life" by Wolff vs. "The Monkey's Paw" by Jacobs." January 1, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/this-boys-life-by-wolff-vs-the-monkeys-paw-by-jacobs/.

1. IvyPanda. ""This Boy's Life" by Wolff vs. "The Monkey's Paw" by Jacobs." January 1, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/this-boys-life-by-wolff-vs-the-monkeys-paw-by-jacobs/.


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IvyPanda. ""This Boy's Life" by Wolff vs. "The Monkey's Paw" by Jacobs." January 1, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/this-boys-life-by-wolff-vs-the-monkeys-paw-by-jacobs/.

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