Comparing and Contrasting "The Monkey's Paw" and "The Three Wishes" Essay Example

“The Monkey’s Paw” and “The Three Wishes” are two stories that have as many similarities, as they have differences. “The Monkey’s Paw” is written about a curious, elderly couple that makes a wish on a talisman, said to bring bad luck. In “The Third Wish”, a lonely man is granted three wishes for doing a kind chore. But, he soon learns it may be hurting others. However, they are similar and different in many ways that are deep within the stories’ plots, hidden behind details. The stories have very similar plots with diverse endings, and manage to teach you a valuable lesson you may remember for the rest of your life. “The Monkey’s Paw” was written by W.W Jacobs. It is about a poor, old couple that is given a talisman that is said to grant three wishes. “The Monkey’s Paw” is a horror story for many terrifying and shocking events. Some of those events include deaths and super natural happenings. Throughout the story, a creepy and eerie mood sets in. For example, as the thunder roars in the background, the monkey’s paw twitches in Mr. White’s hand as he makes his first wish. The first wish is granted, but only after the couple’s son dies in an awful way. Mr. White is taught a lesson after his son is killed. That lesson is “be careful what you wish for”. Mrs. White learns the lesson after she uses the second wish to wish her son alive again, and Mr. White realizes he would come back in pain. That is when Mr. White uses the third wish to ask for his son to be at peace. This leaves the couple sadder than ever before. Therefore, you can see that “The Monkey’s Paw” is a horror story about a mature couple that are given three wishes, but soon wish they had never been given the chance to achieve their greatest desires. On the other hand “The Third Wish” is based on a lonely man named Mr. Peters. After he saves a swan tangled in a bush, he is granted three wishes by the swan. After he is very careful not to make a rash wishes, he wishes for a wife “as beautiful as the