Question

question 9 of 10

which detail from \the monkeys paw\ most clearly helps create tension?

a. the street outside the whites home is empty under the streetlamp.
b. mr. white thinks to himself that he already has everything he could want.
c. mrs. white knits while her son and husband play chess and wait for a visitor.
d. mr. morris tells the whites of the man who wished for his own death.

Explanation:

Analyze the question and options

The question asks which detail from W.W. Jacobs' short story "The Monkey's Paw" most clearly helps create tension. We need to evaluate how each option affects the mood and suspense of the narrative.

Evaluate the narrative function of each choice

• Option A: "The street outside the White's home is empty under the streetlamp." This occurs near the climax when Mrs. White is trying to open the door, and Mr. White makes his final wish. The empty street creates a sudden, chilling drop in tension after the frantic knocking, but the detail itself represents the resolution of the suspense rather than the building of it.
• Option B: "Mr. White thinks to himself that he already has everything he could want." This is a moment of contentment before the conflict begins, which establishes a baseline rather than creating tension.
• Option C: "Mrs. White knits while her son and husband play chess and wait for a visitor." This is part of the cozy, domestic exposition that contrasts with the later horror, but does not actively build tension.
• Option D: "Mr. Morris tells the Whites of the man who wished for his own death." This detail introduces the dark, supernatural, and fatal history of the paw. By revealing that a previous owner's third wish was for death, it foreshadows tragedy and directly builds Narrative Tension and dread regarding what will happen if the Whites use the paw. This aligns closely with the themes of The Monkeys Paw.

Select the best option

Option D is the strongest choice because it introduces a sinister warning and a sense of impending doom, which are essential elements of suspense and tension in gothic literature.

Answer:

• (A) The street outside the White's home is empty under the streetlamp.
• (B) Mr. White thinks to himself that he already has everything he could want.
• (C) Mrs. White knits while her son and husband play chess and wait for a visitor.
• (D) Mr. Morris tells the Whites of the man who wished for his own death. (Correct answer)