Question

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Explanation:

Identify the literary context

The question asks which adjective best describes Mr. White's character. Mr. White is the protagonist of W. W. Jacobs' famous gothic short story, "The Monkey's Paw." Analyzing his actions in this classic work allows us to perform a Literary Analysis of his character traits.

Analyze Mr. White's actions

In the story, Mr. White is warned repeatedly by Sergeant-Major Morris about the dangerous, supernatural consequences of the monkey's paw. Despite these explicit warnings, Mr. White makes a series of impulsive decisions:

1. He hastily snatches the paw out of the fire after Morris tries to destroy it.
2. He quickly makes his first wish for two hundred pounds without fully considering the consequences.
3. He acts on sudden impulses rather than careful, patient deliberation.

Evaluate the options

Let's evaluate each adjective against his behavior:

• A. Wise: Incorrect. A wise person would heed the serious warnings of a seasoned soldier and let the cursed object burn.
• B. Diligent: Incorrect. Diligence refers to careful, persistent work or effort, which does not define his primary character flaw in the narrative.
• C. Patient: Incorrect. He does not show patience; instead, he acts quickly on his desires.
• D. Hasty: Correct. His actions—rescuing the paw from the fire and wishing immediately—show a lack of deliberation, making "hasty" the most accurate descriptor.

Answer:

• (A) Wise
• (B) Diligent
• (C) Patient
• (D) Hasty (Correct answer)