Despite the ominous warnings by Morris, Mr. White retrieves the paw from the fire. Yet, confronted with having to make a wish, he states, “I don’t know what to wish for, and that’s a fact,” and continues, “It seems to me I’ve got all I want” (54). His wife and son are more lighthearted about the paw and its magical powers. Mr. White listens to Herbert when making his wish and asks for 200 pounds. Mr. White has a visceral reaction to the sounds of the piano crashing and the monkey paw moving after the wish, imagining he sees even the face of the monkey in the fire.

Herbert pays the price for his wishful thinking through his death. Mr. and Mrs. White not only now grieve their son, but they also wrestle with the guilt for the wish that seemingly caused this terrible turn of events. But the two parents learn different lessons. While Mrs. White wants their second wish to “wish our boy alive again” (112), Mr. White has apparently not given a thought to the paw. He tries to warn his wife about wishing Herbert back: “If he was too terrible for you to see then, how now?” (119), but she will not be deterred.