MAURICE M. answered • 06/17/19
Experienced English Teacher
The characters in The Monkey's Paw are not controlled by fate but by ignorance, grief, and love. The retired officer who at the beginning of the story throws the Paw into the flames demonstrates free will in doing so. The next wish is done jokingly--displaying the ignorance of disbelief--by wishing for money; the second wish, done to correct the 'mistake' stemming from the first request, was done out of grief ; and the final wish was done to spare a loved one a horrible consequence. Fate, akin to destiny, is seemingly unavoidable; the actions of the characters in The Monkey's Paw were willing choices influenced by the details of the story.
