Characterisation of Herbert White

The story “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs features five characters: Mrs and Mr White, Herbert White, Sergeant-Major Morris and the company employee. However, the members of the White family are the most relevant for the story as the other two are only episodic, secondary characters. Major Morris only represents the inciting action element while the company employee functions as a messenger.

In what follows, we will focus on the characterisation of Herbert White.

Herbert White’s outer characterisation presents him as the only son of the Whites, who plays chess and works at a company involving machinery, called Maw and Meggins.

Inner characterisation

In terms of inner characterisation, we can say that Herbert remains a flat character because he does not change as a result of the action.

He is depicted directly by the narrator as having “ideas about the game (of chess) involving radical changes” which suggests that he is a man who likes taking risks. However, his interest in and ability at chess suggests that he is highly logical.

Furthermore, we sense that he is and his mother have a sort of complicity between them, which excludes Mr White: “Mr White looked up sharply, just in time to intercept a knowing glance between mother and son.”

In the interactions with Major Morris he comes across as doubtful, curious and sceptical regarding the monkey paw story:

"Well, why don't you have three...