The author introduces Sergeant-Major Morris in “The Monkey’s Paw” to warn the White family (and the reader) about the danger of interfering with fate and to introduce the magical paw that drives the plot. His stories, mood, and actions create a sense of mystery and fear that prepares the reader for the tragic events that follow.

Who Sergeant-Major Morris Is

  • He is an old friend of Mr. White who has spent many years as a soldier in India, bringing exotic stories and objects back with him.
  • His background as a worldly, experienced soldier makes him a believable source about strange, supernatural things like the monkey’s paw.

How He Introduces the Monkey’s Paw

  • Morris is the one who takes the monkey’s paw out, explains that a fakir put a spell on it so that anyone who uses it will suffer for trying to change fate.
  • After telling the Whites about the paw’s terrible history and that previous wishes ended in misery, he throws it into the fire and tells them to let it burn, showing how dangerous he believes it is.

How He Builds Suspense and Mood

  • Morris’s reluctance to talk about the paw, his serious tone, and his “fear mixed with regret and sorrow” create a dark, ominous mood in the cozy family setting.
  • Lines such as his warning that the paw has already caused “enough mischief” and his admission that his own wishes “did” come true make the reader anxious about what will happen when the Whites keep it anyway.

Why the Author Needs Him in the Story

  • He functions as the catalyst: without Morris, the Whites would never hear of the paw or be tempted to wish, so the later tragedy would not occur.
  • He also serves as a kind of moral voice, embodying the theme that people who try to control fate “did so to their sorrow,” which is exactly what happens to the White family.

Evidence Tied to the Question

  • The author introduces Morris so he can explain that the paw’s spell is meant “to show that fate ruled people’s lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow,” clearly signaling the story’s main theme.
  • The fact that he tries to destroy the paw and warns Mr. White to “let it burn” is evidence that his role is to caution the family and foreshadow the consequences of ignoring that warning.

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