Socratic Seminar plan for Text Title: The Monkey’s Paw
"The Monkey's Paw" is a short
story by W.W. Jacobs. Sometimes compared to the works of Edgar Allan Poe, the tale is a supernatural
tale of a family who discovers the hidden realities of wish fulfillment.
Ideas, Values: fate, hope, greed
Standards:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the
course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary
of the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.3 Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel
the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
PRE-SEMINAR:
Content (background information):
Notes for background and vocabulary: Fakir (fE kir): a wandering beggar of the Muslim or Hindu
religion, esp. one who performs remarkable feats such as lying on a bed of nails.
Students will read the short story taking notes on a Literature Log as they read.
See link in plan to download the Literature Log and to see an example of a completed one.
SEMINAR PLAN
Text Title: The Monkey’s Paw
"The Monkey's Paw" is a short story by W.W. Jacobs. Sometimes
compared to the works of Edgar Allan Poe, the tale is a supernatural tale of a family who discovers the
hidden realities of wish fulfillment.
Ideas, Values: fate, hope, greed
Standards:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the
course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary
of the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.3 Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel
the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
PRE-SEMINAR:
Content (background information):
Notes for background and vocabulary: Fakir (fE kir): a wandering beggar of the Muslim or Hindu
religion, esp. one who performs remarkable feats such as lying on a bed of nails.
Students will read the short story taking notes on a Literature Log as they read. (See screenshot at
the end of this document and go to the link to download:
Literature Log
From: http://education.wm.edu/centers/cfge/curriculum/teachingmodels/#literature
Process (guidelines and goals): Set goals
SEMINAR
Opening (Identify main ideas from the text.): What do you think is the most common wish people
make and why is this choice so prevalent?
Core (Focus/analyze textual details.):
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Sergeant Major Morris describes the monkey’s paw in this way: “It had a spell put on it by
an old fakir, a very holy man. He wanted to show that fate ruled people’s lives, and that
those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow.” What does this say about fate? About
freewill?
Why did Sergeant Morris tell them about the paw?
Why do we always wish for what we don’t have?
What lessons are leraned from the paw?
What is the overall message about luck as it relates to happiness?
Based on the story, what do you think the author wants us to do or believe?
Is it wrong to wish for things?
Closing (Personalize and apply the textual ideas.):
If you could make three wishes, what would they be? Describe the wishes, and what do you think
would happen if they were granted?
POST-SEMINAR
Process (Assess individual and group participation):
Discuss goals both individual and the group goal.
Content (application of textual and discussion ideas):
After you have read, determine one central idea from the text and write an essay that
both summarizes and analyzes how that central idea is conveyed through particular
details. Cite evidence from the text to support your analysis. Follow the conventions of
standard written English.
Literature Log
From: http://education.wm.edu/centers/cfge/curriculum/teachingmodels/#literature