Content Warning: This section contains references to child abuse.

The central conflict in “The Monkey” centers on the supernatural influence of the monkey toy and the deadly consequences of possessing it. Read on the most straightforward level, the story pits its protagonist, Hal Shelburn, against the malevolent presence of the monkey. From the moment Hal discovers the toy in the attic, the atmosphere is one of unease and foreboding. Descriptions of the toy emphasize its eerie appearance and sound: its glass eyes, matted brown fur, and clashing cymbals. The imagery only becomes more sinister as flashbacks reveal Hal’s history with the toy: “It grinned at him with its murky amber eyes, doll’s eyes, filled with idiot glee, its brass cymbals poised as if to strike up a march for some band from hell.” Besides its apparent power to kill, the monkey also seems to have volition and agency, making its way back to Hal first after he throws it away and then after he tosses it down a well. This ability to thwart Hal renders it a more threatening and viable

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