How is Tension Built up in “The Monkeys Paw” The success of any short story depends upon the skill with which the plot moves. The writer doesn’t have the time to develop ideas that he has in a novel, but at the same time all those elements must be present. The unusual element in the “Monkeys Paw” is how much the plot depends upon coincidence and irony. The successful uses of these binds the story together and contributes to the tension. Examples of this are: The coincidence of the monkey’s paw actually being in the possession Sergeant Morris. Mrs White brings up the conversation about the story of the Monkey’s Paw, once to