Has anyone read the monkey's paw - 2 the sergeant-major seems to state the theme of this selection when he says that the old fakir who put a spell on the monkey's paw wanted to show that "fate ruled people's lives." which detail from the text best supports this interpretation? a) the reference to the arabian nights b) herbert's question about the sergeant-major's wishes c) mrs. white's disgust at the sight of the monkey's paw d) mr. white's decision to take the monkey's paw out of the fire