Plot is the single most important element in short stories. A good plot captures a reader; it mesmerizes them in every way making them incapable of putting the story down. Plot is presented in a certain order. The four stages of plot are the initial action, the rising action, the climax, and the resolution. This sequence is necessary to get and maintain the reader's interest. Two short stories often looked at for their plots are "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connel and "The Monkeys Paw" by W. W. Jacobs. "The Monkey's Paw" was an example of negative plot whereas "The Most Dangerous Game" was an instance of positive plot.

The plot in the "Monkey's Paw" failed to capture the audience. It was extremely unfulfilling and left the readers yearning for more. For example when the Sergeant Major visits the Whites in the initial action and discusses the...