Answer:
I haven't read this book, so I can't get direct text evidence, but this is what I think - Though he teases his father for believing in the magic of the monkey’s paw, Herbert himself has a moment of fear when, after his parents have gone to bed, he sees the image of a horrific monkey’s face in the fireplace and picks up the monkey’s paw. Herbert represents how even the skeptic can be briefly made to believe in the ability to magically alter fate.
Step-by-step explanation: