Contents of A Dead Mans Pocket

Title of Selection: Contents of A Dead Mans Pocket
Author: Jack Finney
Date Read: October 8, 2008


Pre-reading: List top 5 priorities in my life
- Family
- Friends
- School
- Volleyball
- God


Plot/Reaction: [Summary of story, short and sweet]
-In the beginning of the story, the main character, Tom, says goodbye to his wife as she leaves for a double-feature movie. He is going to stay home and work on a project that he thinks could hopefully somehow promote him and get him a raise at his job. This paper has months and hours of studying and hard work put into it; if it was to be lost theres no way he could do it over because the timing of presenting the finished product would not be there. Then the paper gets blown out the window and it gets hooked to the corner of the outter ledge of the apartment building. He decides his paper is worth too much to let it go and redo it, even though he knows its crazy to climb out the ledge of the apartment building. Tom talks himself into getting out the window and on the ledge of his 11th floor apartment outter wall. While slowing stuttering his way to the edge where his paper lie, he realizes that the bricks aren't as thick as he thought they were. Tom gets to the corner and gets his paper. He finally sees the street below him and panics, hes on the ledge of the 11th floor of his apartment building. Finally he talks himself into getting himself back into his warm apartment. When he gets to the window, its not opened enough. He tries throwing his coins and things inside of his pocket to get the attention of people below him but no one realizes where it comes from. He tries breaking the window by tapping it. Tom figures out the only way is to either let go, and have no one know who he is because his wallet with everything is inside on his bed, or crash himself into his window. Tim pelts himself into his window and breaks the glass. All of that crazy nonsense for a paper. He gets up from the floor and sets the yellow paper on his desk. Tom then goes to join his wife at the movies.


Questions: what dont you understand?/what doesnt make sense
-What exactly is the on the paper that is so important to this project he wants to complete that night?
-What is his wifes reaction when she finds out he broke the window and was out on the ledge of their apartment building for a paper with such contents?


Significant Quotes: page number and explain quote
- "He waited, arm drawn back, fist balled, but in no hurry to strike; this pause, he knew, might be an extension of his life. And to live even a few seconds longer, he felt, even out here on this ledge in the night, was infinitely better than to die a moment earlier than he had to." p. 19
This quote shows how much Tom changed by being in a life threatening situation. Before he went out on the ledge, risking his life to get this paper didn't even matter because that paper was his whole life. By realizing how much he would lose by falling off and letting go of the ledge and splattering onto the ground, this is where he changed in his being.

-"In the back of his mind he knew he'd better hurry and get this over with before he thought to omuhc, sand at the window he dind't allow himself to hesitate." p. 10
This quote displays that even before Tom went out the window onto the ledge to get this paper he knew it was a stupid idea. He knew that the only way he would be able to successfully go through with this is if he did it on impulse and not by thinking about it like he should.