Monday, September 20, 2010

"Contents of the Dead Man's Pocket" Short Story Review

What did you think of Jack Finney's story?

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

I thought the story was dragged out by the man's attempts to open his window that leads into him home. The book really had no interest to me and I lost more and more of it as time went on.

robbie said...

I thought in the book "Contents of The Dead Man's Pocket" By Jack Finny, a guy was going to die and people were going to find random things in his pocket. I was wrong about my prediction. The title was actually a metaphor. No one died at all in the story just almost did and almost got hurt. That’s what I think about the book "Contents of The Dead Man's Pocket" By Jack Finny.

james said...

I think the story “Contents of a Dead Man’s Pocket” by Jack Finney is a good short story. It was vary unpredictable and suspenseful. It made me wonder if Thom was get off the side of the building.

Unknown said...
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snikwaH nahtaN said...

The Contents of a Dead Mans Pocket is a typical Jack Finney short story. Finney creates suspense and Irony and makes his readers experience terror through his portrayal of the every day world.

Kelly VanBrunt said...

I thought that "Contents of the Dead Man's Pocket" by Jack Finney was an odd little story that had quite a large and common theme. I perceived the theme to be something along the lines of "Live for the day, be sure to have fun, and don't work too hard because everything can turn on a dime, and you never know what might happen." In this story, the main character, Tom, has a life changing experience that teaches him this lesson. He learns this when he becomes stranded out on a ledge outside of his eleventh story apartment. He teeters on the edge of life and death as he struggles to keep his balance. But once he smashes through the glass and is finally reunited with the inside of his safe apartment, he wastes no time in going to find his wife, and starts to live his life for the more fun things.

Mrs. McI said...

The story "Contents of the Dead Man's Pocket" by Jack Finney was surprising. I personally thought it was positive. I thought so because Tom Benecke ended up not falling off the edge and dying. Then when he broke the window and got inside he went to find his wife and see the movie.
Courtney H. 3rd period

Mrs. McI said...

“Contents of the Dead Mans Pocket” by Jack Finney.
I wasn’t here for most of the story but the parts I have read didn’t really appeal to me. I didn’t think it was really worth reading. The biggest part of the story was when he couldn’t get back into his apartment. And he climbed out of the window for a piece of paper. In my opinion I don’t think this was a very good story to read this year.
Alina M. 3rd period

Mrs. McI said...
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Mrs. McI said...

“Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket” by Jack Finney was fairly interesting. I’m not sure why jack would name the story “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket” because no one died. Although it gets the readers curious and ready for something to happen, and want to keep reading it until the end. I would read this short story again, I actually understood most of it. If I was in his position, 11 stories high, I don’t even know how I would respond to that, I would be so scared and too worried about falling. This short story shows a little bit of bravery for what he did.
-kayleen.

Unknown said...

The short story “The Contents of the Dead Man’s Pockets” by Jack Finney was a very uplifting story. It took a near death experience to make the main character realize what he has been missing out in life. By being out on the ledge the main character wished he was with his wife instead of working. When he makes it back into his apartment he puts the paper back on the table and gets ready to go meet his wife but as he is leaving the paper flew out the window yet again. As he sees this he laughs and then goes to fin his wife.

Mrs. McI said...

I think Jack Finney’s story “Contents of a Dead Man’s Pocket” is a very odd story. The main character tom Benneke is a workaholic who instead of going to the movies with his wife decides to stay home and work. While is wife is leaving a rush of air comes through the door picks up the yellow sheet of paper that tom needs to finish his work and blows it out of the window. The paper had all his notes from his months of research. Not wanting to abandon months of his work he decides to climb out the window and slide along the ledge in order to retrieve his lost work while picking up the paper tom accidentally looks down and sees how high up he is. Struck by the sight of how high he is he loses all focus of what he is doing and is in danger of falling. When he gets back to his window he slips and the window slides closed. Stuck on the ledge he realizes he won’t be able to hang on until his wife comes home. In desperation he decides to punch through the window and try to climb in to his apartment. Ethan Coulter 3rd period

Mrs. McI said...

I have recently read "Contents of the Dead Man's Pocket" by Jack Finney. This book made me think about what I was doing and where I was going with my life.
The antagonist character Tom had a near death experience and had an epiphany and realized he was wasting the best years of his life.
Tom was an extreme workaholic and spent the last months working on a project that was sure to put his name in for a promotion. But when his wife leaves to go to a movie the wind from the open door caused Toms note page to fly out the window. Tom soon finds himself unable to move looking down on the streets 11 stories up.
This story made you think about your lives coarse. It shows you that you need to live everyday like your last, because if very well could be. Make the most of everyday, and don't let them slip by. Tom took the chance to change his life when it was offered and I encourage everyone else to do the same.

By Fylicia Barr

Mrs. McI said...

I had recently read “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pockets” by Jack Finny this book had a lot of action. I thought this was a very good short story. This story is about a business man who worked all the time. He had a very important paper fly out the wind and he chased after it. He got stuck out on the ledge when the wind fell closed. He was out there for awhile when he finally broke through the window, which was my favorite part. I also liked the irony at the end when the paper flew out the window again and he didn’t care. by Anthony C 3rd period

Mrs. McI said...
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Mrs. McI said...

Recently I read the story “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket” by Jack Finney.
The outcome of the story wasn’t what I expected and I kind of thought he would slip and fall, very ironic. It was pointless because the paper flew back out the window. The story was exciting.
Chris G. 3rd period

Nick said...

I recently read the short story “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pockets” by Jack Finney. It is a very ironic story and teaches many morals. A work-aholic husband, John Bencke, ricks his life for his career. The story had many twists and turns and obstacles along the way. After a long night John realizes work isn’t life and isn’t as important as his wife and family. In short I found the story to have a very reflective lesson.

Nick Hamed Period 6

Mrs. McI said...

I really enjoyed reading the short story “The Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket” by Jack Finney. The plot taught a good moral, and always kept you waiting to see what was going to happen. There was a great use of irony, and imagery used very well throughout the story. Overall, I found this piece of literature to be exciting and I really liked it.

Maggie Stanford, period 6.

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...

Reading the story ‘Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket’ by Jack Finney made me realize what people will go through to save the things they love. The main character realizes he is about to lose something he loves or even his life. Everyones life could be taken away at any moment, and this experience makes him realize all his mistakes and regrets. This is a very enlightening story on life experiences.
Julie Cottone 6th period

Hannah F. said...

I just read the short story “Contacts of a Dead Man” by Jack Finney. I thought it was a very entertaining and interesting story because of the life and death situation of Tom Benecke. While I was reading the story it kept me guessing on what is going to happen next. I found it very ironic that after Tom Benecke risked his life for a yellow piece of paper, the same paper flew out the window at the end. Overall I thought it was a very good story.

Unknown said...

“Contents of the Dead Man’s Pockets” by Jack Finney was a pretty boring story I thought. There isn’t much action in the story. The main character, Tom, goes out on a ledge to get his paper he’s been working on because it flew out the window. After he goes out, the window shuts. The rest of the story is about him trying to signal somebody and about how he doesn’t want to die. At the end he breaks back into his apartment and the paper flies out the window again.
Simon Horton Period 6

Josh Robinson said...

Jack Finney’s story “The Contents of a Dead Man’s Pocket” had an interesting beginning and ending. Tom Benecke lost a paper that he spent four months working on. He goes out on the ledge where it flew out the window and grabs it. When he goes to get back in his apartment, the window was shut. This window is really hard to open. In the end, Tom punches the window and breaks the glass. He climbs through and sets the paper on the table. He grabs his coat to walk out the door and a gust of wind blows the paper back out the window. If I lost a paper out the window, and risked my life to get it back, I would have kept it safe. Josh Robinson

Unknown said...

“Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket” by Jack Finney was a well written story with a great theme. While Tom risked his life for a single piece of paper he realized he could die. Now with this realization he wished he would have spent more time with his wife and less working. After getting the piece of paper and back into his apartment, the first thing he did was not go back to work but he went out to go find his wife. This story shows people not to take your life for granted because you never know when it will last. So live everyday as if it is your last so you don’t regret it at the end.

Victoria S. 6 Per.

Mrs. McI said...

“Contents of a Dead Man’s Pocket” by Jack Finney is an ironic story of a man who risks his life for four months of his work which happens to be on a single sheet of yellow paper. The story was relatively good however it could have had more events happening throughout it. It was a little repetitive. When he ends up getting back inside and losing the paper for a second time it shows how ironic the story is, but it was a good story and makes people thin about what their actions might be before you do them, and it makes people think about how easily a life could end for you or someone else you know in your family so just be careful with what you have and especially with your own life and safety.




By Greg Farris

Mrs. McI said...

I thought the story “contents of a dead mans’ pocket” by Jack Finney wasn’t one of the best stories. If I were in Tom’s situation I would not have risked my life on something I could redo again. Even though this would have taken time to redo, I would still do it. I would rather live a longer life than possibly dying the then and there. Again this wasn’t a story that had a theme that sparked my interest.

Period 6. Caroline Carlson

Mrs. McI said...

I just got done with the short story “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket”. In the beginning of the story it was boring because nothing was really happening. In the middle of the story it started to get better because he risks his life by going out on a ledge of his apartment so he could save his work. At the end he makes it back in his apartment and the paper goes right back out the window.

Anfernee H

Laura Anderson said...

“Contents of a dead man’s pockets” is a short story written by Jack Finney. In the beginning of the story you see that Tom Benecker, the main character, is a workaholic. Through the events that take place during the story, Tom realizes the things in his life that he wants to change. The story was interesting; however its theme has been used many times. It is not a story I would recommend you go out of your way to read.
Laura Anderson Period 6 English

Unknown said...

I think that the short story “Contents of a Dead Man’s Pocket” is full of a lot of irony. It really makes you think about what mark would be left in life if you suddenly died and the choices you make. Also, what have you accomplished and lived for to make a promise filled and good life? Tom Benneky out of impulse goes out on a ledge that is less than a foot wide and 11 stories up. He was by himself and not thinking. Not a very smart move. But after a long time of him moving around on the ledge and holding on for dear life, he punched his way through the window and safely got inside his home. He wanted to roll around on the floor and relax. But he just grabbed his coat and his shoes and went to spend time with his wife. What matters most in his life. Then out of irony his paper flew out of the window for good; bam, gone, bye! So force yourself to be serious and think, what do you live for? And are you really making a good choice or risking it all? Life or death is in your grasp. You can hold on, or let go. Take advantage of it.
---Haley Jones
Period 6

Mrs. McI said...

I read “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket” by Jack Finney. I did not like this book. I didn’t like it because it was not that interesting and he was about to plummet to his death for the entire story. It was sad because he spent so much of his time working instead of being with his wife.
Marissa Magro, period 7

Unknown said...

Jacob Brege 9/20/10

I did not like the short story, “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket” by Jack Finney, for a couple reasons. The biggest reason was that it seemed like a waste of time; Tom wasted his time and life just to lose the yellow paper again. He didn’t even look to see where it went! I also don’t think it was exciting enough. Who wants to read about a guy risking his life for a piece of paper and as it turns out, waste his time doing it? The one thing I did like about the story was the lesson behind it; enjoy your time with the ones you love instead of getting caught up in work.

Unknown said...

I did NOT like "contents of a dead mans pocket". i did not like it because nothing excititng happened to Tom Benecke. I like action so this was boring and annoying.

Nick Gengo

Mrs. McI said...

Writing Tip #1:
Please remember to capitalize the proper words in the title of a story. For example, "Contents of the Dead Man's Pocket" would be correct. You don't capitalize short words (of, the, a) unless it is the first word in the title.

Mrs. V said...

I am happy to see so many students using literary terminology when they posted on this story!