Contents of a Dead Man’s Pocket

1. Contents of a Dead Man’s Pocket Plot, conflict and suspense overview

2. What is Tom’s big idea (what does he have written on his yellow sheet)?

3. On the yellow sheet, Tom has written an idea for a new grocery-store display method.

4. Why does Tom open the window a few inches?

5. Tom opens the window because it is hot in his apartment.

6. How does the paper fly out the window?

7. A current of warm air caused by air from the hall rushing through an open door pushes the paper against and out the window.

8. What is Tom’s reason for not going to the movies with his wife?

9. He says he has to work.

10. Why is the grocery store display idea so important to Tom?

11. Tom thinks the idea will earn him a promotion and raise.

12. Why does Tom decide to go out on the ledge?

13. He doesn’t want to lose the paper that has all his important ideas on it.

14. When Tom is out on the ledge, how does the author create suspense?

15. The author uses descriptive phrases and slow pacing, and shows us Tom’s thoughts to build suspense.

16. Name one conflict in this story.

17. Possible answers:Tom vs. himself – whether to work or go to the moviesTom vs. himself – enough courage to retrieve the paperTom vs. himself – more important to work or spend time with wife?

18. When Tom is on the ledge, why does he get scared?

19. He looks down onto traffic and realizes how high he is and how possible death is.

20. When Tom retrieves the piece of paper, where does he put it?

21. Tom puts the yellow piece of paper in his mouth after he retrieves it.

22. When Tom gets back to the window, why is it jammed shut?

23. In Tom’s panic to get back to the window sill, he accidentally knocked it shut.

24. How does Tom try to get inside the closed window?

25. He bangs a fist on it, throws a half dollar at it, hits it with his shoe, drops coins hoping to get people to notice him and lights paper on fire as a flare.

26. Why won’t Clare be able to help Tom when she gets home?

27. Clare is not strong enough to open the window by herself.

28. When Tom finally thinks about Clare, how much time has passed?

29. Eight minutes.

30. What will happen to Tom if he stays on the ledge for four hours and waits for Clare to get home?

31. Tom’s arms and legs will give out and he will fall to his death.

32. Where does the title of the story come from?

33. Tom realizes that if he falls to his death, no one will be able to identify him because the only thing he has in his pocket is his grocery idea. The contents of his pocket seemed important before, but are less so now.

34. What do the contents of Tom’s pockets symbolize?

35. The yellow paper symbolizes a wasted life. Tom spent more time worrying about his idea than spending time with his wife.

36. What is Tom and Clare’s relationship like?

37. Tom cares more about work than spending time with Clare. The relationship is a bit strained.

38. How does Tom feel when he realizes he might die?

39. Tom is regretful that he cared so much about work.

40. How does Tom get in the apartment? Why is that a risky thing to do?

41. Tom punches his way through. It is risky because if the glass didn’t break, the impact of the punch would have sent Tom backwards to his death.

42. What is the climax of the story?

43. The climax occurs when Tom punches his way through the window into the apartment.

44. What ultimately happens to the yellow piece of paper?

45. The paper flies back out the window as Tom leaves to meet his wife at the movies.

46. How is Tom’s conflict with himself resolved?

47. Tom no longer cares about the sheet of paper and thinks time with his wife is more important than his career.

48. Where does irony occur in this story?

49. Irony occurs because we expect that now that Tom is safe and has the paper back in the room, that the paper will stay in the room. But the opposite happens, and the paper flies out the window again.