Contents Of The Dead Man's Pocket Summary

Why would someone risk their life for a measly piece of paper that flew out of the window? The short story “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket” by Jack Finney describes a man named Tom Benecke who climbs through his window and out to a ledge so he could retrieve an important sheet with all of his hard work on it. The story illustrates how family is much more important than work by using symbolism and irony.

Finney uses symbolism to demonstrate Tom’s obsession with work and ignorance of those around him. Tom stays at home working while his wife Clare goes out a movie. But “it was not actually true he had to work tonight, though he very much wanted to” (Finney 1). This personal project is symbolized by a piece of yellow paper, his prized possession that he cannot lose. He dismisses time with his wife to work on it, showing how committed he is. When the paper flies out the window, Tom has to go through a

At the beginning, Tom gives up spending time with his wife to work with this yellow sheet. When it flies out of the window, he is frantic to retrieve it, as “countless hours of work” was outside (2). It is paramount that he gets this paper back. At the end of the story, Tom has gotten it and opened the door to go find his wife, the air from the hall caused the paper to be “scooped off the desk” and it “[sailed] out into the night and out of his life” (6). This situational irony is important because Tom went through a life-threatening journey to retrieve this important paper full of measurements and notes he would need to receive his promotion. He wanted that paper as much as a child wants candy. But Tom realizes at the end that the paper is worthless and his endeavor was all for nothing because it was lost anyway. Thus, the idea that Tom should leave because now he has nothing to worry about because there is no way to retrieve a second time is