Introducing the Story

Literary Focus: Time and Sequence

Reading Skills: Understanding Cause and Effect

Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocketby Jack Finney

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Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocketby Jack Finney

. . . he stood on the ledge outside in the slight, chill breeze, eleven stories above the street, staring into his own lighted apartment, odd and different-seeming now . . . .

Contents of the Dead Man’s PocketIntroducing the Story

Contents of the Dead Man’s PocketIntroducing the Story

What kind of person would risk his life to advance his career? Tom Benecke is an ambitious young man who does just that.

• Tom puts his life on the line to retrieve an important paper that has blown out the window of his high-rise apartment. Will he make it back inside alive?

Contents of the Dead Man’s PocketLiterary Focus: Time and Sequence

• It takes the same time to read the story as the action in the story happens.

In “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket,” slows the action down so you can feel the seconds

• As each event is described in detail, the reader’s tension increases. You feel as though you are experiencing everything at the same speed as Tom

• This type of pacing creates lots of suspense and drama.

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Often the plot of a short story involves a series of causes and effects.

Contents of the Dead Man’s PocketReading Skills: Understanding Cause and Effect

• Cause—the reason something happens

• Effect—the result of some event or action

Many suspense-filled stories use edge-of-your-seat causes and effects to keep readers guessing.

In a cause and effect chain, one cause leads to an effect, which causes another effect, and so on.

Contents of the Dead Man’s PocketReading Skills: Understanding Cause and Effect

CauseTony breaks his leg playing basketball.

EffectHe cannot askTasha to the school dance.

EffectTasha goes tothe dance with Ernesto.

CauseHe cannot ask Tasha to the school dance

Contents of the Dead Man’s PocketReading Skills: Understanding Cause and Effect

As you read this story, notice how each chain of causes and effects grips your attention and builds suspense.

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CauseDoor is closedwhile window is open.

EffectDraft is created.

EffectDraft blows paper out the window.

CauseDraft is created.