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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. "The air from the building hallway" (10) smells of what?

2. What is NOT a description of the types of data Tom Benecke had copied from "trade publications" (16) onto the yellow sheet of paper?

3. At what object does Clare Benecke look as she tells Tom Benecke that he works too hard?

4. Tom Benecke thinks to himself that his innovative idea is perfect for unveiling in what season?

5. At what piece of furniture does Tom Benecke sit at the beginning of the story?

Short Essay Questions

1. Discuss the use of the sound motif within the first section of the story.

2. What does the yellow sheet of paper symbolize?

3. Discuss the way in which Finney uses the hypothetical with a particular purpose in mind in Paragraph 20.

4. How does Tom Benecke feel about the idea of abandoning the yellow sheet of paper at the beginning of the story?

5. For what reason does Tom Benecke feel that he needs to finish his work project quickly?

6. What kinds of implements does Tom Benecke consider in his quest to reach the yellow sheet of paper from his window?

7. To what aspect of his life does Tom Benecke link his "guilty conscience" (1) at the start of the story?

8. Tom Benecke realizes at the beginning of the story that the feeling he is experiencing is not heat. What is it instead?

9. Describe the character of Tom Benecke.

10. How is irony present within Tom Benecke's feeling about the idea of abandoning the yellow sheet of paper?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Research the 1950s in relation to the business world and create a claim linking the historical context of the story "Contents of the Dead Man's Pocket" with one of its main messages.

Essay Topic 2

Trace the characterization arc of Tom Benecke’s character throughout the story, focusing on Finney’s use of characterization methods and how they connect to his intended messages.

Essay Topic 3

What messages does Jack Finney's story "Contents of the Dead Man's Pocket" send about family bonds, and what themes does Finney employ in order to send these messages to the reader?

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