1. Without just re-telling the story “Contents of a Dead Man’s Pocket”
Free Writing
Without just re-telling the story
“Contents of a Dead Man’s Pocket”

2. Free Writing Writing your original thoughts and reactions to the text.
You make reference to the text
You do NOT re-tell the story
Your writing should not follow the order of the plot.
Try to focus on what stood out in the text for you personally.

3. Free writing Example
Tom Beneke’s time on the ledge in “Content’s of A Dead Man’s Pocket” is a typical example of how authors use suspense to engage the reader in their stories. Jack Finney has Tom stand on the ledge for what could be hours while the reader wonders if Tom will find a way back inside, be rescued, or maybe even fall to his death. Finney heightens the reader’s anxiety by sending Clare, Tom’s wife, to the movies and allowing the faulty window to slam shut. The reader is taken out on to the ledge with Tom through vivid description of everything from his shuffling movements on the ledge to the imbalance created when he raises his fist to shatter the window. By the end of the story, not only does Tom re-evaluate his priorities, but the reader finds himself as exhausted as Tom and evaluating his own values.

4. Literary Thesis
Your Literary Thesis connects your reaction to the text to a literary element found in the text.
Start by evaluating the literary elements of the text.
Choose one to which you feel a connection.
Find examples from the text to support you thoughts.
Compose a paragraph (or paper) which explores the connections.

5. Literary Thesis example
Look at the previous example. The red underlined portion is the literary thesis. The green text show how to use examples from the text.
Tom Beneke’s time on the ledge in “Content’s of A Dead Man’s Pocket” is a typical example of how authors use suspense to engage the reader in their stories. Jack Finney has Tom stand on the ledge for what could be hours while the reader wonders if Tom will find a way back inside, be rescued, or maybe even fall to his death. Finney heightens the reader’s anxiety by sending Clare, Tom’s wife, to the movies and allowing the faulty window to slam shut. The reader is taken out on to the ledge with Tom through vivid description of everything from his shuffling movements on the ledge to the imbalance created when he raises his fist to shatter the window. By the end of the story, not only does Tom re- evaluate his priorities, but the reader finds himself as exhausted as Tom and evaluating his own values.