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What Is Tom's Major Conflict In The Story, 'Contents Of The Dead Man's Pocket'?

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Robin Burden Profile
Robin Burden answered
The main conflict that Tom struggles with in the story Contents of the Dead Man's Pocket centers around a realization that his life and his goals are not as meaningful or important as he had previously thought they were.

When Tom's life is put in danger, this forces him to contemplate what he actually wants to be remembered for, and what he's done to achieve that in his life so far.

The conflict in 'Contents of a Dead Man's Pocket'
Jack Finney's story focuses on a workaholic named Tom who prefers to stay at home working at his desk, even when his wife invites him to come and watch a movie with her.

This work-obsessed character is in direct contrast to (or conflict with) the Tom that we see later in the story - a man whose eyes have been opened by the stark realization that his life could end at any moment.

When Tom climbs on to a window ledge to retrieve a piece of paper he's been working on, he almost falls out and dies.

This changes his point of view on life, and a 'new Tom' is born as a result of the internal conflict of character.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
The internal conflict is when Tom went to get the yellow paper.

By a kind of trick by concentrating his entire mind on his left foot, then his left hand, then his...

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