What I Found in my Pocket
What I Found in my Pocket, by G.K. Chesterton, is a collection of short stories that explore the human condition and the absurdities of life. The book features characters who find themselves in unexpected situations and must navigate their way through them with wit and humor.
By G.K. Chesterton · First published 1908 · Genre: Essay, Humor, Philosophy · 1,410 words
First lines
Once when I was very young I met one of those men who have made the Empire what it is -- a man in an astracan coat, with an astracan moustache -- a tight, black, curly moustache. Whether he put on the moustache with the coat or whether his Napoleonic will enabled him not only to grow a moustache in the usual place, but also to grow little moustaches all over his clothes, I do not know. I only remember that he said to me the following words: "A man can't get on nowadays by hanging about with his hands in his pockets. " I made reply with the quite obvious flippancy that perhaps a man got on by having his hands in other people's pockets; whereupon he began to argue about Moral Evolution, so I suppose what I said had some truth in it. But the incident now comes back to me, and connects itself with another incident -- if you can call it an incident -- which happened to me only the other day.
What this Textopian page supports
What I Found in my Pocket is listed on Textopian as a short story by G.K. Chesterton, dated 1908 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: G.K. Chesterton
- Date: 1908 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Essay, Humor, Philosophy, Satire, Autobiography
- Length: 1,410 words
- Structure: 1 section, 10 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for What I Found in my Pocket by G.K. Chesterton
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
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Genres
- Essay — The work is a reflective and philosophical essay exploring everyday objects and their deeper meanings.
- Humor — The narrative employs wit and humor in its observations and reflections on mundane items.
- Philosophy — The text delves into philosophical musings about life, society, and human nature through the lens of ordinary objects.
- Satire — The work subtly critiques societal norms and behaviors through satirical commentary.
Tags
mystery · philosophy · short stories · humor · adventure · narrative · reflection · imagination · everyday life · surrealism · human nature · curiosity