Examination Day

Henry Slesar
Prediction…
• What do we already know about the
story?
• It is a dystopian story
• It is titled Examination Day

• Based on this knowledge, what do you

predict the story will be about?
Read the story for the
first time 
Listening Test!
Answer the following questions about the plot of
the story.
1. The protagonist of the story is called?
2. How old is the protagonist?
3. What does the protagonist have to do?
4. How do his parents appear to feel about this?
5. What happens at the end of the story? Why?
Who is Henry Slesar?
• Henry Slesar is an American author and playwright. He lived
in New York.
• Sleasar was born in 1927 and died in 2002.
• Slesar is known for his use of irony and twist endings,
particularly in his stories.
• Slesar is known for using his knowledge and past
experiences (time spent in the airforce) to develop ideas in
his writing.
• He uses this experience and observations of totalitarian
governments and exaggerates these in his writing, as a kind
of warning to the government of the day.
Historical Context
• Examination Day was written in 1958.
• Slesar was influenced by his experience of the Great
Depression in which intelligence went to waste as
unemployment rose to 25% in the USA.
• The story was also written during the Cold War (a conflict
between the USA and the USSR)
• During this time, Americans became more aware of the
nature of totalitarian governments (such as the communist
government of the USSR) and were extremely fearful of
this.
• Slesar reflects this fear by creating an extreme version of
this.
How do we know Dickie is
Intelligent?
Complete the following table with as many
examples as you can find.

His Appearance Things He Says Things he is told by his

parents
Dystopian Society
• The author has presented us with a society of the future. Make a list of
all the things in the story that tell us that this is set in the future.

• What references to 'the Government' are there in the story?

• (a) Make a list of each one.
• (b) Discuss, with a partner, what we learn about this particular
government.
His parent’s reactions
• How do Dickie's parents speak to Dickie, and react to him, at different
parts in the story? Fill in the table below to chart their behaviour towards
him, showing what they say, how they say it and how they act.

Event Mother Father

1. At the breakfast
table
2. When Dickie is
looking at the rain
3. Birthday “misty” – vague and
present/cake time distant but affectionate
4. Breakfast time on
Exam Day
5. In the Govt. Ed.
Building
Thinking outside the text
• 6. What kind of government would want to dispose of highly intelligent
children? In groups, decide the policies (LAWS) of this government and
the reasons it would not want these children to live.

• Do you think all intelligent children would be disposed of? Can you
think of any exceptions?

• Write 3 laws and the reason for each.