Evans Tries an O-level

~Colin Dexter
By Palak Prakash
Roll 36
Class xii com.
  The theme of the story 'Evans Tries an 0 Level’ is a clever
escape planned by a convict on the pretence of taking a
language exam in prison. The convict even after being caught,
still has the last laugh and makes his escape . This story
Theme / depicts a clash of wit between a criminal and the law enforcing
authorities in which the prisoner Evans befools the jail
Message of the authorities and manages to escape from the prison. If the
story : government and law enforcing officials are vigilant, crime can
be detected and criminals can be booked. But criminals like
Evans can hoodwink the authorities and escape punishment as
long as the officials are slow and lack alertness and wit
  Evans, a congenital kleptomaniac, was imprisoned thrice and had
managed to escape from prison. It was for this reason that he is called,
‘'Evans the Break”. He was greatly skilled at impersonating other
people .

Summary 0f the
story : He expressed a desire to appear in O-level German Examination which
also was his effort to break the prison. The Governor contacted the
examination board and arranged an O'level exam for Evans. The board
contacted St. Mary Mags and requested Rev. Stuart McLeery to go to the
prison to invigilate the exam. The Governor took utmost care to see that
Evans would not use this opportunity to escape. Every care was taken to
make Evans prepare for the exam. He was tutored by a German tutor for
six months . The day before the exam the tutor wished him luck.
On
On the
the day
day of
of the
the exam,
exam, Jackson
Jackson visited
visited Evans
Evans cellcell and
and took
took away
away everything
everything that that may
may help
help him
him
injure
injure the
the invigilator
invigilator Rev.
Rev. Stuart
Stuart McLeery.
McLeery. At At the
the same
same time
time prison
prison officer,
officer, Jackson,
Jackson, and and aa newly
newly
appointed
appointed officer
officer ,, Mr.
Mr. Stephens,
Stephens, were
were making
making sure sure that
that Evans
Evans hadhad no
no potential
potential weapon
weapon to to make
make
aa jailbreak
jailbreak during
during the
the exam
exam .. Evans
Evans had
had put
put on
on aa bobble
bobble hat.
hat. Inside
Inside thethe hat,
hat, Evans
Evans concealed
concealed his his
cropped
cropped hair
hair which
which he he managed
managed withwith merely
merely aa razor.
razor. When
When Jackson
Jackson ordered
ordered himhim to to remove
remove that
that
hat,
hat, Evans
Evans requested
requested the the officer
officer Mr.
Mr. Jackson
Jackson to to let
let him
him keep
keep itit as
as he
he considered
considered the the cap
cap to
to be
be his
his
lucky
lucky charm.
charm. Evans
Evans cell
cell was
was bugged
bugged so so that
that the
the Governor
Governor couldcould himself
himself listen
listen to
to what
what transpired
transpired
in
in the
the cell.
cell. The
The invigilator
invigilator Rev.
Rev. S.
S. McLeery
McLeery too too was
was searched
searched so so that
that he
he did
did not
not have
have anything
anything
that
that Evans
Evans could
could use
use toto attack
attack him
him in
in an
an attempt
attempt to to escape
escape .. Having
Having donedone so,so, they
they found
found that
that the
the
parson
parson McLeery
McLeery had had aa semi-inflated
semi-inflated rubber
rubber tube
tube in in his
his briefcase.
briefcase. On On enquiring
enquiring the the reason
reason for
for
which
which thethe tube
tube was
was brought,
brought, thethe person
person replied
replied itit was
was aa cure
cure for
for his
his extremely
extremely painful
painful disease
disease ofof
piles.
piles. Having
Having mademade aa decent
decent parson  . aa secret,
parson disclose
disclose secret, the
the two
two officers
officers felt
felt embarrassed
embarrassed .. The The
exam
exam began.
began. Stephen,
Stephen, every
every now
now and
and then
then peeped
peeped into into the
the cell.
cell. The
The exam
exam wentwent onon smoothly.
smoothly.
Exam
Exam began
began in in full
full swing,
swing, The
The Invigilator
Invigilator remained
remained reading
reading his
his magazine,
magazine, Stephens
Stephens went went upup and
and
down
down thethe corridor,
corridor, thethe Governor
Governor himself
himself listened
listened to to the
the loudspeaker
loudspeaker that that caught
caught conversations
conversations
from
from Evans'
Evans' cell
cell and
and Jackson
Jackson kept
kept aa watch
watch ofof all
all the
the rest.
rest. The
The Governor
Governor received
received aa callcall from
from the
the
examination
examination center
center that
that there
there was
was aa correction
correction slip.
slip. The
The Governor
Governor dialled
dialled thethe number
number to to check
check
but
but got
got the
the engaged
engaged tonetone onon the
the other
other side.
side. The
The Governor
Governor assumed
assumed thatthat he
he was
was overreacting.
overreacting.
The
The invigilator
invigilator instructed
instructed Evans
Evans to to the
the Index
Index No.No. 313
313 and
and Centre
Centre No.
No. 271 271 on
on the
the sheet
sheet and
and begin
begin thethe test.
test. After
After the
the
examination,
examination, McLeery
McLeery left left and
and being
being escorted
escorted out out by
by Stephens
Stephens whowho noted
noted that
that McLeery
McLeery replied
replied to to his
his enquiry
enquiry in in aa more
more
pronounced
pronounced Scots
Scots accent.
accent. When
When he he returned
returned to to check
check onon Evans,
Evans, he he saw
saw himhim in in the
the invigilator
invigilator (actually
(actually Evans)
Evans) sprawled
sprawled and and
bleeding.
bleeding. HeHe assumed
assumed thatthat Evans
Evans had
had attacked
attacked Mcleery
Mcleery andand escaped
escaped disguising
disguising as as him.
him. HeHe informed
informed the the Governor.
Governor. The The latter
latter
was
was to
to be
be hospitalized
hospitalized butbut he
he insisted
insisted onon guiding
guiding the
the authorities
authorities about
about thethe route
route Evans
Evans waswas to to take.
take. There
There waswas confusion
confusion as as
the
the second
second phone
phone call
call had
had asked
asked for
for the
the prison
prison van
van and
and officers
officers inin aa remand
remand case. case. The
The Governor
Governor allowed
allowed the the bleeding
bleeding person
person
to
to help
help after
after which
which hehe would
would be be taken
taken to to the
the hospital.
hospital. Evans
Evans disguised
disguised as as the
the person
person Informed
Informed them them that
that he
he was
was alright
alright and
and
asked
asked them
them toto follow.
follow. Thus
Thus he he escaped
escaped the the prison.
prison. When
When thethe Invigilator
Invigilator was was notnot found
found inin the
the hospital
hospital they
they went
went toto the
the
residence
residence ofof Rev.
Rev. S.S. McLeery
McLeery only only to
to find
find him"bound
him"bound and and gagged
gagged in in his
his study
study in in Broad
Broad Street".
Street". He He had
had been
been there,
there, from
from 8.15
8.15
a.m.
a.m. Now
Now everything
everything waswas clear
clear to
to the
the Governor.
Governor. EvansEvans had
had escaped
escaped the the prison
prison .. Evans
Evans finally
finally reached
reached his
his hotel
hotel triumphant
triumphant
over
over his
his escape
escape only
only to
to be
be shocked
shocked to to find
find the
the Governor
Governor waiting
waiting for
for him
him inin his
his room.
room. TheThe Governor
Governor told told him
him that
that the
the Index
Index
No.
No. and
and the
the Centre
Centre No.No. gave
gave him
him the
the hint
hint ofof Evans
Evans true
true location.
location. Evans
Evans confessed
confessed his his act
act and
and shared
shared the
the details
details of
of his
his plot.
plot.
But
But by
by taking
taking the
the hint
hint from
from thethe question
question paperpaper the
the Governor
Governor reached
reached the the hotel
hotel where
where Evans
Evans was was andand captured
captured himhim andand came
came
to
to knowhow
knowhow he he planned
planned hishis escape
escape andand said
said that
that his
his game
game waswas over.
over. Evans
Evans surrenders
surrenders himself
himself to to the
the Governor
Governor .. TheThe
Governor
Governor told
told Evans
Evans they
they would
would meet
meet soon.
soon. The
The moment
moment they they drove
drove away,
away, thethe so-called
so-called prison
prison officer-
officer- aa friend
friend of
of Evans
Evans --
unlocked
unlocked the
the handcuffs
handcuffs and and asked
asked the
the driver
driver to to move
move fast
fast and
and Evans
Evans instructed
instructed thatthat they
they turn
turn towards
towards Newbury.
Newbury. In In fact,
fact, they
they
were
were Evans
Evans friends
friends .. Evans
Evans had had once
once again
again outsmarted
outsmarted the the governor.
governor. Evans,
Evans, thus,
thus, had
had the
the last
last laugh.
laugh.
 Character From The Story
1. 1) One main character
2. 2) Two important character
  Evans is a 'congenital kleptomaniac' and is known as 'Evans
the Break'. He is a genius in planning and is an excellent
manipulator. His entire escape is well planned and each step is
calculated. Apart from being clever, Evans is a keen observer. It

Main is due to his intelligence, presence of mind and cleverness that

he is taken out of the prison house by Carter himself who is
Character unaware of the fact that the man whom he is taking out is not

:James the person but Evans himself. He is an excellent actor and

understands human psychology so well. He knew that the jail
Roderick Evans authorities will never think that it was Evans who stayed back
and it is McLeery who ran away. He acted so well that nobody
doubted him. He was a genius as finally in spite of being
arrested by the Governor, he was able to escape because of his
friends disguised as police officers.
  The Governor of H.M. Prison is a very intelligent and
vigilant person but at times he overestimates himself. He is
extra cautious in Evans' case but is too much dependent on his
staff and makes hasty conclusions. He is full of ideas and many

Two Important a time his hunches prove true but he never investigates them.
Though he is always conscious of Evans' cleverness, he fails to
Characters: understand Evans psyche . His conjectures brought the

1.The Governor successful implementation of Evans plans. He does not cross-

examine the identity of the wounded man and is led on.
2. Jackson However, he is intelligent and analytical. He is able to put two
and two together and locate the Golden lion hotel and reach
Evans. But as usual, in his zeal to look efficient, he does not
check the identity of the prison officers. This results in the
escape of Evans.
Jackson is a young and alert prison officer. Like the governor,
he is very alert and enthusiastic about his lie is very keen and
serious and being a senior is good at giving instructions and orders
to his subordinate Stephens. Though he looks stern, he is soft at
heart and is gullible. He allows Evans to wear his cap on and
doesn't doubt him. He is so excited that he fails to notice small but
important details. He is careless not to check McLeery thoroughly
and so failed to note two cloaks, two beards and two collars that
McLeery was wearing. He was so casual about his duty that didn't
even bother to go and check Evans after the exam was over.
 Main Incidents OF The Story
1)precautions taken by the prison officers to prevent Evans from escaping
2)Evans prison escape plan
  To ensure that the German o’level exam was conducted
smoothly and also under strict security Evans' razor and
nailscissors were removed from the cell. The Reverend Stuart
McLeery who was the invigilator was frisked on arrival. Police
officer Stephens was deputed on duty inside the cell. All the
precautions taken by prison officials were also put on high alert. There were two
the prison officers to locked doors between Evan's cell and the yard. A microphone
prevent Evans from was installed in the cell as a precautionary measure through
escaping: which the warden could listen to their talk by switching on the
receiver. The senior prison officer, Jackson and officer
Stephens had worked round the clock and made full proof
arrangements and taken all the necessary precautions to ensure
that the exam was conducted smoothly.
  Prison authorities made many blunders. It was only because of
these mistakes that Evans could escape from prison. The
hatching of the escape plan started with the German tutor's entry.
The German teacher who had been coming to take Evans' classes
was Evan's accomplice. Everyone assumed that he was a teacher
from the technical college. The invigilator's identity was also not
verified . On the Examination day, Jackson's not getting Evans'
Evans prison 'bobble-hat' removed was a blunder. If Stephens had not been
shifted out from the cell, the escape would not have been
escape plan: possible. Jackson should have searched McLeery thoroughly and
seen the rubber ring closely . The prison staff blindly believed
that the injured man was the invigilator, though it was Evans
playing a trick on them. When Evans was arrested, the Governor
was complacent and sent him in a prison van , leaving Evans in
the hands of his own accomplices. He, thus, lost Evans who
made his final escape..
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