EVANS TRIES AN O LEVEL BY COLIN DEXTER
EVANS TRIES AN O LEVEL BY COLIN DEXTER
POINTS TO REMEMBER
Evans tries an O-Level
– James Roderick Evans – a prisoner
– earlier escaped thrice from the prison
– therefore titled ‘Evans the Break’
– started night classes in O-Level German
– Govt. arranged to examine Evans for O-Level in his prison cell
– On the exam day he was given time to smarten up
– Unshaven and having a filthy looking hat
– refused to remove the cap that’s lucky
• Examination Arrangements
– removal of razors and nail scissors
– set tables opposite each other and placed two hard chairs in the cell
– deputed Stephens on D-Wing and newly recruited to visit Evans’ prison
– invigilator Mc Leery left his house at 8:45 am as the exam was to begin at 9:15 am.
– Mc Lerry came, having a brown suitcase, semi-inflated rubber ring, needed for haemorrhoids?
• The Exam Begins
– asked Evans to write index No., centre No, 313 and 271
– at 9:40 a.m. Mc Leery asked for correction slip
– Evans hardly understood anything, kept his pen between lips and staring towards the door
– at 10:15 Evans requested for a blanket
– The exam got over at 11:20
– Hearing the Governor’s order at 11:22 a.m. accompanied McLeery to the prison gate
– Stephens obeyed the orders
– On the way asked Mcleery about Evans
– McLeery’s answer made him feel, his broader Scots accent, to be slimmer due to long
black overcoat.
• Evans Escapes
– After seeing McLeery off, wanted to go for coffee, must take one last look at Evans
– he saw McLeery sprawled in Evan’s chair slipping the blanket and blood dripping through
the beard.
– instead of calling ambulance McLeery low moaned and asked for police to call
– he knew where Evans was
– opened the German Q. Paper and found a photocopied sheet carefully and cleverly super
imposed over the last page of Q. Paper
– instructions and the plan written in German as Make your way to Neugraben
– Governor was furious, not made any call to see off McLeery at the prison gate
– Governor wanted to know about the false beard, spectacles and other things
– Later the Governor was puzzled Mcleery was not in the hospital
– The ambulance sent to Elsfield to pick, Mc Leery but just vanished
– after a quarter and half an hour they found McLeery bound and gagged
– Now they understood it was not Evans impersonating as McLeery who had walked out but
it was Evans, impersonating Mc Leery who stayed in
• Final Escape
– reached his hotel at Golden Lion
– very happy for his successful plan
– able to hide his closely cropped hair due to lucky hat
– as he reached the reception, found the receptionist not the same girl
– collected the keys, asked for early morning call at 6.45 am.
– as entered the room, shocked to see the Governor sitting on the narrow bed
– finally spoke that was the correction slip which he left behind, given the clue about
– Index No. 313, Centre No. 271 the six figures 313271 got him there
– Governor wanted to know where the blood came from, answered that was pig’s blood in
ring
– told about his German friend, helped him
– winked at the receptionist and get back
– Handcuffed and clambered into the back seat of prison van, As he turned right, unlocked
hand cuffs and asked to drive fast
– on the driver’s query, suggested Newbury
SHORT QUESTIONS
Q.1. Why do people doubt Evans’s sincerity towards taking the ‘O’ Level examination?
Ans: Evans was a very cunning, experienced and intelligent and careful run away prisoner. He had escaped from the prison many times so he was called “Evans the Break”. Now he was preparing and appearing for ‘O’ Level examination in the jail premises. So people were doubtful about Evans’ sincerity for taking the examination.
Q2. What was the unusual request received from the Oxford prison by the secretary of the examination?
Ans. The Governor informed the secretary that a prisoner named Evans wanted to appear for O-level German examination as he was keen to get some sort of academic qualification. The governor wanted the board to make arrangements for conducting the examination in the Oxford jail
Q3.How is Evans not a typical criminal?
( not violent, pleasant person ,One of the stars at Christmas concert)
Q4 What kind of a person was Evans?
Ans. Evans was just a congenial kleptomaniac. He became popular for his talent of mimicry at the Christmas concert at the Oxford jail. He didn’t have any violent streak in him. He was also known as ‘Evans the Break’ because he had escaped from the jail thrice
Q5.Which facts about Evans did the Governor of Prison not reveal to the Secretary of Examination Board? (he has escaped from the jail thrice)
Q6. Do you think Evans’ statement, ‘I may surprise everybody,” has some special significance?
Evans seems to be telling his teacher that he may surprise everybody by doing well in the exam, but in reality it is a forewarning that he is going to jolt everybody by his master-minded perfect escape-plan
Q7. What made Evans clip his hair short?
Evans’ escape prison-- duplicate McLeery (invigilate during the O-level German exam) had short hair. In order to give a practical shape to their plan, Evans’ hair had to look like McLeery’s, hence Evans clipped them short.
Q8 Do you think Evans was conscious of his appearance ?
(Hints : No,Evans had long hair , wore grubby string vest , filthy looking , red and white bobble hat upon his head.)
Q9 How did Evans convince Jackson to allow him to wear his hat?(p-73 ,2nd last para- Me ‘at Huh)
Q10 Why did Evans not take off his hat when Jackson ordered him to do so?
Q11. Why was it impossible for Evans to escape from the jail?
Ans. Evans was locked in a cell. During the examination all the prison officers were on the alert. There were two more locked doors between his cell and the prison yard. The yard’s walls were as high as a haystack
Q12 Why did the Governor instruct Jackson to search McLeery?
The Governor asked Jackson to search McLeery, the invigilator, just in case he has brought something unwittingly which might prove to be a weapon that Evans could use and try escaping from prison.
Q13 How was Reverend Stuart Mcleery dressed when he came to the jail to invigilate? What did Mcleery carry with him?(p-74 ,2nd para-At 8:45)
Q14. Which object in Mcleery’s suitcase puzzled Jackson?
Ans. Jackson checked Mcleery’s suitcase and found a smallish semi-inflated rubber ring that puzzled him and he asked Mcleery whether he intended to go for a swim.
Q15 How does the coyness of Evans help the governor remove the guards from the room?
Q16 How did the Governor react to the two phone calls he received in quick succession?
( – suspected that calls might be fake, some signal / some secret message /
to check, dialed, exam board but heard bleeps of line which showed the line was engaged)
Q17 .Why did Evans drape a blanket round his shoulder? What did Stephens think about it?
In between intervals of Stephens’ peeping into the cell, Evans was changing into the Parson’s dress to look like McLeery. So, in order to conceal his effort to keep them in place, Evans draped a blanket round his shoulder. Stephens was misled into believing that Evans was feeling cold.
Q18. What had actually happened to the real Mcleery?
Ans. The real Mcleery was attacked by two cronies of Evans in his study at 8.15 am at Broad Street. He was securely bound and gagged and they took away the documents that were needed to conduct the German examination in the Oxford jail.
Q19 In spite of strict vigilance, how did Evans’ friend manage to give the material for disguise in the cell?
Despite all vigilance, Evans’ friend disguised as McLeery, the invigilator, managed to smuggle the disguised material into the cell. He came wearing two parson’s dresses with black fronts and collars. Apart from it he also brought an extra pair of spectacles. All this was passed on to Evans when Stephens’ vigilant eyes were away from the peep-hole
Q20Did Stephens observe something different, as he walked besides McLeery to the main gates?
Hints : McLeery’s Scots accent seem broader than ever and his long black overcoat reached almost to his knees, it fostered the illusion that he had suddenly grown slimmer
Q.21 what clues did the answer sheet of Evans provide to Governor?
Evans left clues like Index No.313 and Centre No.271 to trap Governor. The Governor made out the six unit reference which led him to Golden Lion where he met Evans
Q22.Why did Evans leave the question paper with German written on it in the cell?
Q23 How did Evans manage to get blood inside the cell and how was its clotting prevented?
( page89 –last 3 lines , p-90,4th para-Nah its clotting)
Q.24 How did Evans mange his final escape?
Ans: He was almost rearrested by the Governor in the hotel. He was handcuffed and made to sit in a prison van. But the people sitting inside the van were the close friends of Evans. They opened his handcuff on Evans’ instructions. They took the van towards Dewsbury and Evans had his final escape. Thus Evans outwitted the Governor by dodging him at every step.
LONG QUESTIONS
Q.2.Reflecting on the story, what did you feel about Evans having the last laugh?
Ans:Having the last laugh means to be successful and making the opponent stupid. Here the phrase finds a suitable place in the story. We can see that the Governor initiates all precautionary measures for the smooth conduct of the examination and ensure that Evans won’t escape. He arranges for a microphone in the cell of Evans and appoints two Senior Police Officers for his vigil. And in spite of all his toil, Evans has the last laugh. His cell is thoroughly searched and it is reported that nothing is hidden there. Still Evans is able to hide a false beard, a pair of spectacles, a dog collar and some sort of weapon that has hurt McLerry. Further McLeery is found securely bound and gagged in his study. It becomes clear that Evans has been impersonating McLerry who had stayed in. Even after his arrest at a hotel The Golden Lion, the Governor could not bring him back to the cell. He had some good friends who helped his escape. In examination and police department he had close friends who arranged things for him. With his intelligence and the help of his friends, Evans was able to have the last laugh in the story.
Q1. When Stephens comes back to the cell he jumps he jumps to a conclusion and the whole machinery blindly goes by his assumption without even checking the identity of the injured ‘Mcleery’? Does this show how hasty conjectures can prevent one from seeing the obvious? How is the criminal able to predict such negligence?
Ans. Evans was a smart and perceptive criminal. He had assessed the weaknesses of the jail officers successfully. Stephen was new recruit to the prison set up. When he saw the injured Mcleery in the cell he was so overcome that he did not even check who he really was and neither did anyone else. It did not occur to anyone to question how there could there be two persons – one in the cell and the other who had been escorted out by Stephens. It was for this very reason that friends of Evans, who, posing as the Governor on the phone, have directed Stephens that he himself should escort the parson out, when the exam is finished. The Governor and his officers, in effect actually lead Evans out of the prison. The question paper is left behind to mislead the Governor. This shows that Evans the criminal had enough time to study the behavior patterns of the jail officers and plan their strategy well.
Q2. What could the Governor have done to securely bring back Evans to prison when he caught him at the Golden Lion? Does that final act of foolishness really prove that ‘he was just another good for-a-giggle, gullible governor, that was all’?
Ans. The Governor took all the precautions to make sure that Evans should not have any chance to escape from the prison. He even tracked and arrested him at the Golden Lion after his sensational escape from the prison. But his overconfidence once again proved that he was no match for the clever and crafty Evans.
The Governor after finding the clues from the question paper tracked Evans at the Golden Lion. When Evans entered the room he was shocked to see the Governor. Evans offered no resistance and was arrested. The gullible Governor gloated over his success and said goodbye to him. Evans was handcuffed and made to sit in the police van. The Governor did not take care to check the identity of the driver, the van and the officer. A little more vigilance could have averted the escape of the criminal. If the Governor had accompanied Evans to the prison cell with full police arrangements the criminal would not have escaped. This act of negligence proved that he was “just another good-for-a-giggle gullible governor that was all”.
Q3 How did the question paper and the correction slip help the prisoner and the governor?
Q4 What were the precautions taken for the smooth conduct of the examination with reference to the lesson Evan tries an O-Level?
Since Evans had already escaped from the jail on three earlier occasions, there was always a lurking fear that he might make another attempt to escape. Therefore all possible precautions were taken to see that the O-level German examination arranged in the prison did not provide him with any means of escape.
The Governor personally monitored all security arrangements and heavily guarded the Recreation Block from where he expected the prisoner to make another break. Evans cell was thoroughly checked by Jackson to ward off the possibility of the presence of an incriminating material which might hamper the smooth conduct of the examination. His nail-scissors, nail-file and razor were taken away; and to keep a strict watch on the activities of the cell during the examination, the Governor got it bugged.
A police officer, Stephens was posted to keep a constant vigil on his activities. The invigilator too was frisked to make sure that he carried no objectionable material with him. But in spite of all these elaborate preparation Evans escaped.
Q5 Describe how the German ‘O’ Level exam was conducted?
Exam was scheduled to commence at 9:15a.m. – but started at 9:25 a.m. – A person Mr. McLeery was arranged to invigilate – calm prevailed but many lapses were noticed – At 9:40 Examination room was informed of the correction (where venue was fixed) on page three. At 10:50 a.m. Evans demanded for blanket – at 11:20 the wrong bell was rung – At 11:22 a.m. the hoax call instructed Stephan to escort McLeery – At 11:25 a.m. the exam was over.
Q6In spite of his hyper vigilant attitude, the Governor unwittingly helped Evans to escape prison. Explain.
Hints :The governor made plenty of tactical mistakes, e.g, from not checking the antecedents of the German tutor to the prison to the soft corner he has for him to the wrong judgment of allowing Evans to escape in the guise of the Invigilator to the final one of not taking enough force to nab him at the hotel. (Find out the other shortcomings)
Q7 Draw a pen picture of James Roderick Evans.
Ans.: “Evans the Break” as he was known among the prison officers was a jail bird. He was a congenital kleptomaniac, but was not violent by nature. He was quite a pleasant sort of a person, amusing and good at imitations. When he is introduced to the reader, he is unshaven with long wavy hair. He wore a filthy looking red and white bobble hat and had tucked a grubby string vest into equally grubby trousers. He appears to be quite cheerful with the prison officers. Evans is smart and resourceful. He makes a request to Mr. Jackson to allow him to put on his bobble hat. But he complains to the invigilator that Stephen’s presence disturbs his concentration. He makes a polite request to cover himself with a blanket as it is chilly. He uses it to put on the clerical collar and black front. He employs the brief absence of the prison officers to disguise himself as McLeery, the parson and spill blood on him to look injured. He acts the part of the injured parson well. He offers to help the police and wins their confidence by acting groggy in need of an ambulance. Evans enjoys the faith, support and active cooperation of his accomplices. They plan carefully, working out the minute details to carry out his escape plan skilfully.
Q8 Give an account of the blunders committed by the prison authorities which helped Evans in escaping from the prison.
Prison authorities made many blunders. It was only because of these mistakes that Evans could escape from the 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 identify was also not verified.
On the day of the examination, Jackson’s did not ask Evans to remove his ‘bobble-hat’,
which was a grave blunder. If Stephens had not shifted from the cell, the escape would not have been possible. Jackson should have searched McLeery thoroughly and seen the rubber ring closely.
The prison staff blindly believed that the injured 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.
Q9 Justify the title “Evans tries an O` level”
POINTS TO REMEMBER
Evans tries an O-Level
– James Roderick Evans – a prisoner
– earlier escaped thrice from the prison
– therefore titled ‘Evans the Break’
– started night classes in O-Level German
– Govt. arranged to examine Evans for O-Level in his prison cell
– On the exam day he was given time to smarten up
– Unshaven and having a filthy looking hat
– refused to remove the cap that’s lucky
• Examination Arrangements
– removal of razors and nail scissors
– set tables opposite each other and placed two hard chairs in the cell
– deputed Stephens on D-Wing and newly recruited to visit Evans’ prison
– invigilator Mc Leery left his house at 8:45 am as the exam was to begin at 9:15 am.
– Mc Lerry came, having a brown suitcase, semi-inflated rubber ring, needed for haemorrhoids?
• The Exam Begins
– asked Evans to write index No., centre No, 313 and 271
– at 9:40 a.m. Mc Leery asked for correction slip
– Evans hardly understood anything, kept his pen between lips and staring towards the door
– at 10:15 Evans requested for a blanket
– The exam got over at 11:20
– Hearing the Governor’s order at 11:22 a.m. accompanied McLeery to the prison gate
– Stephens obeyed the orders
– On the way asked Mcleery about Evans
– McLeery’s answer made him feel, his broader Scots accent, to be slimmer due to long
black overcoat.
• Evans Escapes
– After seeing McLeery off, wanted to go for coffee, must take one last look at Evans
– he saw McLeery sprawled in Evan’s chair slipping the blanket and blood dripping through
the beard.
– instead of calling ambulance McLeery low moaned and asked for police to call
– he knew where Evans was
– opened the German Q. Paper and found a photocopied sheet carefully and cleverly super
imposed over the last page of Q. Paper
– instructions and the plan written in German as Make your way to Neugraben
– Governor was furious, not made any call to see off McLeery at the prison gate
– Governor wanted to know about the false beard, spectacles and other things
– Later the Governor was puzzled Mcleery was not in the hospital
– The ambulance sent to Elsfield to pick, Mc Leery but just vanished
– after a quarter and half an hour they found McLeery bound and gagged
– Now they understood it was not Evans impersonating as McLeery who had walked out but
it was Evans, impersonating Mc Leery who stayed in
• Final Escape
– reached his hotel at Golden Lion
– very happy for his successful plan
– able to hide his closely cropped hair due to lucky hat
– as he reached the reception, found the receptionist not the same girl
– collected the keys, asked for early morning call at 6.45 am.
– as entered the room, shocked to see the Governor sitting on the narrow bed
– finally spoke that was the correction slip which he left behind, given the clue about
– Index No. 313, Centre No. 271 the six figures 313271 got him there
– Governor wanted to know where the blood came from, answered that was pig’s blood in
ring
– told about his German friend, helped him
– winked at the receptionist and get back
– Handcuffed and clambered into the back seat of prison van, As he turned right, unlocked
hand cuffs and asked to drive fast
– on the driver’s query, suggested Newbury
SHORT QUESTIONS
Q.1. Why do people doubt Evans’s sincerity towards taking the ‘O’ Level examination?
Ans: Evans was a very cunning, experienced and intelligent and careful run away prisoner. He had escaped from the prison many times so he was called “Evans the Break”. Now he was preparing and appearing for ‘O’ Level examination in the jail premises. So people were doubtful about Evans’ sincerity for taking the examination.
Q2. What was the unusual request received from the Oxford prison by the secretary of the examination?
Ans. The Governor informed the secretary that a prisoner named Evans wanted to appear for O-level German examination as he was keen to get some sort of academic qualification. The governor wanted the board to make arrangements for conducting the examination in the Oxford jail
Q3.How is Evans not a typical criminal?
( not violent, pleasant person ,One of the stars at Christmas concert)
Q4 What kind of a person was Evans?
Ans. Evans was just a congenial kleptomaniac. He became popular for his talent of mimicry at the Christmas concert at the Oxford jail. He didn’t have any violent streak in him. He was also known as ‘Evans the Break’ because he had escaped from the jail thrice
Q5.Which facts about Evans did the Governor of Prison not reveal to the Secretary of Examination Board? (he has escaped from the jail thrice)
Q6. Do you think Evans’ statement, ‘I may surprise everybody,” has some special significance?
Evans seems to be telling his teacher that he may surprise everybody by doing well in the exam, but in reality it is a forewarning that he is going to jolt everybody by his master-minded perfect escape-plan
Q7. What made Evans clip his hair short?
Evans’ escape prison-- duplicate McLeery (invigilate during the O-level German exam) had short hair. In order to give a practical shape to their plan, Evans’ hair had to look like McLeery’s, hence Evans clipped them short.
Q8 Do you think Evans was conscious of his appearance ?
(Hints : No,Evans had long hair , wore grubby string vest , filthy looking , red and white bobble hat upon his head.)
Q9 How did Evans convince Jackson to allow him to wear his hat?(p-73 ,2nd last para- Me ‘at Huh)
Q10 Why did Evans not take off his hat when Jackson ordered him to do so?
Ans. Evans was locked in a cell. During the examination all the prison officers were on the alert. There were two more locked doors between his cell and the prison yard. The yard’s walls were as high as a haystack
Q12 Why did the Governor instruct Jackson to search McLeery?
The Governor asked Jackson to search McLeery, the invigilator, just in case he has brought something unwittingly which might prove to be a weapon that Evans could use and try escaping from prison.
Q13 How was Reverend Stuart Mcleery dressed when he came to the jail to invigilate? What did Mcleery carry with him?(p-74 ,2nd para-At 8:45)
Q14. Which object in Mcleery’s suitcase puzzled Jackson?
Ans. Jackson checked Mcleery’s suitcase and found a smallish semi-inflated rubber ring that puzzled him and he asked Mcleery whether he intended to go for a swim.
Q15 How does the coyness of Evans help the governor remove the guards from the room?
Q16 How did the Governor react to the two phone calls he received in quick succession?
( – suspected that calls might be fake, some signal / some secret message /
to check, dialed, exam board but heard bleeps of line which showed the line was engaged)
Q17 .Why did Evans drape a blanket round his shoulder? What did Stephens think about it?
In between intervals of Stephens’ peeping into the cell, Evans was changing into the Parson’s dress to look like McLeery. So, in order to conceal his effort to keep them in place, Evans draped a blanket round his shoulder. Stephens was misled into believing that Evans was feeling cold.
Q18. What had actually happened to the real Mcleery?
Ans. The real Mcleery was attacked by two cronies of Evans in his study at 8.15 am at Broad Street. He was securely bound and gagged and they took away the documents that were needed to conduct the German examination in the Oxford jail.
Q19 In spite of strict vigilance, how did Evans’ friend manage to give the material for disguise in the cell?
Despite all vigilance, Evans’ friend disguised as McLeery, the invigilator, managed to smuggle the disguised material into the cell. He came wearing two parson’s dresses with black fronts and collars. Apart from it he also brought an extra pair of spectacles. All this was passed on to Evans when Stephens’ vigilant eyes were away from the peep-hole
Q20Did Stephens observe something different, as he walked besides McLeery to the main gates?
Hints : McLeery’s Scots accent seem broader than ever and his long black overcoat reached almost to his knees, it fostered the illusion that he had suddenly grown slimmer
Q.21 what clues did the answer sheet of Evans provide to Governor?
Evans left clues like Index No.313 and Centre No.271 to trap Governor. The Governor made out the six unit reference which led him to Golden Lion where he met Evans
Q22.Why did Evans leave the question paper with German written on it in the cell?
Q23 How did Evans manage to get blood inside the cell and how was its clotting prevented?
( page89 –last 3 lines , p-90,4th para-Nah its clotting)
Q.24 How did Evans mange his final escape?
Ans: He was almost rearrested by the Governor in the hotel. He was handcuffed and made to sit in a prison van. But the people sitting inside the van were the close friends of Evans. They opened his handcuff on Evans’ instructions. They took the van towards Dewsbury and Evans had his final escape. Thus Evans outwitted the Governor by dodging him at every step.
LONG QUESTIONS
Q.2.Reflecting on the story, what did you feel about Evans having the last laugh?
Ans:Having the last laugh means to be successful and making the opponent stupid. Here the phrase finds a suitable place in the story. We can see that the Governor initiates all precautionary measures for the smooth conduct of the examination and ensure that Evans won’t escape. He arranges for a microphone in the cell of Evans and appoints two Senior Police Officers for his vigil. And in spite of all his toil, Evans has the last laugh. His cell is thoroughly searched and it is reported that nothing is hidden there. Still Evans is able to hide a false beard, a pair of spectacles, a dog collar and some sort of weapon that has hurt McLerry. Further McLeery is found securely bound and gagged in his study. It becomes clear that Evans has been impersonating McLerry who had stayed in. Even after his arrest at a hotel The Golden Lion, the Governor could not bring him back to the cell. He had some good friends who helped his escape. In examination and police department he had close friends who arranged things for him. With his intelligence and the help of his friends, Evans was able to have the last laugh in the story.
Q1. When Stephens comes back to the cell he jumps he jumps to a conclusion and the whole machinery blindly goes by his assumption without even checking the identity of the injured ‘Mcleery’? Does this show how hasty conjectures can prevent one from seeing the obvious? How is the criminal able to predict such negligence?
Ans. Evans was a smart and perceptive criminal. He had assessed the weaknesses of the jail officers successfully. Stephen was new recruit to the prison set up. When he saw the injured Mcleery in the cell he was so overcome that he did not even check who he really was and neither did anyone else. It did not occur to anyone to question how there could there be two persons – one in the cell and the other who had been escorted out by Stephens. It was for this very reason that friends of Evans, who, posing as the Governor on the phone, have directed Stephens that he himself should escort the parson out, when the exam is finished. The Governor and his officers, in effect actually lead Evans out of the prison. The question paper is left behind to mislead the Governor. This shows that Evans the criminal had enough time to study the behavior patterns of the jail officers and plan their strategy well.
Q2. What could the Governor have done to securely bring back Evans to prison when he caught him at the Golden Lion? Does that final act of foolishness really prove that ‘he was just another good for-a-giggle, gullible governor, that was all’?
Ans. The Governor took all the precautions to make sure that Evans should not have any chance to escape from the prison. He even tracked and arrested him at the Golden Lion after his sensational escape from the prison. But his overconfidence once again proved that he was no match for the clever and crafty Evans.
The Governor after finding the clues from the question paper tracked Evans at the Golden Lion. When Evans entered the room he was shocked to see the Governor. Evans offered no resistance and was arrested. The gullible Governor gloated over his success and said goodbye to him. Evans was handcuffed and made to sit in the police van. The Governor did not take care to check the identity of the driver, the van and the officer. A little more vigilance could have averted the escape of the criminal. If the Governor had accompanied Evans to the prison cell with full police arrangements the criminal would not have escaped. This act of negligence proved that he was “just another good-for-a-giggle gullible governor that was all”.
Q3 How did the question paper and the correction slip help the prisoner and the governor?
Q4 What were the precautions taken for the smooth conduct of the examination with reference to the lesson Evan tries an O-Level?
Since Evans had already escaped from the jail on three earlier occasions, there was always a lurking fear that he might make another attempt to escape. Therefore all possible precautions were taken to see that the O-level German examination arranged in the prison did not provide him with any means of escape.
The Governor personally monitored all security arrangements and heavily guarded the Recreation Block from where he expected the prisoner to make another break. Evans cell was thoroughly checked by Jackson to ward off the possibility of the presence of an incriminating material which might hamper the smooth conduct of the examination. His nail-scissors, nail-file and razor were taken away; and to keep a strict watch on the activities of the cell during the examination, the Governor got it bugged.
A police officer, Stephens was posted to keep a constant vigil on his activities. The invigilator too was frisked to make sure that he carried no objectionable material with him. But in spite of all these elaborate preparation Evans escaped.
Q5 Describe how the German ‘O’ Level exam was conducted?
Exam was scheduled to commence at 9:15a.m. – but started at 9:25 a.m. – A person Mr. McLeery was arranged to invigilate – calm prevailed but many lapses were noticed – At 9:40 Examination room was informed of the correction (where venue was fixed) on page three. At 10:50 a.m. Evans demanded for blanket – at 11:20 the wrong bell was rung – At 11:22 a.m. the hoax call instructed Stephan to escort McLeery – At 11:25 a.m. the exam was over.
Q6In spite of his hyper vigilant attitude, the Governor unwittingly helped Evans to escape prison. Explain.
Hints :The governor made plenty of tactical mistakes, e.g, from not checking the antecedents of the German tutor to the prison to the soft corner he has for him to the wrong judgment of allowing Evans to escape in the guise of the Invigilator to the final one of not taking enough force to nab him at the hotel. (Find out the other shortcomings)
Q7 Draw a pen picture of James Roderick Evans.
Ans.: “Evans the Break” as he was known among the prison officers was a jail bird. He was a congenital kleptomaniac, but was not violent by nature. He was quite a pleasant sort of a person, amusing and good at imitations. When he is introduced to the reader, he is unshaven with long wavy hair. He wore a filthy looking red and white bobble hat and had tucked a grubby string vest into equally grubby trousers. He appears to be quite cheerful with the prison officers. Evans is smart and resourceful. He makes a request to Mr. Jackson to allow him to put on his bobble hat. But he complains to the invigilator that Stephen’s presence disturbs his concentration. He makes a polite request to cover himself with a blanket as it is chilly. He uses it to put on the clerical collar and black front. He employs the brief absence of the prison officers to disguise himself as McLeery, the parson and spill blood on him to look injured. He acts the part of the injured parson well. He offers to help the police and wins their confidence by acting groggy in need of an ambulance. Evans enjoys the faith, support and active cooperation of his accomplices. They plan carefully, working out the minute details to carry out his escape plan skilfully.
Q8 Give an account of the blunders committed by the prison authorities which helped Evans in escaping from the prison.
Prison authorities made many blunders. It was only because of these mistakes that Evans could escape from the 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 identify was also not verified.
On the day of the examination, Jackson’s did not ask Evans to remove his ‘bobble-hat’,
which was a grave blunder. If Stephens had not shifted from the cell, the escape would not have been possible. Jackson should have searched McLeery thoroughly and seen the rubber ring closely.
The prison staff blindly believed that the injured 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.
Q9 Justify the title “Evans tries an O` level”
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Umihorxebu Rob Farley link
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