Class XII

English
EVANS TRIES AN O LEVEL

The plot in the story Evans Tries an O – level by Colin Dexter unveils how Evans, a
prisoner, outwits the police and manages to escape from prison. Evans started learning
German and finally appeared for O-level exams. As ‘Evans the Break’ had already made
several attempts to escape, the governor, suspicious of Evans’ motive, was very careful.
Evan’s cell was to be the exam hall. Senior police officers like Stephens and Jackson kept
strict vigil. The Governor arranges a microphone in the cell so that he could hear what
happened there. In spite of all the precautions, Evans escaped. Even though the governor
arrested him, Evans succeeded to slip from the clutches of the gullible Governor.
The senior prison officer Jackson is very prejudiced. The lack of love between Evans
and Jackson is clearly evident. Jackson’s enquiry ‘And how’s our little Einstein this
morning, then?” is sarcastic (p. 72). He knew that Evans’ intention was not to study. In
spite of their mutual dislike Evans knew that “buried somewhere in Jackson, was a tiny
core of compassion’ (p. 73).

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The lesson throws light on certain aspects of social reality. Life of prisoners, their lack of

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freedom, crime, prisoners holding officers hostage (p. 26) and the attitude of the prison

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staff towards the prisoners are some of the facts that flash through the readers’ mind. The

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reader gets to see the world through the character’s perspective. The editing of the

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dialogue between Jackson and Evans on p. 72 has not been appropriate.

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The vocabulary used in Evans Tries An O- Level is apt. It shows Evans’ frustrations and
his character. The nick name ‘Evans the Break’ reveals that he has already made several

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attempts of breaking the cell. Governor’s exclamation Jackson’s ‘Skull’s empty’ (p. 84),

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Jackson’s swear words ‘bloody throat’, ‘bloody hat’ (p. 73) show the short temperedness

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shown by many policemen. ‘Bug’ (p. 75), ‘Keep your nose clean’ (p.75), haemorrhoids,
gorgon (p.87) and ‘slithering idiot’ (84) are used by the author to express the uncouth ways
of the prison. German words such as ‘Guten Gluick’ (72), ‘Danke Section’ are used to
enrich the context.
Dexter’s story is fun- reading about how a criminal escapes jail through creating
circumstances by insisting on taking an examination in the prison.

GIST OF THE LESSON

• Evans a kleptomaniac was imprisoned thrice and all the time escaped from the prison.
Now he was in the prison for the fourth time and all of a sudden developed to appear in O‐
level German Examination which also was an effort to break the prison.
• The Governor takes utmost care to see that he would not be fooled. Every care was
taken to make Evans prepare for the exam.
• He was tutored by a German tutor for 6 months. The day before the exam the tutor
wishes good luck but makes it clear that he had hardly any ‘chance of getting through.’ But
Evans gives an ironical twist to the tutor’s observation by saying “I may surprise
everybody.”
• On the day of the exam Jackson and Stephens visited Evan’s cell and took away
everything that may help him injure himself. Evans was insisted to take away the hat but
he refused saying that it was lucky charm.
• Evan’s cell was bugged so that the Governor could himself listen to each and every
conversation in the cell. The invigilator Rev. S. McLeery too was searched and left him to
complete the task. Stephen sitting outside the cell every now and then peeped into the
cell.
• The exam went on smoothly. Stephen escorted the invigilator to the main gate and
looked into Evan’s cell and found the invigilator (actually Evans) wounded, informed the
Governor. The latter was to be hospitalized but informed that he was alright and asked
them to follow Evans. Thus he escaped the prison.
• When the invigilator was not found in the hospital they went to the residence of Rev. S.
McLeery only to find him ’bound and gagged in his study in Broad Street”. He has been
there, since 8.15 a.m. Now everything was clear to the Governor.
• Evan escaped the prison the fourth time. But by taking the hint from the question paper
the Governor reached the hotel where Evans was and captured him and came to know
how he planned his escape and said that his game was over. Evans surrenders himself to
the Governor.
• The Governor tells Evan they would meet soon.
• The moment they are rid of the Governor, the so called prison officer‐a friend of Evans‐
unlocks the handcuffs and asks the driver to move fast and Evans tells him to turn to
Newbury. Evans, thus, has the last laugh.

SOLVED QUESTIONS

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SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. What kind of a person was Evans?

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Evans was a ‘Kleptomaniac’ and had broken jail thrice. He was a master planner and was

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very sociable. He knew how to keep intimate contacts with people. In the words of the

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Governor, he was a pleasant sort of chap with no record of violence.

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2. Do you think Evan’s statement, ‘I may surprise everybody,” has some special

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significance?

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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.

3. Who were the two visitors Evans received in the morning of the day of his exam?
The two visitors ‐‐Mr. Jackson, the senior prison officer of the prison’s D Wing‐‐ man called
Stephens, who had been only recently recruited.

4. 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.

5 .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.

7. 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
peephole.

LONG ANSWER QUESTION

1. What were the precautions taken for the smooth conduct of the examination?
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.

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(Q.) Attempt a brief character sketch of ‘Evans the Break’.

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(Ans) ‘Evans the Break’ comes across to us as a highly clever, manipulative and shrewd

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individual. A non-violent kleptomaniac by birth, he was a jail-bird having being put in prison

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several times and escaping as many as three times. He was an amusing chap, good at

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imitations and a star at the Christmas concert. He had an unkempt physical appearance

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but a cheerful smile which he used for the prison officers.A cunning and resourceful

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person, Evans is able to use his presence of mind time and again, to his utmost

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advantage. He makes a request to Mr. Jackson to allow him to put on his bobble hat, but

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complains to the invigilator against Stephens whose presence disturbs his concentration.
He is polite when he makes special requests to shut his convenience or rather when he
plans to put his plan into action. He is quick to disguise himself as parson McLeery and
spill blood on himself to appear injured. He is a clever manipulator and uses this quality to
win the confidence of the police officers. Evans enjoys the faith, support and active
cooperation of his team of dedicated comrades. They are meticulous in their planning and
work out the minutest details in order to carry out their plans without any mishap. Even in
the worst circumstances, Evans does not lose his cool. He has the last laugh when he is
able to fool the police officers and the Governor and escapes for the fourth time.

(Q.) Who, do you think, has the last laugh- The Governor or Evans? How?
(Ans) It is Evans who has the last laugh in the story. The two persons, i.e. driver and the
silent prison officer turn out to be the accomplices of Evans. The Governor became
complacent as he thought he had nabbed the prisoner and will soon put him in prison. But
Evans escapes once again.

(Q.) What did Stephens see, when he peeped through the hole of the cell of Evans after
leaving McLeery at the main gate of the prison?
(Ans) Stephens thought of looking at Evans once again after leaving McLeery at the main
gate. He saw a terrible sight. He saw a man with short hair presumably McLeery in a pool
of blood sprawling back in Evan’s chair.

(Q.) How did McLerry want to help the police?

(Ans) The injured McLeery said that he knew where Evans was. He wanted to accompany
the police in finding Evans. He insisted that he did not need to be hospitalized as he was
all right. He showed the question paper to the Governor to impress upon him that Evans
had befooled everybody.

Q.) What important clues were hidden in the German Question paper?
(Ans) There was a photocopied sheet hidden in the German question paper. It was very
cleverly pasted on the last blank sheet of the question paper. It had instructions written in
German. It read: follow the plan. The vital point in time was three minutes before the end
of the examination. He was not to hit the person hard and overdo the scot accent. He was
to move the Headington round about and then make way to Newbury.

(Q.) Where was the real McLeery?

(Ans) The real Rev. McLeery was gagged and tied in his room since 8:15 am. The two
men visited McLeery in the morning. They gagged him and tied him in his study. Since
8:15 in the morning, the real McLeery had been in his own house. It was Evans
accomplice who had come as McLeery to the examination centre.

(Q.) What was the significance of the two phone calls the Governor received after a

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quarter of an hour of the start of the examination?

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(Ans) The first phone call was made by the Assistant Secretary of the Examination Board.

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It was regarding a correction slip for the German paper that Evans was writing. The word

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‘Golden Lion’ was to be used in place of ‘Golden Lowe’. The second call came from the

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Magistrate’s Court. They needed a prison van and a couple of prison officers for a remand

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case

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(Q.) How did the prison machinery swing into action? What did they overlook?

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(Ans) Prison officers started shouting orders as soon as they discovered that Evans had

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escaped. Sirens were blown. Puzzled prisoners pushed their way along and doors were
banged and bolted. Phones were ringing everywhere. Jackson and Stephens supported
McLeery on either side and brought him to the prison yard. The identity of the injured
‘McLeery’ remained unchecked.

(Q.) What did the Governor think of Evans and his plan after ringing up Detective Chief
Inspector Bell?
(Ans) The Governor admired clever Evans and his beautifully laid plan. He also
commented on Evans’ carelessness in leaving behind the question paper. He said that all
criminals got caught because they left important clues behind. He was sure that they
would soon be able to catch Evans and put him in prison once again.

Q.) What two purposes did the correction slip serve? Which of them did Evans consider
more important?
(Ans) The correction slip revealed the name of the hotel and its location. He had to go to
‘Golden Lion’. It also contained the exact time the exam started. For Evans, it was an
important thing that the phone rang just before the exam finished. Thus he was able to get
the prison officers out of the way for a couple of minutes.

(Q.) What did Evans’ own hair look like? How then did he impersonate McLeery?
(Ans) Evans’ hair was long and wavy while McLeery had closely clipped hair, almost next
to the scalp. Jackson had removed Evans’ scissors, so he had to remove his hair off with
razor. After that he kept his head covered with a bobble hat to prevent being noticed.
(Q.) How did the Governor of Oxford Prison locate the hiding place of Evans?
(Ans) The Governor told Evans that he had used the same method as Evans had done.
The six figure reference 313/271 was formed by two hints- Index number 313 and centre
number 271. If one takes an Ordinance Survey Map for Oxfords hire, this number lands
are bang in the middle of Chipping Norton.

(Q.) What request did the Secretary of the Examination Board receive from the Governor
of Oxford Prison?
(Ans) The Governor of Oxford Prison’s request was to create an examination centre in the
prison for one candidate named James Roderick Evans who wanted to appear in O Level
German Examination to be held on June 8.

(Q.) What enquiry did the Secretary of the Examination Board make about Evans?
(Ans) The Secretary of the Examination wanted cursory details about the examinee
regarding his nature. He wanted to know if Evans was a violent sort of a person. He was
told that there was no record of violence.

(Q.) Who met Evans on the eve of the examination? What does this brief interview reveal?
(Ans) Mr. Jackson and Mr. Stephens visited Evans on the morning of the Examination.

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They visited him to ensure that he did not have any weapon with him. Evans was called

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Evans the Break as he had escaped from Prison three times.

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(Q.) What puzzled Mr. Jackson about the contents in McLeery’s suitcase?

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(Ans) Jackson saw a smallish semi-inflated rubber ring. Even a young child might have to

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struggle into it. Jackson questioned McLeery about it. He replied that he suffered from

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piles.

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(Q.) Why did the Governor doubt the phone call from the Examination board for the

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correction in the paper? What did he do?
(Ans) The Governor doubted the phone call from the Examination board for the correction
in the paper because he thought it might be a fake call. He tried to verify the call. He held
the incoming call and from the other line called the Examination Board. Since the number
was busy he assumed the call was a genuine one.

Q.) How did Stephens keep an eye on Evans? What did he notice on looking through the
peep-hole in Evans’ cell?
(Ans) Stephens peeped after every one minute. He found Evans sitting with his pen
between his lips. He sat staring straight in front at the door. McLeery sat on his chair
reading the ‘Church Times’. His right index finger was hooked beneath the narrow clerical
collar. The fingers of the left hand were slowly stroking the short black board.

(Q.) What request did Evans make about half an hour before the end of the examination?
What did Stephens think about it?
(Ans) Evans requested to have a blanket put round his shoulders. A minute later, Stephens
was surprised to see a grey blanket draped round Evans’ shoulders. Stephens was misled
into believing that Evans was feeling cold.

(Q.) How did Evans manage his final escape?

(Ans) Evans was handcuffed and made to sit in the prison van. But the Governor was
complacent and it was Evans’ accomplices inside the van. As the van turned to the Oxford
Road, the silent prison officer who was Evans’ friend unlocked the handcuffs. Evan
suggested that they go towards Newbury. Evans had his final escape.
(Q.) Give an account of the blunders committed by the prison authorities which helped
Evans in escaping from the prison.
(Ans) 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 Examination day, Jackson’s
not getting Evans’ ‘bobble-hat’ removed was a 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. He thus, lost Evans who made his final escape

QUESTIONS FOR PRACTICE

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
1. What different queries does the Secretary of the Examinations Board make from the
Governor before conducting the examination for Evans and why?
2. Who do you think made a call regarding a correction in the question paper? What did it

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really want to convey?

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3. Who is Carter? What does the Governor want him to go and why?

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4. How did the Governor manage to reach Evans in the hotel?

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LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS

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1. What impression do you form of Evans?

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2. Comment on the ending of the play ‘Evan Tries An O‐Level.

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3. How far do you agree with the observation: “He was just another good‐for‐a‐giggle,

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gullible governor that was all”?

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4. Do you think the title ‘Evans Tries an O‐Level’ is appropriate? Give reasons in support of
your answer.

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, congenital
Kleptomaniac, not harmful.)
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?

The fact that he has escaped from the jail thrice is not revealed by the Governor of Prison
to the Secretary of Examination Board.

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

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Q7. What made Evans clip his hair short?

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Evans’ escape prison--  duplicate McLeery  (invigilator during the O-level German exam)

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had short hair. In order to give a practical shape to their plan, Evans’ hair had to look like

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McLeery’s, hence Evans clipped them short.

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Q8 Do you think Evans was conscious of his appearance ?

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  No, Evans had  long hair , wore grubby string vest , filthy looking , red and white

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bobble hat upon his head.

Q9 How did Evans convince Jackson to allow him to wear his hat?
He convinced Jackson to allow him to wear his hat by telling him that it was his lucky
charm and brought the only thing which ever brought him luck. Considering he had an
exam today he pleaded him to let him wear it.

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?
Reverend Stuart McLeery had a long black overcoat and a shallow-crowned clerical
hat on. The hat protected him from the steady drizzle which had set half an hour ago. He
was wearing spectacles with thick lenses on which the water from the drizzle spattered. In
his right hand he was carrying a small brown suitcase, which contained all that he would
need for his morning duties, including a sealed question paper, a yellow invigilation form, a
special “authentication” card from the Examination Board, a paper knife, a Bible (he was to
speak to the Women’s Guild that afternoon on the Book of Ruth) and a current copy of the
The Church Times.

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?
Evans started cribbing about the fact that how he will do his paper with someone standing
right on his head and breathing down his neck. He cribbed that it is impossible to

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concentrate that way and thus the governor felt that probably he was overdoing things.

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Q16 How did the Governor react to the two phone calls he received in quick
succession?

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( – suspected that calls might be fake, some signal / some secret message /

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to check, dialed, exam board but heard bleeps of line which showed the line was engaged)

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Q17 .Why did Evans drape a blanket round his shoulder? What did Stephens think

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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?
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? Why did Evans
leave the question paper with German written on it in the cell?

  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. He
left the Question paper in the cell so that he could misdirect the Governor with the
instructions written at the page which was stuck in the end.

Q22 How did Evans manage to get blood inside the cell and how was its clotting
prevented?

Evans managed to get the blood inside the cell via the invigilator in his rubber ring for
piles. It was filled with pig-blood from a slaughter house in Kidlington but to prevent
clotting it was mixed with human blood and one tenth of the volume of 3.8 per cent
trisodium citrate.

Q.23How did Evans mange his final escape?

A n s : H e w a s a l m o s t  r e a r r e s t e d  b y t h e G o v e r n o r i n t h e h o t e l . H e
was handcuffed and made to sit in a prison van. But the people sitting inside the van were

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the close friends of Evans. They opened his handcuff on Evans’ instructions. They took the

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van towards Newsbury and Evans had his final escape. Thus Evans  outwitted the

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Governor by dodging him at every step.

LONG QUESTIONS

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Q.2.Reflecting on the story, what did you feel about Evans having the last laugh?

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Ans: Having the last laugh means to be successful and making the opponent

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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 overwhelmed 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

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Evans to the prison cell with full police arrangements the criminal would not have

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escaped. This act of negligence proved that he was “just another good-for-a-giggle gullible

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governor that was all”.

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Q3 How did the question paper and the correction slip help the prisoner and the

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governor?

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Q4 What were the precautions taken for the smooth conduct of the examination with

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reference to the lesson Evan tries an O-Level?

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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.
Q6.In 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

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employs the brief absence of the prison officers to disguise himself as McLeery, the parson

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and spill blood on him to look injured. He acts the part of the injured parson well. He offers

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to help the police and wins their confidence by acting groggy in need of an ambulance.

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Evans enjoys the faith, support and active cooperation of his accomplices. They plan

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carefully, working out the minute details to carry out his escape plan skilfully.

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Q8 Give an account of the blunders committed by the prison authorities which

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helped Evans in escaping from the prison

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 (10 Marks)

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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. In this way
Evans