3. CONTENTS
1. About the author
2. Characters
3. Main theme
4. Chapter in a nutshell
5. Highlights
6. Difficult word
meanings
7. Expected questions
4. About the author
Norman Colin Dexter OBE was a famous british crime novelist known for his Inspector Morse series of
novels, which were written between 1975 and 1999 and adapted as a television series, Inspector Morse, from
1987 to 2000. His characters have spawned a sequel series, Lewis, and a prequel series, Endeavour.
The initial books written by Dexter were general studies textbooks. He began writing mysteries in 1972
during a family holiday. Last Bus to Woodstock was published in 1975 and introduced the character of
Inspector Morse, the irascible detective whose penchants for cryptic crosswords, English literature, cask ale,
and music by composer Wagner reflect Dexter's own enthusiasms.
Dexter received several Crime Writers' Association awards: two Silver Daggers for Service of All the Dead
in 1979 and The Dead of Jericho in 1981; two Gold Daggers for The Wench is Dead in 1989 and The Way
Through the Woods in 1992; and a Cartier Diamond Dagger for lifetime achievement in 1997. In 1996,
Dexter received a Macavity Award for his short story "Evans Tries an O-Level". In 2000 Dexter was
appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to literature.
5. Characters
The Secretary of the Examinations Board
The Governor of HM Prison, Oxford
James Evans, a prisoner
Mr Jackson, a prison officer
Mr Stephens, a prison officer
The Reverend S. McLeery, an invigilator
Mr Carter, Detective Superintendent
Mr Bell, Detective Chief Inspector
6. Main Theme
The main theme of the story ‘Evans Tries an O 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. The story deals with his
smartness, foresight and planning his escape. With his meticulous planning and keen
observation, Evans outsmarts the prison authorities.
The story also brings to light the fact that one should not underestimate one’s
opponent. If only prison authorities were careful enough to do a background check on
the teacher none of this would have happened.
This story also teaches us a lesson that one should never jump to conclusions hastily.
8. ● Evans a kleptomaniac was imprisoned thrice and all the time escaped from
the prison. Now he was in the prison for the 4th time and all of a sudden
developed curiosity 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 Evans 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.
9. ● Evans 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 took a look into Evans 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.
10. ● Evan escaped the prison the 4th 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
Evan’s unlocks the handcuffs and asks the driver to move fast and Evans tells him
to turn to Newbury.
12. Precautions taken to prevent Evans’ escape during the
● 1.Evans in a solitary room – incommunicado
● 2.Cell checked.
● 3. Nail file and scissors taken out.
● 4. A priest as an invigilator
● 5. McLerry’s bag checked. Paper-knife was taken away
● 6. Initially guard in the cell. Later when outside, checking on Evans after every
minute or two minutes.
● 7. Cell bugged and letting Evans see it so there would be no attempt to escape.
● 8. All messages or phone calls to go via the Governor.
● 9. Well guarded with all officers on alert; two locked doors between Evans’ cell and
the yard, which had a high wall.
13. Mistakes made by the Prison Authorities
Despite knowing that Evans was always breaking out of jail and although they
suspected he would try to break out again, the prison authorities still made
many mistakes.
● The validity of the German tutor not checked.
● Evans allowed to sit for an exam knowing he wasn’t academically inclined
and not checking whether he had learnt any German at all.
● Letting Evans see the name of the invigilator on the form.
● Everyone just accepted Stephens’ belief that the man in the cell was
McLeery as he was bleeding and did not check his wounds.
● Getting fooled by Evans pretending to be McLeery although everyone
knew Evans was a good mimic.
14. Jackson’s mistakes
● Not taking more precautions in verifying the
invigilator’s identity despite knowing Evans knew his
name.
● Letting Evans wear the cap for good luck.
● Allowing McLeery to take the rubber tube inside.
Stephen’s Mistakes
● Not going into the cell despite seeing that Evans was just
sitting there not writing at all.
● Not verifying the Governor’s phone call.
● Despite seeing that McLeery looked slimmer while
going out, not checking him.
15. Governor’s mistakes
● Allowing Stephens to move out of the cell when Evans protested.
● Letting Evans know that the cell was bugged.
● Letting the Examination Board phone call go through without verifying its
authenticity.
● Letting Evans wear a blanket.
● Knew how shrewd Evans was but believing he had left the correction paper
behind by mistake and believing the information in it.
● In the end, letting Evans escape a second time in a van without verifying the
guards despite knowing how conniving Evans was.
16. Reasons for Evans’ Success
1. A very well thought out innovative plan which
was brilliantly conceived and excellently
executed:
★ Knew no one would stop him from studying or
taking an exam so used that as an excuse.
★ Took time to implement the plan; no hurry.
★ Every aspect of the plan made foolproof —
clothes being brought in, call for correction,
blood in the tube.
★ Did not do the obvious- escape during recreation
17. Reasons for Evans’ Success
An excellent judge of people and knew how to deal with them:
(i) Played on Jackson’s compassion — cap
(ii) Used Stephen’s ego — walk McLeery to gate
(iii) Knew Governor was fair — asked Stephens to go out; even
permission for the exam.
(iv) Understood how people took things for granted — would believe a
bleeding man would be McLeery,not Evans — no checking done of
tutor or invigilator.
(v) Knew everyone would be too flustered to check the wounded
man’s injuries.
18. Difficult word meanings
❏ Chap- person
❏ Dead keen- highly interested
❏ Cost a packet- very costly
❏ Bit of a card- quick witted and unpredictable
❏ Cat in hell’s chance- to be completely unable to achieve
something
❏ Ramrod- very straight and stiff
❏ Contemptuous- mocking
❏ Warm enemies- that they were already enemies
19. Difficult word meanings
❏ Jolly kind of you- very nice of you
❏ Congenital Kleptomaniac- habitual tendency to steal
❏ Parson- priest
❏ Incommunicado- not able to communicate
❏ Reiterated- said once again
❏ Gracing the premises- stay in that building
❏ Grubby- dirty
❏ Burly- strongly, well built
❏ Surly- bad tempered, impolite
❏ Curtly- rudely
20. Difficult word meanings
❏ Paraded- displayed
❏ Leered- looked
❏ Shirley Temple- a famous hollywood child actress
❏ Drizzle- slow rain
❏ Pin-ups - posters
❏ Conceded- agreed
❏ Hawk- eagle
❏ Keep your nose clean- not to make trouble
❏ Keep eyes skinned- be careful
❏ Haystack- pile of grass
21. Difficult word meanings
❏ Jack knife- a small knife
❏ Hitherto amiable demeanour- so far pleasant behaviour
❏ Breathing down my neck- remain very near
❏ Staccato bleeps- intermittent beeps
❏ Wee while- for some time
❏ Hoax- trick
❏ Askew- not straight, inclined
❏ Amateurishly- unskillfully
❏ Pebble lens- spectacles with round lens
❏ Daft- mad
22. Difficult word meanings
❏ Veiled- covered
❏ Seep- dripping
❏ Squelchy- very wet
❏ Streaked- lined
❏ Perplexed- confused
❏ Dredging- recollecting
❏ Crescendo- loudest
❏ Crimson- dark red
❏ Bewilderment- surprise
❏ Strident- loud and harsh
❏ Good for giggle- who will be laughed at
❏ Gullible- inexperienced, innocent
23. Difficult word meanings
❏ Close call- narrow escape
❏ Springing apart- jumping apart
❏ Fiddling- changing
❏ Gorgon- a deity who can turn any body into stone
❏ Ruefully- with regret
❏ Bang in the middle of- exactly in the middle of
❏ To throw a spanner- to divert attention
❏ Muddle- to confuse
❏ Clambred- climbed
24. Expected questions
Q. Who was Carter? What did the Governor ask him to do?
Ans. Carter was Detective Superintendent. The Governor asked him to take McLeery with him and follow Evans in the
direction as told by McLeery.
Q. What did the Detective Superintendent inform the Governor about Evans?
Ans. Superintendent Carter informed the Governor that McLeery had spotted Evans driving off along Elsfield Way.
They had got the number of the car all right. They had given a chase immediately, but they had lost him at the
Headington roundabout. He assumed that Evans must have doubled back into the city.
Q. What were the content of the small brown suitcase that McLeery carried?
Ans. The small brown suitcase, which Reverend McLeery carried, contained all that he would require for his morning
duties, including a sealed question paper envelop, a yellow invigilation form, a special authentication card from the
Examination Board, a paper knife, a Bible and a current copy of the Church Times.
25. Expected questions
Q. How did the Governor react to the two phone calls he received in quick succession?
Ans. The two phone calls the Governor received in quick succession made him suspect that the calls might be fake, that it might be some kind
of signal or a secret message. To be completely sure, he dialed the Exam Board number. However, he heard beeps of an engaged line.
Q. Why did Evans not take off his hat when Jackson ordered him to do so?
Ans. Evans did not take off his hat when Jackson ordered him to do so because according to Evans it was his lucky Charm. However in reality
he wanted to hide his cropped hair so that he could pass off as McLeery. Also, keeping his hat on would hide his plan to escape.
Q. What precautions did the authorities take for the smooth conduct of the O-level examination?
Ans. Fearing that Evans might escape, the exam was conducted in Evans’ prison cell itself. It was installed with a microphone so that the
Governor could listen to every talk. The cell was fully checked by the staff who took away anything that could Answers pose a threat.
Moreover, the staff was put on high alert, doors and gates were locked. Prison officer Stephens was to peep into Evans’ cell after every few
minutes. The parson who came to invigilate, was frisked at the prison gate and his briefcase was checked thoroughly.
26. Expected questions
Q. Which article in McLeery’s suitcase played perhaps the most significant role in Evans’ escape
and how?
Ans. The most significant article in McLeery’s suitcase was the rubber tube, which he said he required to sit on since he
was suffering from piles. In reality, the rubber tube contained pig blood. Evans was going to disguise as Rev. McLeery and
pretend to be injured and bleeding. It was a strategy to help Evans escape from the prison.
Q. How did the Governor, Oxford Prison describe Evans to the Secretary, Examination Board?
OR
According to the Governor what kind of person was Evans?
OR
What opinion of Evans did the prison authorities convey to the Secretary, Education Board?
Ans. The Governor gave quite a satisfactory report about Evans to the Secretary of the Board. It was stated that Evans
had no record of violence and that he was quite a ‘pleasant sort of chap’. He also said that Evans was one of the stars at
the Christmas concert. However, he suffered from a weakness, he was just a congenital kleptomaniac.
27. Expected questions
Q. How did the question paper and correction slip help the prisoner and the Governor?
Ans. The Governor received a call from the Assistant Secretary of the Examination Board saying that
there was a correction slip, which was not attached to the question paper. He requested the Governor if
he could read out the correction to Evans. The correction was ‘zum goldenen Lowen’. In reality, it was
an indication informing Evans where he was supposed to go after escaping from jail. Although, the
Governor did not suspect anything, the correction slip helped Evans to know the name of the hotel and
its location. Later, when the Governor learned about Evans’ escape, Rev. McLeery (Evans in reality)
showed him the question paper at the back of which, instructions were given to help Evans escape.
These instructions were meant to misguide the jail authorities. However, the Governor was able to put
together the index and centre numbers. With the six digit reference and the help of a survey map, the
Governor came to know Evans had escaped to Chipping Norton. Now, the Governor could work out a
plan to arrest Evans.
