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Evans Tries An O-Level
Give a character-sketch of the Governor of Oxford Prison based on your understanding of the story, ‘Evans Tries on O-level’.
The Governor of the HM Prison, Oxford appears to be a considerate and kind-hearted fellow at the start as he arranges for an O-level language exam for a prisoner notorious for his ability to escape from the prison. However, he is quite skeptical of Evans and makes every arrangement to make sure that Evans doesn't escape. He is also rather proud and self-conscious from his prison. The Governor has presence of mind which is clear from the fact that he cross-examines every call that was made to the prison that day. He is intelligent enough to realise that he has been duped but could not judge the extent of the deception. He gets a little over-confident when he tells himself that Evans had no chance of escaping. He is short tempered and gets infuriated with his officers when Evans runs away. At last, he proves to be just another good-for-a-giggle gullible Governor when Evans tricks him again and makes a final escape. His over confidence and self-praise let him down.
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Do the Governor and his staff finally heave a sigh of relief?
Will the injured McLeery be able to help the prison officers trace Evans?
Will the clues left behind on the question paper put Evans back in prison again?
Where did Evans go?
Reflecting on the story, what did you feel about Evans having the last laugh?
When Stephens comes back to the cell 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 prevent one from seeing the obvious? How is the criminal able to predict such negligence?
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’?
While we condemn the crime, we are sympathetic to the criminal. Is this the reason why prison staff often develop a soft corner for those in custody?
Do you agree that between crime and punishment, it is mainly a battle of wits?
Who was Evans and what was his desire about his education?
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