Class 12 English Vistas

Evans Tries An O-Level

Colin Dexter

Summary

This is an interesting story of a criminal named Evans who tries and successfully escapes the prison. The story begins with the Governor getting an application from a Jail about Evans requesting for permission to write an examination in modern German language. Once the approval for examination is given, all other formalities are completed to facilitate the exam. An invigilator is put on duty inside the cell, to ensure fair dealings during the test. The whole jail machinery is put on high alert to prevent any untoward incident. Stephen, the officer on duty, continuously monitors Evans’ behaviour during the exam. But once the exam is over and the invigilator is seen off, Stephen finds that there was injured invigilator on Evans’ seat instead of Evans himself.

This initiates a series of events in which Evans successfully escapes prison, and is promptly followed by the police. Finally, Evan is nabbed at a hotel by the Governor. After a brief round of pep-talks, the Governor hands over Evans to a couple of staffs so that he could be immediately put behind the bars. But as an anti-climax, the police personnel inside the prison vehicle turn out to be men in tandem with Evans. Thus, Evans has the last laugh as he escapes from the prison.

Reading With Insight

Question 1: Reflecting on the story, what did you feel about Evans’ having the last laugh?

Answer: Evan appears to be a harmless prisoner as he makes an impression of a non-violent person whose only problem is the incorrigible kleptomania. But Evans is clever enough to forge friendships and connections at the right places in the jail administration. He gets the help from numerous people in his attempt at an escape from the jail. Even when he is caugth again by the Governor from Golden Lion hotel, he appears to be ready with plan B. At the end of the story, Evans ultimately succeeds in escaping from prison.

This not only tells about ingenuity of Evans but also about the loopholes in the system. It also highlights the rampant corruption which makes it possible for any prisoner, like Evans, to use and mould the system to his advantage.

Question 2: When Stephens comes back to the cell he jumps to a conclusion and the whole machinery blindingly goes by his assumption without even checking the identity of the injured ‘Mc Leery’. Does this show how hasty conjectures can prevent one from seeing the obious? How is the cirminal able to predict such negligence?

Answer: It can happen at the spur of the moment. Everything happened so quickly that Stephens could not get time to clearly think before reacting to the situation. It can happen to anybody, even to a seasoned policeman. Some criminals are magicians who know how to create distractions and take advantage out of the distrction. Evavns appears to have a keen sense of observation of people. He has a thorough understanding of human weaknesses. So, Evans was able to predict such negligence of lack of cross-checking the identity of the injured ‘McLeery’.

Question 3: 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-gor-a-giggle, gullible governor, that was all”?

Answer: Governor was behaving as most of the officer in his position would behave, i.e. delegating responsibility. In fact, that is the essence of any good system of work management where a team is involved in execution of a task. From the perspective of following the protocol, Governor was never wrong. But the way he went all the way to the Golden Lion to nab Evans, he should have travelled along with the prisoner to the jail. He just felt a sense of accomplishment after nabbing Evans and thought his job was over. This was his biggest mistake. But looking at the way, he quickly deciphered the code message in question paper and the way he moved to the Golden Lion, shows he was a sincered officer. He cannot be termed as just another good-for-ai-giggle, gullible governer.

Question 4: 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?

Answer: Most of us have a strong belief that a criminal should be nabbed and should get exemplary punishment. But a criminal is caught and sent to jail to live in isolation, sometimes in inhuman conditions, then many of us become sympathetic to the criminal. This can be the reason prison stafff often develop a soft corner for those in custody. But the soft corner can be only for those who are involved in petty crimes, but not for those guilty of grievous crimes.

Question 5: Do you agree that between crime and punishment it is mainly a battle of wits?

Answer: A criminal does not become a criminal out of hobby rather circumstances create criminals. Sometimes, as in case of Evans, there can be some psychological disorders which turn a person into criminal. After commiting a crime, most of the criminals want to evade the law. This urgency of evading the law may be a motivating factor for a criminal to chalk out strategies. The law enforcement agencies, on the other hand, have to be on their toes to remain a step ahead of the criminal. So, it becomes a battle of wits between crime and punishment. Sometimes, the cirminal wins in this battle, but law enforcement agencies win most of the time.