CBSE Class 12 English Colin Dexter Worksheet

 

Gist: 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 desired 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. It was insisted to take away the hat but Evans refused saying that it was lucky charm. – 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 looked 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. Mc Leery 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. - Evans 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 Evans 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.

 

 

 

Evans was a ‘Kleptomaniac’ and had broken jail thrice. He was a master planner and was very sociable. He knew how to keep intimate contacts with people. In the words of the Governor, he was a

pleasant sort of chap with no record of violence.

 

 

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.

 

 

The two visitors ‐‐Mr. Jackson, the senior prison officer of the prison’s D Wing‐‐ man called Stephens, who had been only recently recruited.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

Prison authorities had made foolproof arrangements to foil any escape efforts by Evans – yet – escapes successfully - officers’ vigilance could have checked this jail break – hatching of the escape plan starts with – German tutor’s entry – nobody bothers to verify – McLeery credentials also not verified properly, Examination day – Jackson’s not getting Evans’ bobble hat removed – blunder – had Stephens not been shifted from the cell, the escape could have been foiled – Jackson should have searched properly McLeery – rubber ring – closer look –thorough examination of the wounded man would have checked – Superintendent Carter’s complacency and the Governor’s inefficiency and casual approach – unpardonable – after recapturing – Governor should have personally accompanied him to jail – rather than entrusting – to van occupants.

 

 

Evans already escaped – three earlier occasions – always a lurking fear – make another attempt to escape –all possible precautions taken – O level German Examination arranged – didn’t provide – means of escape – Governor personally monitored – security arrangements – heavily guarded Recreational Block – expected to make another escape – cell thoroughly checked –Jackson – ward off the possibility of the presence of an incriminating material which might hamper the smooth conduct of the examination – nail scissors, nail file and razor – taken away –kept a strict watch on the activities of the cell during the examination – police officer Stephens posted to keep a constant vigil – invigilator – carried no objectionable material

 

 

In spite of all the precautions – Evans escape –outwits all – slips out of their hands – right from the German teacher’s entry into the prison to the last encounter of the Governor and Evans in the hotel – outsmarts them – carries out all plans right under the nose of the prison officers – without arousing any suspicion – A clever and schemy prisoner far superior to all in planning – at every stage – friends who helped him – persons of superior ingenuity – after coming out of prison – Evans – The Golden Lion in Chipping Norton – seemed to be elated over the success of his plan – shocked to see prison Governor – correction slip had led to his undoing – Governor able to decode his message and reach –

accepts defeat – discloses – German teacher his man – able to procure pig’s blood from a slaughter house greatly surprises Governor – Governor feels satisfied – prison officer handcuffs – takes him away – little did he know – Evans cleverer friends had again hoodwinked him – prison officer and van driver – both Evans’ man – finally escapes from the clutches of the law –in the battle of wits – proves far superior – to prison Governor and his officers – befools everyone right under their nose – has the last laugh.

 

 

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.

 

 

(Ans) ‘Evans the Break’ comes across to us as a highly clever, manipulative and shrewd individual. A non-violent kleptomaniac by birth, he was a jail-bird having being put in prison several times and escaping as many as three times. He was an amusing chap, good at imitations and a star at the Christmas concert. He had an unkempt physical appearance but a cheerful smile which he used for the prison officers.A cunning and resourceful person, Evans is able to use his presence of mind time and again, to his utmost advantage. He makes a request to Mr. Jackson to allow him to put on his bobble hat, but 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.

 

 

(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.