Character Sketch: Evans Tries an O-Level | English Class 12 PDF Download

Character Sketch of Evans

Evans is a prisoner known as “Evans the break” as he had successfully escaped thrice from the prison before. He is cunning and determined to escape again. He is a genius in planning and is an excellent manipulator. His entire plan is well thought-out and each step is calculated. Apart from being clever, Evans is a keen observer. It is due to his intelligence, presence of mind and cleverness that he is taken out of the prison house by Carter himself. Evans is an excellent actor and understands human psychology very well.

Character Sketch of Governor

The Governor of the HM Prison, Oxford, appears to be a kind-hearted and generous human being. – He takes his responsibilities very seriously. He arranges for an O-level exam for a prisoner, who is renowned for his ability to escape. He was, though, quite skeptical of Evans and took every necessary precaution to make sure that Evans had no means to escape. He was just and a fair person. He complied with Evans’ requests despite his misgivings. He was also very proud and self-conscious. He had a sharp presence of mind, which was clear from the fact that he cross-checked every call that was made to the prison that day. However, he got over-confident of his arrangements and somehow underestimated Evans.

Character Sketch of Mc Leery

He is a churchman appointed as an invigilator and sent to Oxford Prison to act as a proctor for Evans’s O-level German exam. He has a short, choppy haircut and wears a clerical shirt and collar, glasses, and a long coat. He initially appears to be a patient, respectable man who only briefly loses his patience when one of the prison officers searches his briefcase and interrogates him about a strange blow-up tube he’s carrying—which, he tersely replies, is a special cushion he has to sit on due to chronic hemorrhoids. Near the end of the story, the so-called Mc Leery turns out to be an imposter—one of Evans’s many “friends” who helps him escape from prison. Readers only get a brief glimpse of the real McLeery—at the end of the story, he’s found tied up with ropes in his office.

Character Sketch of Stephens

Stephens is new to his post as an officer at Oxford Prison, where he reports to the senior prison officer, Jackson. Stephens is a “burly, surly-looking man,” who is supposed to sit in Evans’s cell during his exam. Evans balks at this, however, claiming he can’t concentrate. Afraid of looking too concerned about the threat of Evans escaping, the Governor allows Stephens to leave the cell and just check on Evans through the peephole every minute. Like the Governor, Stephens is adept at talking himself out of his suspicions for the sake of looking in-control and unbothered. Although Stephens feels proud that he’s the one chosen for such an important job.  He is attentive and cautious but fails to notice Evans’s impersonation.