Examination Day

The overall structure of “Examination Day” is one of a subverted bildungsroman, a coming-of-age story in which a character learns lessons and has experiences that transform them from a child into an adult. In a typical bildungsroman, the protagonist goes through a symbolic rite of passage that marks their growth from childhood to adulthood. The story then recounts how they have changed as a result. 

“Examination Day” ironically subverts this expected story arc. The action begins on the 12th birthday of the protagonist, Dickie Jordan, but his rite of passage—“the exam”—leads to the end of his life rather than the beginning of a new one. Rather than passing from childhood to adulthood, Dickie is considered unworthy of attaining adulthood by his state, which determines who gets the privilege of living to adulthood based on meeting their criteria for intelligence. 

Mr. and Mrs. Jordan are adults, which implies that their IQs were low enough to pass the Government’s exam. Their acceptance of Dickie’s fate—without rebelling against the system, helping Dickie escape, or otherwise trying to change his situation—means they have been thoroughly indoctrinated in the regime’s beliefs, proving the Government’s program a success. A bildungsroman is usually a novel, charting the protagonist’s long course of exploration and development.