Examination Day

Slesar was a celebrated writer of not only science fiction but also of mystery thrillers and soap operas. A key literary device in these genres is the plot twist, or a dramatic change in the expected trajectory of the plotline. Often, a plot twist retroactively changes the interpretation of previous events in the narrative. Slesar uses a plot twist at the end of “Examination Day,” to reveal the regime’s true nature and convey a message about the danger of authoritarian government. 

When the “Government Intelligence test” (Paragraph 5), along with Mr. and Mrs. Jordan’s concerns about it, are introduced, the narrative relies on the general assumption that Dickie’s parents are concerned that Dickie will not get a high score on the exam. This is consistent with how IQ tests are typically perceived in the real world. However, in the antepenultimate paragraph, it is revealed that they are worried Dickie is too smart and will earn too high a score, which has disastrous results in their world. They suspect Dickie’s IQ is “above the Government regulation” (Paragraph 54) and he will be killed as a result. When they are proved correct, the twist provokes a reinterpretation of their worries earlier in the story.

“Examination Day” uses shifting character perspectives to create pathos (sympathy for the characters) and tension. The story opens in third-person omniscient narration. A third-person omniscient narrator has complete awareness of the story’s events and circumstances. It is used in “Examination Day” to open and close the narrative, like an establishing shot and closing shot in a movie or television show. It provides the context of the situation, such as “The Jordans never spoke of the exam, not until their son, Dickie, was twelve years old” (Paragraph 1). 

The rest of the story is largely told in third-person limited narration from Dickie’s point of view. It describes Dickie’s feelings and actions from an outside perspective. For instance, the narrator notes that Dickie “wanted the day to be happy” (Paragraph 3) and that he felt “drowsy” after drinking the truth serum. This use of third-person limited perspective gives the reader greater insight into Dickie’s point of view. It also creates mystery and tension because the reader does not have insight into what motivates his parents’ strange behaviors throughout the story. Mr. and Mrs. Jordans’ dialog suggests they’re hiding what they know about the exam, but without providing access to their thoughts and feelings, the narrative stops short of revealing what they know. This allows the narrative to postpone revealing the true nature of the exam until the end of the narrative when it’s conveyed through the dialog of an outside character.