Notes On Examination Day – Use Of Language Essay, Research Paper
·
When we understand that
Mrs Jordan is ?anxious? we know that something about the exam is different, and
this is further shown by the language Slesar uses to describe the husband?s
response.? He answers ?sharply? which
leads us to think that Mr Jordan is trying not to bring up the exam. ·
The boy?s description of
?alert eyed? and ?quick, nervous manner? implies that he is intelligent.? The reader thinks nothing of this, until we
realise that he is not meant to be clever, and so this constructs the story
well and keeps the reader guessing. ·
The language used to
describe the parents, ?moistness of his mother?s eyes? and ?the scowl on his
father?s face? is not what the reader usually associates with birthdays, and so
we get a hint hat this exam has a lot to be worried about. ·
Slesar makes Mrs Jordan
very vague with the language used ?It?s nothing to worry about? and so she is
reluctant to speak about the exam and we get a further development of this idea
because usually when someone says that it is nothing to worry about, it is
because the person is trying to reassure the candidate. ·
Mr Jordan is very vague
with all of his answers to Dickie?s questions, ?Because it just did, that?s
all?, and ?Five thousand miles?.? This
is another example of clever use of language because we do not know until the
very end of the story the reason why he is doing this.? We are led to believe that it is because he
is engrossed in the newspaper, but we later find out that it is actually
because he is trying to make Dickie as un-educated as possible, so as to fail
the test. ·
With Dickie?s quest for
knowledge, ?puckered his brow? we understand that he is a keen and intelligent
boy.? It is again, only at the end that
we realise the consequences of this use of language. ·
The reassuring language
of Mr Jordan ?Now, it?s nothing to worry about? lulls the reader into a false
sense of security as it is meant to do to Dickie.? This however, changes dramatically when he says ?They give you
this stuff to drink?. ?This is the first
hint we get that something about the test is not routine.? This clever use of language and the words
used beforehand give us a surprise because we expect the test to be normal, and
suddenly it isn?t.? This line and the
ones which follow, ?It?s just to make sure you answer the questions
truthfully.? make us wonder about the seemingly insignificant comments that
have been said previously, namely about Dickie?s intelligence, as it gives us
an idea that this may have something to do with the unusualness of the exam. ·
When Dickie?s mother
?composed her face into a misty smile?, this language gives us the idea that
she is only putting the smile on for Dickie?s benefit, which furthers the
concept that the exam is not like others, and Dickie?s parents know far more
about it than they are letting on to him.?
This becomes evident later on. ·
When the room is
described ?As cold and official as a courtroom,? it is presumed by the reader
that it not a friendly place to be, and so the candidate is not considered as
important, and they are not at all worried about putting them at their
ease.? The reason for this is evident
later.? However, the main reason for
Slesar using this language is to create a tense and hostile atmosphere so that
the reader feels as though they are there and going through whatever Dickie
goes through. ·
When the movements of
other boys in the room are described as ?leave his father?s side reluctantly?
then it is clear to the reader that the fear felt by both Dickie and his
parents is not unique to them and other boys feel the same too.? This implies that the exam is indeed
something extraordinary and not just the Jordan?s paranoia.? This helps build up the atmosphere in the
waiting room.? Another phrase that helps
to do this is ?A concealed loudspeaker crackled? because it makes the regime
look all the more officious and something to get upset or curious about. ·
When the attendant is
?grey tunicked? then this language furthers the impression of the hostile
environment and so the build up to the test becomes all the more immense.? When the attendant?s voice is described as
?softly? then this is again, trying to lull Dickie into a false sense of
security.? This gives the reader that
there is definitely an aspect of the exam to get worried about. ·
When we learn that
Dickie has a classification number, ?… is 600-115.? the atmosphere gets
tenser as the exam becomes more officious, and instead of names, mere numbers
are used.? This suggests that the boys
are not treated as human beings, but simply as statistics which pass through
the hands of the attendants every day.?
This makes is impersonal and all the fears about the exam that Dickie,
his parents and other families went through seems justified. ·
The exam becomes far
from normal when Dickie ?downed it [the drink]? and the attendant ?flashed a
tiny light into the boy?s eyes.?? This
makes the reader excited because they do not know what is going to happen next,
as the procedures are like nothing we have ever heard about before.? It is the language which has built up the
atmosphere and emotions which causes it to have this effect on us. ·
?We have not usually heard of an exam
involving a ?multi-dialled computing machine? and so this builds up the
readers? expectations even further, and the language used such as ?I?ll leave
you alone now? is not normal for an exam either.? All of this coupled with the reactions of the computer to
Dickie?s voice, ?a mechanism whirred? makes the expectations of the reader very
high.? However, the language is very
clever, because although we are told that Dickie is clever, we do not join this
with Mr Jordan?s negative reactions, the atmosphere and procedures until right
at the very end, and Slesar keeps the reader guessing until the very end, which
The emotions of Mr and
Mrs Jordan ?Not speaking, not even speculating? show us that the outcome of the
exam is very important to them both and also to Dickie.? This still leaves the reader guessing
because we have absolutely no idea what the outcome will be. ·
The language used up
until the very end is very descriptive.?
?Clipped; a brisk official voice? and ?the voice droned on? makes the
reader aware that the Government are not perturbed by the outcome of the test.? However, this contrasts very well with Mrs
Jordan?s reactions, ?The woman cried out? which shows that the Government?s
news is devastating.? However, true to a
good story, we are still totally unaware of the outcome. · The final phrase, ?We regret to inform you…? shows
impending disaster, and this type of language is what keeps the reader on the
edge of their seat.? When the Jordans
are asked what they want done with Dickie?s body, we understand that he has
been killed because ?his intelligence quotient has exceeded the Government
regulation?.? This has to be one of the
most unexpected endings possible on a story and so this really surprises the
reader, and the language makes the story an excellent read.? It should also be noted the way in which the
language has tied in all the ideas of the story, and we are not left with a
shadow of doubt about anything, such as why Mr Jordan answered Dickie?s
questions incorrectly deliberately.