Not So Smart Now

On "The Examination Day" by Henry Sleaser, a young boy named Richard (or as his parents call him, Dickie) Jordan is on his birthday turning twelve. In the morning, he overhears his parents talking about some kind of test. Dickie was a really curious boy, he wondered about everything. He asked his parents about this test, they told him that it was nothing to be afraid of, it was just a regular test that the Government took every kid on his age. A week passed, and now Dickie was on the Government Educational Building ready to take the test. He was given a sort of drink that allowed him only to tell the truth. After he took the test his parents recieved a call. The Government informed them Dickie was a smart boy, in fact, too smart, so.........
He needed to be killed.







I think that on this story the use of Imagery isnt often, however, it is only used to show sight and not any of the other senses. 

"The room was as cold and official as a courtroom, with long benches flanking metal tables. There were several fathers and sons already there, and a thin-lipped woman with cropped black hair was passing out sheets of paper."

Even though this use of imagery only appeals to sight, it is very strong, and well used. Since on the story we are entering into a new place (Government Educational Building) the use of strong imagery and details let us know exactly how this new place is. It is really well descibed and it sort of make us imagine how it really is.

He led Dickie to the end of the room, where a single wooden armchair faced a multi-dialled computing machine. There was a microphone on the left arm of the chair, and when the boy sat down, he found its pinpoint head conveniently at his mouth.

Again, when we get introduced into a new setting, it is perfectly described. It prevents you from getting lost on the story, once you imagine the place as it is discribed on the book you feel like if you were inside the story. It is a really good use of Imagery.


This short story is, by now, one of my favourites. Even though it is no more that 2 pages long, it would have been a mistake to make it larger. All the details the imagery has makes the reader feel like part of the story, and it wasnt necessary to try to appeal to the other senses, it is great just how it is. And even the ending, I sure wasnt expecting it, I just got surprised by it. This is by definitively a great short story.