Oct 20 2008
Examination Day by Henry Seslar
BY THEBOSTONBACHELOR.COM / October 20, 2008
An odd short story I read in 8th Grade English that stuck with me throughout the years…
Examination Day
The Jordans never spoke of the exam, not until their son, Dickie, was twelve years old. It was on his birthday that Mrs Jordan first mentioned the subject in his presence, and the anxious manner of her speech caused her husband to answer sharply.
‘Forget about it,’ he said. ‘He’ll do all right.’
They were at breakfast table, and the boy looked up from his plate curiously. He was an alert-eyed youngster with flat blond hair and a quick, nervous manner. He didn’t understand what the sudden tension was about, but he did know that today was his birthday, and he wanted harmony above all. Somewhere in the little apartment there were wrapped, beribboned packages waiting to be opened, and in the tiny wall-kitchen something warm and sweet was being prepared in the automatic stove. He wanted the day to be happy, and the moistness of his mother’s eyes, the scowl on his father’s face, spoiled the mood of fluttering expectation with which he had greeted the morning.
‘What exam?’ he asked.
His mother looked at the tablecloth. ‘It’s just a sort of Government Intelligence test they give children at the age of twelve. You’ll be taking it next week. It’s nothing to worry about.’
‘You mean a test like in school?’
‘Something like that,’ his father said, getting up from the table. ‘Go and read your comics, Dickie.’ The boy rose and wandered towards that part of the living room which had been ‘his’ corner since infancy. He fingered the topmost comic of the stack, but seemed uninterested in the colourful squares of fast-paced action. He wandered towards the window, and peered gloomily at the veil of mist that shrouded the glass.
‘Why did it have to rain today?’ he said. ‘Why couldn’t it rain tomorrow?’
His father, now slumped into an armchair with the Government newspaper rattled the sheets in vexation. ‘Because it just did, that’s all. Rain makes the grass grow.’
‘Why, Dad?’
‘Because it does, that’s all.’
Dickie puckered his brow. ‘What makes it green, though? The grass?’
‘Nobody knows,’ his father snapped, then immediately regretted his abruptness.
Later in the day, it was birthday time again. His mother beamed as she handed over the gaily-coloured packages, and even his father managed a grin and a rumple-of-the-hair. He kissed his mother and shook hands gravely with his father. Then the birthday cake was brought forth, and the ceremonies concluded.
An hour later, seated by the window, he watched the sun force its way between the clouds.
‘Dad,’ he said, ‘how far away is the sun?’
‘Five thousand miles,’ his father said.
Dickie sat at the breakfast table and again saw moisture in his mother’s eyes. He didn’t connect her tears with the exam until his father suddenly brought the subject to light again.
‘Well, Dickie,’ he said, with a manly frown, ‘you’ve got an appointment today.’
‘I know Dad. 1 hope –’
‘Now, it’s nothing to worry about. Thousands of children take this test every day. The Government wants to know how smart you are, Dickie. That’s all there is to it.’
‘I get good marks in school,’ he said hesitantly.
‘This is different. This is a – special kind of test. They give you this stuff to drink, you see, and then you go into a room where there’s a sort of machine –‘
‘What stuff to drink?’ Dickie said.
‘It’s nothing. It tastes like peppermint. It’s just to make sure you answer the questions truthfully. Not that the Government thinks you won’t tell the truth, but it makes sure.’
Dickie’s face showed puzzlement, and a touch of fright. He looked at his mother, and she composed her face into a misty smile.
‘Everything will be all right,’ she said.
‘Of course it will,’ his father agreed. ‘You’re a good boy, Dickie; you’ll make out fine. Then we’ll come home and celebrate. All right?’
‘Yes sir,’ Dickie said.
They entered the Government Educational Building fifteen minutes before the appointed hour. They crossed the marble floors of the great pillared lobby, passed beneath an archway and entered an automatic lift that brought them to the fourth floor.
There was a young man wearing an insignia-less tunic, seated at a polished desk in front of Room 404. He held a clipboard in his hand, and he checked the list down to the Js and permitted the Jordans to enter.
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.
Mr Jordan filled out the form, and returned it to the clerk. Then he told Dickie: ‘It won’t be long now. When they call your name, you just go through the doorway at the end of the room.’ He indicated the portal with his finger.
A concealed loudspeaker crackled and called off the first name. Dickie saw a boy leave his father’s side reluctantly and walk slowly towards the door.
At five minutes to eleven, they called the name of Jordan.
‘Good luck, son,’ his father said, without looking at him. ‘I’ll call for you when the test is over.’
Dickie walked to the door and turned the knob. The room inside was dim, and he could barely make out the features of the grey-tunicked attendant who greeted him.
‘Sit down,’ the man said softly. He indicated a high stool beside his desk. ‘Your name’s Richard Jordan?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Your classification number is 600-115. Drink this, Richard.’
He lifted a plastic cup from the desk and handed it to the boy. The liquid inside had the consistency of buttermilk, tasted only vaguely of the promised peppermint. Dickie downed it, and handed the man the empty cup.
He sat in silence, feeling drowsy, while the man wrote busily on a sheet of paper. Then the attendant looked at his watch, and rose to stand only inches from Dickie’s face. He unclipped a penlike object from the pocket of his tunic, and flashed a tiny light into the boy’s eyes.
‘All right,’ he said. ‘Come with me, Richard.’
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.
‘Now just relax, Richard. You’ll be asked some questions, and you think them over carefully. Then give your answers into the microphone. The machine will take care of the rest.’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘I’ll leave you alone now. Whenever you want to start, just say “ready” into the microphone.’
‘Yes, sir.’
The man squeezed his shoulder, and left.
Dickie said, ‘Ready.’
Lights appeared on the machine, and a mechanism whirred. A voice said: ‘Complete this sequence. One, four, seven, ten . .
Mr and Mrs Jordan were in the living room, not speaking, not even speculating.
It was almost four o’clock when the telephone rang. The woman tried to reach it first, but her husband was quicker.
‘Mr Jordan?’
The voice was clipped: a brisk, official voice.
‘Yes, speaking.’
‘This is the Government Educational Service. Your son, Richard M Jordan, Classification 600-115 has completed the Government examination. We regret to inform you that his intelligence quotient is above the Government regulation, according to Rule 84 Section 5 of the New Code.’
Across the room, the woman cried out, knowing nothing except the emotion she read on her husband’s face.
‘You may specify by telephone,’ the voice droned on, ‘whether you wish his body interred by the Government, or would you prefer a private burial place? The fee for Government burial is ten dollars.’
Equality for all kid.
part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l94MIlxZHP4
part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnI0a9km7aQ
The classic thing is, this short story was first published in a 1958 issue of Playboy. Good thing no one actually reads the articles; talk about a potential wood-killer.
I miss shows like The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. There was also a short lived series before my time called Tales of the Unexpected, adapted from a collection of short stories by Roald Dahl (James and the Giant Peach there of). I never got a chance to watch it but the book was brilliant.
Floor… The Twilight Zone is a delight kid.
i cant put into word what i think of this story, i really find it interesting. in yr ten we studied it, and i regret to say i never paid much attention, now in my 12 yr im finding it so insightful, it really makes you think. thats one thing i love about such short stories, such as the destructors by Graham Greene, i first heard about that one in i movie, Donnie Darko, (gotta love it!!!)
wish i paid more attention in class… but what are you gonna do.
i truly love this story and have chosen it as the new subject of my current studying.
awesome story! makes you think!
Well. I dont excatly see the point of moral, if you will, of this story. But we have to read it in Language Arts class, and it makes you think.
I like it.
I pretty much see where the author is going.
“Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut addresses pretty much the same thing, and it’s a much more gripping read.
wait i dont get it…did he die?
Examination Day
The Jordans never spoke of the exam, not until their son, Dickie, was twelve years old. It was on his birthday that Mrs Jordan first mentioned the subject in his presence, and the anxious manner of her speech caused her husband to answer sharply.
‘Forget about it,’ he said. ‘He’ll do all right.’
They were at breakfast table, and the boy looked up from his plate curiously. He was an alert-eyed youngster with flat blond hair and a quick, nervous manner. He didn’t understand what the sudden tension was about, but he did know that today was his birthday, and he wanted harmony above all. Somewhere in the little apartment there were wrapped, beribboned packages waiting to be opened, and in the tiny wall-kitchen something warm and sweet was being prepared in the automatic stove. He wanted the day to be happy, and the moistness of his mother’s eyes, the scowl on his father’s face, spoiled the mood of fluttering expectation with which he had greeted the morning.
‘What exam?’ he asked.
His mother looked at the tablecloth. ‘It’s just a sort of Government Intelligence test they give children at the age of twelve. You’ll be taking it next week. It’s nothing to worry about.’
‘You mean a test like in school?’
‘Something like that,’ his father said, getting up from the table. ‘Go and read your comics, Dickie.’ The boy rose and wandered towards that part of the living room which had been ‘his’ corner since infancy. He fingered the topmost comic of the stack, but seemed uninterested in the colourful squares of fast-paced action. He wandered towards the window, and peered gloomily at the veil of mist that shrouded the glass.
‘Why did it have to rain today?’ he said. ‘Why couldn’t it rain tomorrow?’
His father, now slumped into an armchair with the Government newspaper rattled the sheets in vexation. ‘Because it just did, that’s all. Rain makes the grass grow.’
‘Why, Dad?’
‘Because it does, that’s all.’
Dickie puckered his brow. ‘What makes it green, though? The grass?’
‘Nobody knows,’ his father snapped, then immediately regretted his abruptness.
Later in the day, it was birthday time again. His mother beamed as she handed over the gaily-coloured packages, and even his father managed a grin and a rumple-of-the-hair. He kissed his mother and shook hands gravely with his father. Then the birthday cake was brought forth, and the ceremonies concluded.
An hour later, seated by the window, he watched the sun force its way between the clouds.
‘Dad,’ he said, ‘how far away is the sun?’
‘Five thousand miles,’ his father said.
Dickie sat at the breakfast table and again saw moisture in his mother’s eyes. He didn’t connect her tears with the exam until his father suddenly brought the subject to light again.
‘Well, Dickie,’ he said, with a manly frown, ‘you’ve got an appointment today.’
‘I know Dad. 1 hope –’
‘Now, it’s nothing to worry about. Thousands of children take this test every day. The Government wants to know how smart you are, Dickie. That’s all there is to it.’
‘I get good marks in school,’ he said hesitantly.
‘This is different. This is a – special kind of test. They give you this stuff to drink, you see, and then you go into a room where there’s a sort of machine –‘
‘What stuff to drink?’ Dickie said.
‘It’s nothing. It tastes like peppermint. It’s just to make sure you answer the questions truthfully. Not that the Government thinks you won’t tell the truth, but it makes sure.’
Dickie’s face showed puzzlement, and a touch of fright. He looked at his mother, and she composed her face into a misty smile.
‘Everything will be all right,’ she said.
‘Of course it will,’ his father agreed. ‘You’re a good boy, Dickie; you’ll make out fine. Then we’ll come home and celebrate. All right?’
‘Yes sir,’ Dickie said.
They entered the Government Educational Building fifteen minutes before the appointed hour. They crossed the marble floors of the great pillared lobby, passed beneath an archway and entered an automatic lift that brought them to the fourth floor.
There was a young man wearing an insignia-less tunic, seated at a polished desk in front of Room 404. He held a clipboard in his hand, and he checked the list down to the Js and permitted the Jordans to enter.
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.
Mr Jordan filled out the form, and returned it to the clerk. Then he told Dickie: ‘It won’t be long now. When they call your name, you just go through the doorway at the end of the room.’ He indicated the portal with his finger.
A concealed loudspeaker crackled and called off the first name. Dickie saw a boy leave his father’s side reluctantly and walk slowly towards the door.
At five minutes to eleven, they called the name of Jordan.
‘Good luck, son,’ his father said, without looking at him. ‘I’ll call for you when the test is over.’
Dickie walked to the door and turned the knob. The room inside was dim, and he could barely make out the features of the grey-tunicked attendant who greeted him.
‘Sit down,’ the man said softly. He indicated a high stool beside his desk. ‘Your name’s Richard Jordan?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Your classification number is 600-115. Drink this, Richard.’
He lifted a plastic cup from the desk and handed it to the boy. The liquid inside had the consistency of buttermilk, tasted only vaguely of the promised peppermint. Dickie downed it, and handed the man the empty cup.
He sat in silence, feeling drowsy, while the man wrote busily on a sheet of paper. Then the attendant looked at his watch, and rose to stand only inches from Dickie’s face. He unclipped a penlike object from the pocket of his tunic, and flashed a tiny light into the boy’s eyes.
‘All right,’ he said. ‘Come with me, Richard.’
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.
‘Now just relax, Richard. You’ll be asked some questions, and you think them over carefully. Then give your answers into the microphone. The machine will take care of the rest.’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘I’ll leave you alone now. Whenever you want to start, just say “ready” into the microphone.’
‘Yes, sir.’
The man squeezed his shoulder, and left.
Dickie said, ‘Ready.’
Lights appeared on the machine, and a mechanism whirred. A voice said: ‘Complete this sequence. One, four, seven, ten . .
Mr and Mrs Jordan were in the living room, not speaking, not even speculating.
It was almost four o’clock when the telephone rang. The woman tried to reach it first, but her husband was quicker.
‘Mr Jordan?’
The voice was clipped: a brisk, official voice.
‘Yes, speaking.’
‘This is the Government Educational Service. Your son, Richard M Jordan, Classification 600-115 has completed the Government examination. We regret to inform you that his intelligence quotient is above the Government regulation, according to Rule 84 Section 5 of the New Code.’
Across the room, the woman cried out, knowing nothing except the emotion she read on her husband’s face.
‘You may specify by telephone,’ the voice droned on, ‘whether you wish his body interred by the Government, or would you prefer a private burial place? The fee for Government burial is ten dollars.’
Can I ask what does the story telling about?
How come they killed Dickie in the end of the story?
Because he was too damn smart, and thoughtful people can’t be controlled.
wow eh
This story is all fucked up man I mean SHIT!!! This story doesn’t make sense at all!!!!! Why do you FUCKERS say it’s even good?????
Yeah, I agree with you man!!!!! THIS STORY’S ALL FUCKED UP MAN!!!!!!!!!
sorry to say but this FUCKING STORY SHOULDN’T EVEN BE CALLED A STORY!!!!! IT’S JUST A FUCKING BAD ESSAY SOMEONE MADE AT KINDERGARTEN AND CHOSE TO USE IT FOR US TO READ!!!!!!!!! FUCK MAN THIS STORY SUCKS AND ALL YOU FUCKHEADS SHOULD HAVE KNOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GOD, I FEEL LIKE I WANNA HAVE SEX RIGHT NOW MAN I MEAN WITH ALL THE FUCK WORD I READ!!!!!!!!!!!
yeah, I’m watchin some real porn right now n it’s really turnin me on man!!!!
God yeah man HAHAHAHAHA!!!!! I feel like i wanna stick my dick in kim kardashian’s cunt and squeeze gemma atkinson’s boobs real hard!!!!!!!!
can’t you guys respect the story please!!!!!!!!!??????
i, mean what the hell’s wrong with it? i think that it’s pretty good
SHUT THE FUCK UP DICKHEAD!!!!!!!
SHUT THE FUCK UP DICKHEAD!!!!!!
YEAH, SHUT THE FUCK UP DICKHEAD!!!!!!!
whteva its a great emotional story.. this story is done in schools as in form 6 and has alot of themes.. dump ppl who dnt uderstand it will neva knw hw good it is..
he gets killed because it was said that smart people are a threat to the government
that is a technologically sophisticated society
Fuck you asshole!!! Anonymous is a fucking asshole!!! YOUR the one who doesn’t understand the story! If its so good why was it first seen in playboy???? You fucking motherfucker, go fuck yourself asshole…
its science fiction…they enter all the twelve year olds for an intelligence test, if they are too clever, they get killed by the government
he got killed off because he was too damn smart, that is bloody fucked up. no i’m not talking about the story, the story is good, the government is fucked up… its like dictatorship!
Because he has a high IQ. That’s why his parents were trying to make him seem as dumb as possible, so that he wouldn’t be killed. They are living in a society where only people who can’t think for themselves are allowed to live into adulthood.
I read it in school aswell.
the govenrment is very wierd and so worst..they’re bitch
[...] Re: Bleak future if you are smart I’m pretty sure this is Examination Day by Henry Seslar… And it’s pretty easy to tell, because it’s here: Examination Day by Henry Slesar [...]
the government sees those with a high intelligence as a threat, so they attempt to eliminate them
this story is very dark but i like it XD
The story is indeed very dark, and yes the idea that a child was outside the government regulated IQ, so was executed for it is disturbing. It begs the question of if rule 84 listed both a high and low cutoff point, literally, of IQ. for thought provocation, high end. For happy tale where patience. intelligence, and hard work make the protagonist the star of the story who lives happily ever after? abyssmal.
I think it’s a good story, it does show that if the government gets to much power then this could happen and the smarter people will be killed off so that the government can stay in power.
great little story, rememeber it vividly from when i first read it. it seems a lot of people’s comments here are indicative of the type of people that this fictional government would want in their society, i.e. idiots.
My english teacher loves THIS!
i think this story is quite good i mean like my class did it in school and then we wrote a essay on it
I would recommend Orson Scott Card’s “Unaccompanied Sonata” to anyone that is interested in this genre of short story (in addition to the Vonnegut already mentioned).
A lot of the commenters here would obviously pass the test.
My heart goes out to my American cousins who live in such a state of fear and paranoia…
I like eggs
Its called totalitarianism.
It means the government has complete control over society.
At the start Dickie is asking lots of questions and his dad gives him stupid answers.
This is probably because he is stupid himself because he is still alive.
The liquid they give him is probably something like truth serum so he cant lie in the test and fail so he can live.
If you read “The Pedestrian” by “Ray Bradbury” the story runs along similar lines.
Bacon and eggs is so good
I love this story the more i read it. We are writing an essay on a character from it at school and I find it really interesting. I choose Mr Jordan and now the more i think about it i reckon he is an amazing character and has a really interesting way of dealing with the situation
Some of you guys leaving comments obviously dont understand the meaning of the short story….
also ladiesman217 has got issues :/
I think this story is one of literary genius, though this kind of story was not alone in the era it was written.
If you’re interested in this genre read “Harrison Bergeron”
Seems a pretty harsh story for 8th graders.
it is a good but depressing story
Great story.
ur gay
no im not armendo
Good story if you understand it but i think some Fucko’s don
t
i love this story so much it makes me feel like masturbating
This story leaves you tripping balls. shame it isnt elaborated
Fap over this story in addition to granny porn
wow this story is mind opening. but it really makes you think..
WHY are people swearing so much?
Obviously if your using the work ‘fuck’ or ‘asshole’ as a connecting word between your mindless blabber you dont understand an excellent piece of writing that is infront of you.
Its so insightful and invokes emotion in you if you take the time to really read it through and think.
Opressive government isnt just a thing of fiction hehe
And may i add that i Playboy must of had a section in their magazine for stories from people to be published, Henry Slesar obviously took whatever opportunity he could to get his story published. Its not that this story has any sexual themes!
those people who are using that language should really respect the piece.
personally i think that you’re making yourself sound very low and pathetic. do you not have anything better to do than comment on an excellent short story?
I just wrote a test about the text in my english lesson and I liked it very much. Unbereable good. It made me think and I wrote more than 1000 words about it. The hidden moral was quiet easy to figure it out at all…
Love it!
you made a mistake
We regret to inform you that his intelligence quotient [is above]* the Government regulation, according to Rule 84 Section 5 of the New Code
*has exceeded
din mamma
You can tell the cursing people who hate it or have no clue what it means are just fine and dandy with the Kenyan Muslim dictator. America is almost dumbed down enough….
This is how Sarah Palin would run things if she could.
man this fucking storo fucks man bcoz the dick is stated in here and i think it only implies sexual themes….uuhhhh fuck it
well it can only be said that Dick dies because he might have fucked his dick with the lady who calls his parents..so its patent that he died of a sexual torture…
No im sorry to say that Dickie is executed due to his high level of intelligence which is not accepted in his society. the story is so interesting and you dimwits dont seem to understand the tregady.. Happy Reading ae..
This story is awful, I read it because my brother got it as an assignment for his english class and it’s stupid, it doesn’t make you think and it’s not insightful, what is it that inspires you?
is it that fact that Richards father doesn’t love him and even on potentially the day that he might die all his dad can do is ‘give him a handshake’ that “Inspires” all you?
all this story makes me think is that a dictatorship doesn’t start in england doing the same thing, that would suck.
i hate all sad stories
and i hated this story more than any story i read in my whole life.
If it was first published in 1958 (Playboy, as an earlier commenter stated) then i think it could be a satire of eugenics. Eugenics wasn’t an unpopular principal back then. Of course, stupid people were the victims. This flips it around.
I think unless you’re aware of the arguments for eugenics, and when eugenics was floating around peoples consciousness, then you wouldn’t get much out of this. I know only a little, but i found the story gripping, graphic and terrifying.
It could also be used by the “small government” zealots in a suggestive way.
I liked this story a lot. It reflects on an oppressive society and makes us think about government control and how much is too much. It is a very disturbing story as in some society’s this is not far from the truth. The boy is an innocent victim of a totalatarian government who seem to be killing off those too intelligent to be of any threat to them. This is nazi like in their brutallity and instead of creating a supreme race they are dumbing the population down to fit their own needs. In some ways also like pul pot. Anyways just my thoughts on the initial read through
This is a story to simply emphasis the effect and power that the government has over choosing who lives in a society. The smarter ones are killed so that there is more likely to rise up against the government. This whole story is to show how corruption destroys Power.. Its a metaphor dumb asses!
Mah english teachr said something really freaky about this story the other day; that this MAY be the future of America. it friggs meh out. yeesh.
the whole point in this story is to make people think that killing folk for being smart is ridiculous and obscene but infact when you think about it, it has been done all throughout history from the religous oppression against science when the likes of gallaleo and isaac newton were kicking about till upto the 1970s when Khmer Rouge had all the intellectuals in cambodia killed
Well- The story and episode are virtually identical but isn’t nice to know most of these sad morons would pass the test.
This is a deceptively simple story I think it’s made it’s point.
Ignore at your peril.
WTF…..Who the heck made this stucked up story,it does not make any god dam sense and like wat the hell again,the kids with bloody parents do not tell them about anything and then their kids sit for a bloody examination,they get killed,DO PRESIDENTS DO THAT?HOLY CRAP.this thing is epic and it is somewhat idiotic.And then all the girls who read this will go all emo and ask stucked up questions about this.GUYS,KILL ALL OF THEM IF THEY ASKS US MAN,DOWN WITH THIS BARBARIC EXAMINATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!FUCK THEM ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
THIS IS ALL GOD DAM BULL SHIT
DO A BOOB JOB AND CUM THEIR FACES
Warnings against totalitarianism and its effects on society; and how the totalitarian state could exert control.
this ending is random
this story is actually about the government having too much power and eliminating the higher intelligent people, so they could get absolute control. It’s warning us, so our governments don’t become like us. Obviously, some idiots above don’t see the powerful meaning to this short story.
This is about the only short story, I enjoyed studying this year.
at comment about^
you mean.. like this?
some intelligent person, you are.
HAHA^ AGREED MAN.
WOW.
SO QUICK, what are some symbols used?
Thanks for posting this. I read this when I was a kid, and I have been trying to find it, but I couldn’t think of the name. Thanks!
These trolls here are some of the worst I have ever seen in my life. It’s like they’re not even trying.
Why didnt his parents warn him about the test? What if they could have saved him by telling him to act stupid?
‘What if they could have saved him by telling him to act stupid?’
I think that’s where the truth serum comes in. There was nothing they could do except discourage his curiousity.
This story sux! It doesnt even makes sense!
Trollers on this thread are either super stupid and mean what they say, or are just medium dumb, thinking they’re all edgy by making super stupid comments indicative of the dim-witted and misinformed father in the story. How meta. Way brilliant.
The story just goes to illustrate how easy it is for people to be told what is acceptable, factual, or ideal. A world that rewards stupidity? We already have one.
Welcome to the California public school system, where we raise the water level of intelligence by dredging the bottom.
Thanks for posting this. I read this at school when I was about 12. Has stuck with me ever since but I could never remember who wrote it.
Wow! I like the story, I was thinking in my head,” Oh wow, did NOT see that coming!!!
i love this story brings back memories of high school
I’m in tenth grade and we just read it. For others who enjoyed it like me I strongly suggest reading 1984 by George Orwell as it has a very similar satirical outlook on the Government and their malignant potential. Just a suggestion
I was 12 when this was first broadcast as an episode of the twilight zone (1985) and it scared the bejeezus out of me.
To those children posting here using bad language and loudly exclaiming how “fuc*ed” it is..
..don’t worry, if this potential government ever comes into existence, YOUR parents will have nothing to fear.
i really liked this on a subconscious level, man , it was so deep, it related to my life.
dfijfijdfhbtkdjv
fck dis
Hello, I need some help to answer these questions please, can somebody help me ?
I didn’t understand at all this story :$
1. How would you describe the mood of Mr and Mrs Jordan at the opening of the story?(Write down any of the following which you think are appropriate) Are they:
cheerful nervous neutral worried happy sad scared
Find some evidence to support what you think (CLUE: Look at the adjectives and adverbs that Slesar uses in the story)
2. Why do you think Mr and Mrs Jordan are in this mood?
3. “He fingered the topmost comic of the stack, but seemed uninterested in the colorful (sic)* squares of fast-paced action. He wandered towards the window,and peered gloomily at the veil of mist that shrouded the glass.”
Use a dictionary to find the meaning of the words veil, wander, gloomily, and shroud. How is Dickie feeling at this point in the story, and how do these words give us a clue to the ending of the story?
4. What evidence is there in the first section of the story that Dickie is quite intelligent? (Use quotations to support your answer)
5. “Thousands of children take this test every day. The Government wants to know how smart you are.” Do you think that tests are a good thing in school? Should teachers test you to make sure you are learning, or should you not have to bother?
6. Normally, we are pleased when we pass a test, do you think Dickie will pass this test? (CLUE: It may help you to think of the meaning of the word “test.” See what the Dictionary says a test is)
7. “The room was as cold and official as a courtroom, with long benches flanking metal tables” This is how the writer describes the place that Dickie must sit the test. Does it sound like a friendly place? (Find some more evidence to support your answer)
8. Why do you think Dickie is given a drink before sitting his test, and is this normal when you are sitting a test?
9. “Complete this sequence. One, four, seven, ten…” This is the first question that Dickie is asked. What is the next number in the sequence, and do you think it is a difficult question?
10. “We regret to inform you that his intelligence quotient has exceeded the Government regulation, according to Rule 84, Section 5, of the New Code.”
i) Which word tells us that Mr. Jordan is about to get bad news?
ii) What does “intelligence quotient” mean? (Use a dictionary, or ask a teacher if you can’t work it out)
iii) What do you think that “Rule 84, Section 5, of the New Code” is?
11. Why did Dickie fail the test, what happened to him, and do you think this was fair?
* – The expression (sic) is used to show that the word before it is correct, even if it looks wrong. What is the word that looks wrong here, and why does it look this way? (CLUE: Stars and Stripes)
hi
fuck
f
u
c
k
wat a good story
wat a shit story
fuck u cunts
i suck
no esther sucks
sorry
srry
THAT IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF DISRESPECT OF HUMAN RIGHTS. IF ONLY COMMUNISTS COULD SEE THAT THE ONLY WAY FOR THEIR COUNTRY TO HAVE A BETTER FUTURE IS TO ALLOW THE YOUNGER GENERATION TO LIVE! AND BESIDES…IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF BRILLIANT PEOPLE GROW UP AND OVERTHROW THE COMMUNIST LEADERS OF THEIR COUNTRIES…
this is a stupid story that i eva studid …………its ful of bulshit fact
Everyone has their own way of thinking,if you like it just say it,if you hate it,just say it.I do not think it is appropriate to use such vulgar language or insult other people.People who do that obviously have nothing better to do
Had to read the ending over and over again to believe it
^why does it say it’s 2:32AM when it is 5:32PM?
What is more intriguing than this story are the disingenuous posts that follow. Why do people post such drivel? Presumably it’s not because their IQ only equips them to achieve profanity. What is it? Are you simply craving to be noticed? Posting to have someone acknowledge your existence? In fact… why am I posting this post?
I’M BAACCKK GUUYSSSSS
fuck off ladiesman, this story may be shit, but don’t come here just to spam the fucking comments
Hated the story, fucking story fucked ass! for fuck’s sake, can anybody write a decent story nowadays???
To all those who think this story isnt good but ‘fucked’, you’re all FULL OF SHIT!!
this story rox! maybe its juz a little weird…
i’m in 8th grade and we’re studying this short story. to be honest when i first read it, it didn’t make sense at all. i had to google it and research about the meaning of the story. pretty weird. and not a very good story for 12/13 year olds to be studying about. vast loss of interest.
i need help guys i have to do this for my homework
help asap!
nico..do u have a twitter or request line or something? u broke that down in a way that was sooo profound, if u are not a teacher i think u should be. im 30 n was blown away..any questions i had were made clear just by u leading me to be answer them myself..thx, i would be interested to be ‘lead’ on other topics as well
just read that again, @nico if u were reciting ur assignment, wat is ur teachers name and pls pay attn in that class, whoever posed these ? is going to be pivotal in shaping ur mind, i guarantee
Seriously, you guys, get a grip.
All of you who are cursing at this story and saying terrible things about it clearly misunderstand the story and it’s purpose.
It does make sense if you take 3 seconds to use your puny pathetic brains to work it out.
It was a corrupt goverment that controlled everyone. They tried to keep everyone dumb and stupid so they weren’t smart enough to see it was wrong to do this, and to do this they needed to remove people that were too smart – Richard was too smart, so they removed him. His parents were probably ordered not to tell him about the exam by law, and it wouldn’t have mattered – he couldn’t have lied or anything to seem dumb, not with the truth syrup they gave him.
You retards should hope this never really happens. Because if you still don’t understand what the stories about now, you will if this ever comes to pass.
that is AWESOME!! i’m in year 7 and studying it
it is un fair to kill an innoccone chil
ugh i have 2 write an essay on this story!!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG! What happened next!!??
OMG! I want to know what happened! How did he die, Why did he die, What will happen to him if he hasn’t died!?
hey mee 2! am doin the ending to this story as my homework! i need answers!!
I have to write an essay on this too. He get’s killed because he is too smart for the Governments liking. There is a totalitarian regime taking place here, the Government are controlling everything and don’t wan’t children who are too smart now to grow up and realise that they have no freedom and try to change things.
the goverment doesnt want the kid to be too clever or he oculd take over the goverment ..so they kill him , this story was written ages ago ..and shows a way of ‘totalitarianism’ which basicly is a form of goverment in which the rules is a absolute dictator
@Random I’d like to add that if it does happen, they’ll be the ones left around. THAT is why it’s a scary future to imagine.
im fucked, i have to write an in class essay about this tomorrow -.-
lol
[...] This episode was adapted from the short story of the same name by Henry Slesar which was originally published in Playboy back in 1958. You can read the original short story, here. [...]
wow this story is great I didnt understand it at the first time I was like what burial ten dollar fee ? Then when I read it again I was like gasp great story how the goverment controlls things my mom all into free mason and illuminati in fact illuminati means the iluminated ones which only they are illumnated with light or knowledge of what really happens and only those illuminated ones get the knowledge repptillians aliens ufos conspiracy brainwash goverment has power he even when we are awake he brainwashes us to remember nothing they did to us and the same to the couldve been witnesses but instead of letting the opposite happen no we must take over this planet and hide secrets sooner or later they are going to come out and say well this is reality people face it every culture around the world has talked about a race of lizard people or serphent people repptillians every world leader is one hey everybody who says cus words probably is the goverment trying to neutralize it from spreading just trying to sugar coat it keep spreading it anoymaus its time for the people to open their eyes
I love your enthusiasam anonymous keep it flowing keep gowing keep it gowing dont let the goverment wear you down go anonymous
Most of the posters here would have nothing to fear in this sort of scenario.
What you guys see in the story is just a little boy getting killed. The underlying message is that people are evil and if we don’t do anything about it bad things will happen. The IQ test does not matter about how smart you are. It’s about how much information can you soak into your brain. That is practically it. If you are not able to see the moral of this story then I give you sympathy. Sad tale of course but the wording of this story makes me delighted.
kat
when i first read this story i thought `i wasn`t expecting that to happen you just don`t expect the lad to be killed because of how high his intelligence rate was. Overall it is a good short story and i don`t think i will ever forget it.
i also read this as a child in junior high and could never get it out of my mind. truth be told i think it has changed me over the years and my outlook on school. great story and i hope to past it on the my kids “FREE THE MIND AND FEED THE SOUL”
The story’s a bit gothic…
People who don’t understand the story are morons.
I remember this story from 8th grade, also. I never forgot about it. Enjoyed reading it again today.
this story is sooooo good. it inspires me as it is such a good story.
someone reply
lolzor
Yes, the boy is dead. The government had him killed. The boy was “too smart”. The government was afraid he would over throw them as an adult. The government in the story wanted to take care of those who could challenge them.
hello bitches
you guys are reading a sad story so guess what cussing isnt that bad so shut the fuck up
dose the boy die ????
i don’t understand … just becouse the exam … i don’t get the moral from this story is it : ” don’t do any exams ?? ” ….. XP
dose the boy die ????
i don’t understand … just becouse the exam … i don’t get the moral from this story is it : ” don’t do any exams ?? ” ….. XP
touching story.has a hidden message in it.i liked it
the story is very interesting and fun…..but fuck the damn government….this is bullshit…..and im havin a test on it rite after typin this …………fuk the government
‘He wandered towards the window and peered gloomily at the veil of mist that shrouded the glass’
Does anybody know what figure of speech this is?
LOSERS>>>
ALL OF U GUYS R DRY>>> I’ll DROP ALL OF u… BITCHES
[...] http://www.thebostonbachelor.com/2008/examination-day-by-henry-seslar/ [...]
Anonymous on 21 May 2012 at 2:33 pm
‘He wandered towards the window and peered gloomily at the veil of mist that shrouded the glass’
Does anybody know what figure of speech this is?
This is called “pathetic falllacy” when the setting mirrors the character’s mood.
After reading some of the comments on this page, I am beginning to suspect this story has already come true.
I have never forgotten this story, I read it when I was very young and it left a deep impression on me. God it pains me to see some of the replies posted here, are we raising a nation of illiterate retards? What I can absorb from this thread is most of the people commenting would have passed this “test” anyway. It’s those of us that can fully understand and appreciate the implications of this work that would need to fear it’s comming to pass.
The scary thing is, as humans evolve globally we may one day come to this point. We look back on the wild west, of European antiquity, the Egyptians and we say my god, those people were cave men. Look at how much safer and technologiclly progressive we are now. Ask yourself this: What if we decided one day the punishment for breaking any law was death? How safe we would be, within one generation everyone with a criminal tendency would be wiped out. A “harmonius” society with no danger present to those who follow the law. Why stop their, let’s ensure there is no racism, we cannot have disparity, let’s make everyone the same color. Surely we shouldn’t risk intelligence disparity ether? Everyone must be on the same page, let’s weed out the high and the low.
this story is interesting just like this other short story i read called , ‘the lottery’ . but the lottery is much more scary. this story its kinda dumb though cause the government kills children if they are too smart because they might use their smartness to have power over them so yeah. why i think is dumb? because if the government want the children to not be smarter than they are, then why the hell would they let them have an education in the first place? unacceptable right here man
This story is kind of stupid and doesn’t really makes sense at all
The story is like kinda short…
The story is like kinda short…
It’s kind of short…
Oh my god you people are dumb
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THIS STORYS GAY !!! fuck this story and whoever reads this motherfucking shit !
STUFF YOU MASSEY, FUCK YOOOOOOU!
KISSMYASS!
YOLO BITCH
fuck you caitlynnvf c decqxwsa
CARE -_-
caitlynn you faggot
nice
You all obivously don’t respect true literature.
This story is written very well with a very strong theme.
Don’t like it, don’t reread it, stop with the hatred.
I’d like to read a better story written by all the people that have commented negative opinions.
This story always puts me in mind of an old Genesis song, “Get ‘em Out by Friday” :
“This is the office of population control…it is my sad duty to report on a four-foot restriction on humanoid height. It’s said, now that people will be shorter in height, we can fit twice as many in the same building site; they say it’s alright!”
its ok
its ok
we read this in english 28 years ago and i cried in class i thought it to horrible to be true
how wrong could a 12 year old be
Great story with a great them, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Bashar Al-Assad should read this and gtfo
Great story with a great theme, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Bashar Al-Assad should read this and gtfo
this story makes me happ[y
how is everyone feeling
today
hi
shut up donkeydumper
make me
i like small nobs
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahiliketrainshahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
amzing story so upsetting
peak time i am learing about the at school shit
safa i think it would be best if u grew some balls then shoved them up your asshole k bye
The ten dollar government interment fee is the final twist of the knife.
~~~# icecubefloweron 31 Oct 2009 at 7:18 am
A lot of the commenters here would obviously pass the test.~~~
No doubt… What’s truly sad… is they would also be proud of that fact!!!
The sad truth is that this kind of goverment, which surpresses its citizens is present in this world, hiding behind a wall of lies and giving anybody the death sentence who gets to close to the truth…
We get told at school and from TV how good they are and don´t even dare to say our opinion …. FUCK USA
fuck you mrs .schreck !!! I ve no idea for the fucking test in english
fuck this shit i gotta read this and write a fucking sequel to it.
for all you idiots saying it’s not a good story clearly don’t understand it. It’s a story based on the authors fears of the future. He is scared that some day we will be forced to kill people because they are too clever. Or people will be killed because other are scared of not being smarter than others.
In the story his dad is scared his son is too smart for the test and tells him all the wrong answers to the questions he asks. That making him less smart. When Dickie asks about the test his dad didn’t want t speak about it, knowing he was too clever for the test and he would be killed. In the end Dickie takes the test and his dad was right. He was too smart for the test and was killed as the government are scared he is too clever to live and would over power them.
Just for the idiots who don’t think it’s a good story, if you was to take the test you would still be alive, for sure
Natalie, aged 14
well , i have no say cause its part of y units in english here in university
This story, in many ways, has been realized. Much of schooling is about molding and shaping attitudes, and forming what is called a good citizen, with academic and reasoning skills taking a second place. There has been a deliberate dumbing down of students for several decades. I say this because we have known for centuries how to educate people, how to teach them reading and mathematics, and reasoning skills. So if this is not being accomplished, it is the result of a deliberate departure from those effective methods. Students that lack the proper attitudes are not outright killed in the manner described in the story. Instead of this, they are often marginalized and pushed off to the side so that those with the proper attitudes can prevail.
Was it really a totalitarian government thing? First heard of the story in the new colorized Twilight Zone (is on right now on Chiller channel in fact.) Beginning shows a futuristic society. But if the government kills off all the smart people how did they become so future-tech? I always thought it was a sort of ‘society gets so smart it can wipe itself out so THEN starts killing off the smart people.’ Wanting to return to a simpler existence or something.
Reminds me though of an Orwell saying of like, “Those who cannot write well cannot think well, and will have others do their thinking for them.”
Wanted to google the author and find more out about the story. Bummed it’s so short. Hate it when stories leave you havng to think.