THE TEST - ANGELICA GIBB

1
THE TEST - ANGELICA GIBB

• In discussing this short story the usual areas
  which have to be examined and the appropriate
  literary terms used.

2
The Test Matters

• Marions job depends on the test
• Mrs Ericsons family depends on the test
• Marions self-respect depends on the test

3
The Title

• Ambiguous has a double meaning both the
  driving test and also the racial testing by the
  bigoted examiner to check if Marion is a
  submissive black.
• This adds to the emotional impact of the story.

4
In medias res opening

• The writer begins in mid-plot.
• This is her second drivers test.
• The back story is implied by the first sentence
  that something has gone wrong on the previous
  test.
• The story begins at a point of high tension a
  second test with increased nerves.

5
THEME
6
Theme

• The theme is racial prejudice
• do like it better if a white person shows up
• Mrs Ericson suggests young cousin Bill was the
  wrong person to go with Marion
• Marion reads between the lines and assumes the
  problem was that Bill is black.
• Marian is honest and intuitive.

7
Implication

• Mrs Ericson suggests a bribe ..slip them a
  little something
• The implication is that the test is a fraud, not
  honest or fair if you are black
• Marions response, That would only make it
  worse hints at the main point of the story,
  that white bigots are looking for any excuse to
  fail the black person.
• Marian has an intelligent insight.

8
THEMES

• These are the ISSUES THE VALUES which the story
  examines. All stories say something about the way
  in which we human beings lead our lives and treat
  each other.
• QU 9 What is the central theme of The Test?

9
SETTING
10
SETTING

• i. WHERE IS THE STORY SET?
• When the reader knows the place in which the
  story is set he might have certain expectations
  and bring some information to his reading of the
  story.
• QU 1 In this story, what expectations might the
  reader reasonably have about how the environment
  might affect the behaviour or the fortunes of the
  characters?
• ii. IS THE SETTING OF INDIVIDUAL INCIDENTS
  IMPORTANT?
• QU 2 Are there any incidents in this story
  where the setting might be said to be symbolic?
• iii. WHEN IS THE STORY SET?
• QU 3 Is it recent? Or is it set in the past
  where a certain set of historical circumstances
  might affect the behaviour and fortunes of the
  characters?

11
PLOT
12
Plot How does it develop?

• Suspense over who will be the tester
• The stocky, shouting man OR
• The genial, middle aged, smiling man (who turns
  out to be the racist with the friendly face)
• Ironically, the genial man is as much a racist as
  the stocky man was.

13
Careful Plotting

• The tester asks her to read the sign.
• She does.
• He asks where she learned to read.
• She says at college.
• He laughs.
• She stalls on the slippery bridge.
• He makes fun of her Mistress Mandy, remember
  your degree.
• She swears at him and starts the car with a jerk.
• THEN He fails her with four random crosses on the
  blank.

14
Careful Plotting

• She stalls on the slippery bridge.
• He makes fun of her Mistress Mandy, remember
  your degree.
• She swears at him and starts the car with a jerk.
• THEN He fails her with four random crosses on the
  blank.
• SO HE FAILED HER BECAUSE SHE LOST HER TEMPER AT
  HIM, NOT BECAUSE SHE STALLED THE CAR

15
Careful Plotting

• Reveals motivation of character of tester
• He is furious because Marian swore at him, not
  because she stalled the car.

16
IMPORTANT!!!

• The plot and its ending are designed to
• A) challenge our sense of fairness
• B) provoke anger and indignation
• C) make us reflect on the small, unnoticed acts
  of racism which still occur.

17
PLOT

• QU 4 Briefly summarise all that happens. in the
  story - including all RELEVANT detail.
• QU 5 Are there incidents of particular
  significance in the story?
• QU 6 Does the author prepare the reader for the
  ending? Even, as in this story, when the reader
  hopes that the ending will be otherwise.

18
CHARACTERISATION
19
CHARACTERS AND CHARACTERISATION

• How characters are DESCRIBED, CONTRASTED, and
  made to represent A TYPE
• How APPEARANCE,BEHAVIOUR AND LANGUAGE combine to
  give a very vivid impression of each character.
• (WE WILL LOOK AT THIS LATER IN MUCH MORE DETAIL)

20
Marion as Point-of -View Character

• The only character who makes meaningful decisions
  in the story
• The only character present throughout the story
• The only character given a personal name
• The character who suffers unjustly and without
  complaining

21
DIALOGUE
22
Use of Dialogue(significant names)

• The inspector calls Marian Mandy This is
  condescending
• A) He does not use her surname. (Dignity denied)
• B) He deliberately uses an over-familiar version
  of her first name
• C)He ignores Mrs Ericsons correction
• D) When he gets away with the insult he pushes it
  further, calling her Mandy-Lou

23
Dialogue - Intrusive Rhetorical Questions

• The inspector asks Marian if she has children.
  This is irrelevant to her driving ability.
• The inspector asks this in a racist phrase Old
  enough to have quite a flock of pickaninnies, eh?

24
More Rhetorical Questions

• The Inspector questions Marians motive in
  wanting a licence.
• Sure you dont really want to sneak out nights
  to meet some young blood?
• This suggests Marian is an immature and
  irresponsible teenager.

25
Another Intrusive Question

• You-all sho can read fine . . . Where dya learn
  to do that, Mandy?
• The implication is that it is surprising that a
  black can read at all because the negro is
  uneducated or stupid.

26
Cultural Stereotypes

• He began to whistle Swanee River. Make you
  homesick? he asked.
• This is a direct reference to slavery and
  plantation life.
• This is a racist jibe which the inspector feels
  safe to make because there is no witness in the
  car.

27
DIALOGUE

• In every short story the way in which a character
  speaks to others will reveal that characters
  qualities.
• QU 7 Find two examples of each characters
  language and note what it tells you about their
  attitude to others.

28
BODY LANGUAGE
29
Use of condescending body-language

• Sure thing, the inspector said, winking at Mrs
  Ericson.
• This suggests Mrs Ericson and the Inspector are
  sharing a joke, that they both know Marian is a
  bad driver because she is black but Mrs Ericson
  has to say something positive in front of Marian
  because blacks cannot cope with the truth.

30
THE ENDING OF THE STORY
31
The real climax of the story

• What is the real climax?
• Marian stalling the car? No.
• Marian swearing at the tester? No.
• The tester failing Marian? No.
• It is Mrs Ericsons reaction Oh, Marian, again?

32
The hidden message in the ending

• Mrs Ericson blames Marian for being a stupid
  black.
• Marian does not dare to tell her truth about the
  racist incidents during the test.
• Marian decides to accept the label of stupid
  black rather than make trouble.

33
MORE AREAS TO CONSIDER
34
STYLE

• QU 8 Look for words, phrases, or images which
  are included by the author to add to the meaning
  of the story and to increase your understanding
  of the characters or the themes.

35
ATTITUDE

• All authors have an ATTITUDE to their subject
  matter to their characters it is clear in
  descriptions, dialogue and- sometimes- comments
• QU 10 What is the writers attitude to her
  subject matter in The Test.

36
PURPOSE

• The purpose of the writer is connected to his/her
  attitude the author may want to criticise some
  aspect of human behaviour and his / her purpose
  would be to convince the reader that such
  behaviour is wrong.
• Once you have decided what the writers purpose
  was, you can then assess if the writer was
  successful in achieving it.
• QU 11 What is the writer trying to achieve by
  writing this story, what is its purpose?

37
PERSONAL RESPONSE

• In all critical essays you will be expected to
  include your personal response to the text and to
  be able to explain why you did or did not enjoy
  it.
• QU 12 Give your personal response to the short
  story, The Test.