The Governor
The Governor of HM Prison, Oxford is a proud, no-nonsense man and the protagonist of the story. When James Evans breaks out of three prisons and is eventually sent to Oxford Prison, the Governor is…
read analysis of The Governor
James Evans
Known to prison officers as “Evans the Break,” antagonist James Evans is a “congenital kleptomaniac” who’s escaped three times from various prisons. He’s now a prisoner at HM Prison Oxford, which is overseen by the…
read analysis of James Evans
Reverend Stuart McLeery
Reverend Stuart McLeery, a parson at St. Mary Mags, is sent to Oxford Prison to act as a proctor for Evans’s O-level German exam. He has a short, choppy haircut and wears a clerical…
read analysis of Reverend Stuart McLeery
Jackson
Jackson is the senior prison officer at Oxford Prison, which is overseen by the Governor. A World War II veteran, Jackson stands “ramrod straight” and displays his war medals on his jacket pocket. He…
read analysis of Jackson
Stephens
Stephens is new to his post as an officer at Oxford Prison, where he reports to the senior prison officer, Jackson. Stephens is a “burly, surly-looking man,” who is supposed to sit in Evans…
read analysis of Stephens
Get the entire Evans Tries an O-Level LitChart as a printable PDF.
The Assistant Secretary
The supposed Assistant Secretary of the Examinations Board has “a special responsibility for modern languages.” He calls the Governor midway through Evans’s German exam to explain that the exam sheet has a few typographical…
read analysis of The Assistant Secretary
The Silent Prison Officer
The silent prison officer who escorts McLeery inside the prison initially seems inconsequential, but is later revealed to be one of Evans’s many accomplices. The officer is either posing as another prison officer or…
read analysis of The Silent Prison Officer
The German Teacher
Evans’s O-level German teacher claims to hail from the Technical College, but the Governor never conducts a background check on him. In actuality, the German teacher is one of Evans’s many “friends,” or accomplices…
read analysis of The German Teacher
Carter
Detective Superintendent Carter is the first to arrive on the scene after Stephens finds McLeery (who is really Evans in disguise) covered with blood in Evans’s prison cell. The Governor realizes that McLeery is the…
read analysis of Carter
Bell
Bell is the Detective Chief Inspector at St Aldates Police Station. In the wake of Evans’s escape, the Governor sends Jackson and Stephens to Bell, presumably for questioning. While the two officers are en…
read analysis of Bell
The Secretary
The Secretary of the Examinations Board arranges for McLeery to oversee Evans’s exam. Although he’s initially surprised by the Governor’s request to have a prisoner sit for an O-level German exam, the Secretary…
read analysis of The Secretary