Short Story Review: Examination Day-Henry Slesar.

Happy Holidays to you all, no mater if you're christian, muslim, or atheist, we'd celebrate holiday, and sometimes should be happy, without trying so hard to justify it. Even though I didnt have my holiday here, I wanna say I was so happy receiving gifts from all my friends, thank you so much.

So recently, I read a book titled "Beware". Basically it was the compilation of horror stories that R.L. Stine (writer of goosebumps and nightmare room) picks. As a kid, I used to read many of his books, and my first written short story was a horror story, inspired by his book. So I believe that he would choose good story in this book.

One of the story I read was called "Examination Day" by Henry Slesar. I'm interested with the illustration at the beginning of the story. It depicts a man with a brain-head with cables, which are connected to the big machine. 

The story begins with the birthday celebration of a boy named Dickie, who turned into 12 years old that year. And the Jordans Family, his family, never talked about examination before, but today, his parent was all anxious about the upcoming examination.

Dickie wasn't really aware what happened, but his parents looks worried but they didn't want to tell Dickie what was really going on, instead they ensure him that he would just do it well, like he used to do. 

Dickie was a very smart boy who is always curious about his environment, and he always did well on the exam. So it shouldn't be matter about the exam he will take. But it turns out differently for him.

The Examination was the test from the government for all 12-year-old kids. It was said as the examination to test kid's intelligence. Before they're going to take the test, the kids have to drink a liquid, that is said as liquid that makes people give the truth answer for each questions.

Dickie wasn't really nervous about it, he believed that he will never disappointed his parent because he is smart kid. But then, the parents couldn't hide the anxiety. 

I won't spoil the ending. You have to read it yourself here. Then come back again here for the review :D

Well, it is a typical dystopian story, depict how a totalitarian government could harm its people. After reading this short story, I remember reading a typical book called 1984 by George Orwell. Some of you might have read this, well if you haven't, go to nearest library and grab this book!

The tagline would leak something about what this book is like. Yep, it is a story about an absolute totalitarian government, that the government monitored you everyday. There's no way for people to do something that the government don't like. The right or wrong, good or bad, was all justified by the government, and all the people should just follow the rule or being tortured.

I don't know about you, but I tend to be more cynical toward government. I think it's rather impossible for a group of people trying to manage the whole nation. And there are some books or film, or anything, that often depicts the same idea. 

I believe in knowledge, that people should have the right to get the education based on truth. Because I think, some of the knowledge taught in the school wasn't right, and it often lead someone to have the wrong perception of what really happen in the world. It is not education or civilization, but instead, brain washed to make one person to be fit in one society and eliminate the uniqueness this person own.

Well, I'd like to think that way, you know. I love the idea that there are some big conspiratorial idea people make, that will confused other people to find out the real truth, and are done because of one's own advantage. And at the same time,  I really appreciate human's intelligence, and therefore it is not right for people to enslave other people for they're both human.

Well.. if you haven't read the examination day, there's a TV show called Twilight Zone, that was being aired in 1985. One of the episodes are based on this short story.

You dont have a time to read, then watch this fellas.

and be wise :)